This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This homemade spaghetti sauce is surprisingly easy to make with canned crushed tomatoes. It’s so thick and delicious. Enjoy right away or use for meal prep!
Update: This recipe was originally published in 2020 and has been republished with all new photos.
I set out to make my own spaghetti sauce a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised by how simple it was. I’ve been making it this way ever since.
It’s truly almost as easy as using the store-bought kind. Especially because even when I was purchasing a ready made sauce I found myself adding extra herbs and seasonings to make it even better.
The ingredients are simple. I don’t even include sautéed onion (gasp!) or bell peppers because I want even the small children to love it. I assure you this sauce has tons of big flavor without them.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients
- Olive or avocado oil: Because we’re using a lean ground meat a little oil helps to brown our meat.
- Lean ground turkey or beef: Turkey or beef are both great options in this spaghetti sauce. I usually use 93% lean ground turkey.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes quickly help us achieve the texture and flavor we want for the perfect spaghetti sauce. I recommend fire-roasted if it’s available in your grocery store.
- Tomato paste: Tomato paste packs a lot of concentrated tomato flavor.
- Minced garlic: Garlic is a must in spaghetti sauce. You can mince your own garlic or use a jarred variety.
- Seasonings: I believe in a really well seasoned spaghetti sauce so I don’t skimp on the spices. (The sauce isn’t spicy, don’t worry!)
How to Make Spaghetti Sauce
To make this sauce you’ll brown your ground turkey or beef. Then add in canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, garlic, and seasonings. (The specifics are in the recipe card below.) Let it all simmer together for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it’s all heated through and your flavors have had time to marry together. That’s it!
Can you double this spaghetti sauce?
This is a very easy recipe to double so before you start cooking consider how much sauce you think you’ll really need.
A single batch of this recipe is enough for 4 people if you don’t want any leftovers and you don’t anticipate anyone wanting extra helpings. When I’m just making this for my family this is plenty because I’m feeding two adults and two children. My daughter eats a small serving so my husband and son can still go back for seconds with no problem.
A double batch can serve 8 people or 4 to 6 people who may want extra helpings. I often choose to double this recipe so that my family of 4 will have leftovers. Because who doesn’t want leftovers?
How to Store Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze Spaghetti Sauce
Let the sauce cool completely. Pour into a freezer safe container and seal. Sauce will keep for 3 to 4 months in the freezer.
To thaw, let the sauce thaw (sealed in the container you froze it in) in a sink of cool water. Once thawed, pour sauce into a pot on the stovetop to reheat or in a large microwave safe bowl for the microwave. You can also reheat it from frozen (no thawing required) by adding it to your slow cooker and letting it cook for 5 to 6 hours on low.
How to Serve Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Serve over your favorite pasta, spaghetti squash (see my recipe for Roasted Spaghetti Squash), or zoodles. You can even add it to the top of roasted veggies for a satisfying low carb meal.
More recipes like this:
The Easiest Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1 pound lean ground turkey or beef, I use 93% lean ground turkey
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes, I prefer fire-roasted
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add oil to a skillet on the stove top. Heat to medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add the ground meat. Saute the meat, stirring occasionally, until browned. If your turkey or beef isn’t very lean you may want to drain the grease. (I find that isn't necessary when using 93% lean.)
- Reduce heat to medium low. Add canned crushed tomatoes, water, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper to skillet with the meat. Stir to combine. Cover and gently simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until everything is heated through and flavors have married.
- Serve over your favorite pasta, spaghetti squash (see my recipe for Roasted Spaghetti Squash), or zoodles. You can even add it to the top of roasted veggies for a satisfying low carb meal!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My husband never gves compliments on spaghetti and he said this was the best he had eaten. Thanks for sharing!
Very good sauce.  Didn’t have crushed tomatoes so pulsed 2 cans of diced tomatoes in the food processor and used those.  I did take another reviewer’s advice and added 1T of brown sugar.  This was very easy to throw together w/pantry staples.  Great flavor; the seasonings are spot on.  Thanks!
I’m so glad I saw this comment/review. I made this sauce tonight and it was great but it was missing a touch of sweetness I like in spaghetti sauce.Â
Delicious!  I made it with papardelle  pasta tonight!  So good!  Thank you!Â
This is my go to dinner when I need to pull something together last minute. Easy, delicious, and cheap, what’s not to love?
This was really good. I didn’t have crushed tomatoes so I used tomato sauce. I just omitted the water. I also added about 1 tbs. of sugar. I will probably use this instead of canned sauce from now on.
Thank you, exactly what I had, exactly what I wanted to use and not use (no onions, no peppers) thank you for the consideration. Just basic ingredients, easy. It was perfect, flavorful, I can’t thank you enough.Â
So happy you enjoyed it, Rosalee!
We just ate way too much spaghetti because of this recipe! Such a delicious flavor and it’s so easy to make. I did add 1/2 diced onion because I had it on hand and 1T sugar. This will definitely be a go to sauce recipe from now on!
Haha is there such a thing as too much spaghetti?!? Thank you, Sadie, for the kind review!
I have been trying spaghetti recipes to try to best my husband’s mothers recipe for spaghetti sauce for 50 years..I almost cried when he tried this one and said, it was the best he ever had! Yay, I can quit looking!
Loved it! So good and flavorful. Â We did cut back a little on the garlic though! And we used venison hamburger!Â
Unbelievable considering how quickly one is able to prepare this recipe! 5 deserved stars.  I’ve been making homemade pasta sauce my entire life.  I’m now 77 years old.  This recipe is amazing!