Making spaghetti sauce from scratch is surprisingly easy, and not surprisingly, delicious (especially if made with locally grown or homegrown tomatoes). While this dish takes a little bit of time to prepare, it takes very little skill. I recommend to double (or even triple) this recipe for lots of leftovers with little additional effort. The extra sauce can be thrown in your freezer for another day. Now that I have spoiled my family by making this sauce with tomatoes from our garden, I am going to have to load up at the next farmer’s market and freeze enough sauce to last us until the next tomato season. Wish me luck with that one!
Also, if you think your kids will detect and detest the veggies in this sauce then try puréeing them in the food processor for a better disguise. Or you could just leave them out and increase the onion if necessary. My kids like it when I serve a side of garlic toast (whole-wheat toast topped with butter & garlic powder and toasted) with this dish.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Making spaghetti sauce from scratch is surprisingly easy, and not surprisingly, delicious (especially if made with locally grown or homegrown tomatoes).
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tomatoes, fresh, or 2 cups canned plum tomatoes with juice
- 2/3 cup carrot, chopped
- 2/3 cup celery, chopped
- 2/3 cup onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
- salt, to taste
- 1 pound whole-wheat pasta, cooked
- parmesan cheese
Sauce Add-in Options:
- ground beef
- ground turkey
- sausage
- mushrooms, diced
- herbs, dried
Instructions
- If using fresh tomatoes drop them into boiling water for 1 minute. Drain them and peel off the skin (when they are cool enough to handle). Once they have been boiled the skin comes off very easily (pictured). Cut canned or fresh tomatoes into coarse piece and reserve juice.
- Add the tomatoes with juice, chopped carrot, celery and onion to a large saucepan on low heat. Cook uncovered at a slow simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the olive oil and bring sauce to a slightly stronger simmer for 15 more minutes. Stir frequently and mash tomatoes with the back of a spoon.
- Taste and add salt as needed. I usually add a bit of salt myself.
- Combine with cooked ground beef, ground turkey, sausage, diced mushrooms and/or fresh or dried herbs if desired and serve over whole-wheat pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Recipe Notes
* For a gluten-free meal, serve over spaghetti squash or gluten-free whole grain rice noodles.
Nutrition Facts
Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but 100 Days of Real Food will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us spread our message!
Chocolate Torte with Whipped Cream and Chocolate SauceOther Posts You Might Like
I have an allergy to wheat. Can substitute spelt or other flours into the recipes.
I was eating rice crackers but they are a no, no. Any other suggestions?
Thanks, Pat
What kind of herbs (and how much) would you add to this? Never made homemade spaghetti sauce. Very excited to try this but I’m assuming you’d add some garlic and some kind of green herbs?
Your preference, really. Garlic, basil, oregano or an Italian blend of seasonings.
Are there any store bought sauces that are OK?
I would like to know too please :)
There are several organic brands that are tasty and fit the real food bill. I like Amy’s. Here is the ingredient list: ORGANIC TOMATO PURÉE, FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC ONIONS, ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, ORGANIC BASIL, SEA SALT, ORGANIC GARLIC, ORGANIC CANE SUGAR, ORGANIC BLACK PEPPER. I’ve tried several that I really like.
Jennifer, if you want, you can try doing what I usually do, Rinse them the day before you’re going to use them, pat them dry, place into a zip lock bag and into the freezer. The next day, as soon as you put them under the tap with warm water their skins slides off easily.
I have a bunch of very small cherry tomatoes that I would like to use up for this recipe, but peeling them seems impossible because of their size. What happens if I leave the skins on and just use an immersion blender to try and break them down?
What kind of juice are you talking about? Is it the juice from where you boiled the tomatoes
Hi Jennifer. We’ve not tried a skin-on version so we can’t be sure of the results.
I always out the tomatoes in my vitamix with the skins on and the sauce turns out just the same.
Hi!
If I’m using fresh tomatoes, would 2 lbs = 2 cups? Or about how many cups of fresh tomatoes & juice should I use?
Thank you!
Hi. Yes, 2lbs of fresh tomatoes is what Lisa used, too.
Hi Melissa. I don’t think the flavor is altered much and, in fact adds depth, to the sauce. The veggies should be pureed before cooking. :) ~Amy
I just found your page while searching for a homemade sauce that I can sneak veggies into. I’m trying to get more veggies into my daughter who doesn’t like them very much. Any other ideas on how to get some veggies into my family where they will eat it is always welcome. I plan to check out your blog when I am done here. I wanted to know if adding the veggies in this recipe alters the taste to where they would be able to pick them out and also you said that you can puree the veggies if you wanted, where would that step go in the recipe? Thanks.
Does this read that its an easy recipe but “suprisingly, not delicious”? I read that four times…still sounds like its an easy but not great recipe lol
I think it is: “not surprisingly, delicious”. :)
How long will the sauce last in the freezer?
Hi Mary. I’ve kept sauce for up to 6 months.
I have made my own sauce for over 25 years. I haven’t tried this sauce yet but I know when I make sauce the oil goes in the pot first and the meat is browned before I add anything. It takes away that tangy taste (that many people love), if you like a sweet sauce, brown the meat first.
Can this also be used as pizza sauce?
Hi Mary. Sure, you could if like the consistency. ~Amy
Sorry about my English. the canned is not good. Use the real tomatoes and they are better tasty and more health than the canned.
Believe me.. Many European like me used the real tomatoes and no canned. Thats why they made awesome tasty than canned is a yucky.
I wanted to do some canning this summer and wanted to use this sauce but i wasnt sure if i could. Do you know if that is possible or if i have to use specific recipes?
Hi Amanda. Lisa freezes her sauce but has not canned it. She’s only dabbled, so far, in canning a few items. Maybe this blogger’s post will help: http://foodinjars.com/2010/08/canning-101-why-you-cant-can-your-familys-tomato-sauce/. :) ~Amy
I made this recipe a few days ago. I wanted something except pasta to put it on. I used some small cauliflower florettes slightly steamed. It turned out quite tasty.
Lisa, I love your recipes only 1 thing …. You still use wheat or should I say gluten contaminated ingredients . I substitute w/gluten free ingredients so I can still enjoy your delicious recipes. As for gluten it was a freak thing my wife and daughter wanted to try the PALEO DIET and that was the beginning of it all. We did it for 3-4 months but I need dairy so being the chef I found it was gluten they was bothering me after I trie to eat board walk pizza and was sick for 3 days anyways keep it up delicious and yummy recipes. Don’t try gluten free unless you are sure your ready for a life change but ALL FOR THE GOOD IN SO MANY WAYS!!!
;))
Hi Amy! With all the facts about staying away from canned tomatoes (bpa in lining,etc), are the organic canned tomatoes canned differently? Thank you-
Hello Deb. Only if they are marked BPA free. You can also find tomatoes in both glass jars and boxes. :)~Amy