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
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.
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Lisa
July 21, 2010 at 11:43 amI have a question unrelated to this recipe, but related to pasta in general. For pasta dishes that are cream-based, what would you use for the cream, to make it an “approved” pasta dish? I just love those cream pasta dishes, and usually stay clear of them in general, but there HAS to be a healthy alternative!
Lisa
July 22, 2010 at 10:17 amCream is technically not “highly processed” therefore it is okay to still use. I would just use it in moderation. There are many ways to define eating “healthy” (I will address this in a future blog post) and those on a “low fat” diet may avoid cream all together. I don’t really see cutting out processed foods as a diet though it is a more of a new lifestyle where cream is acceptable, but should be used in moderation (just like natural sweeteners, oils, etc.). I hope that helps!
Lisa
August 21, 2013 at 10:23 pmHave you tried Daisy Sour Cream? It is the only kind I buy..two ingredients! All Natural!!
Lisa
July 22, 2010 at 11:40 amYes, it helps, thank you!
Rachel
July 27, 2010 at 2:57 pmTo me, this sounds more like a vegetable sauce than a traditional marinara or “spaghetti” sauce. Here’s how I make mine:
1 medium onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
28 oz can Muir Glen tomato puree
1/2 cup red wine
Fresh basil from my garden
Salt & Pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Saute onion in oil until softened, add garlic and cook for a minute. Add wine and cook until almost all the liquid is gone. Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Sometimes I add a pat of butter or two at the end – it really rounds out the flavors and mellows the sauce if it’s too acidic. I also like to add chopped fresh tomatoes, if they are available from my garden. I add them when I add the puree.
This sauce is amazing! It’s honestly the best marinara sauce my husband and I have ever had. We use it for pasta as well as pizza sauce.
Lisa
July 27, 2010 at 10:04 pmYes, you are right it is more of a vegetable tomato sauce. I guess being a mom of little ones I am always trying to fit veggies in whenever I can! I just printed your recipe and look forward to trying it as well. Thank you!
bridget
July 29, 2010 at 8:54 pmLisa, I am really loving your blog! I found it on a Food Inc fb post! i was inspired by you and made whole wheat asparagus pancakes with ww flour, baking powder, fresh locally grown asparagus, organic eggs, organic grass fed skim milk, salt pepper and organic cheddar cheese. I used ffree greek yogurt with tequilla lime seasoning i got from whole foods to dip. YUMMY! Did I get all the rules right? Ok now that I have gotten off track, let me get back to my original question…I have tons of home grown Rutgers tomatoes, can I make “gravy” with that too?
Lisa
July 30, 2010 at 11:55 pmThank you for the comment and it sounds like you are on the right track with all of your ingredients! Also, I think any variety of tomatoes would be good in the sauce it would probably just slightly alter the end result depending on what you use. Any homegrown tomatoes would be delicious in there though!
Lisa
July 30, 2010 at 11:55 pmThank you for the comment and it sounds like you are on the right track with all of your ingredients! Also, I think any variety of tomatoes would be good in the sauce it would probably just slightly alter the end result depending on what you use. Any homegrown tomatoes would be delicious in there though!
Kari
August 6, 2010 at 3:55 pmA good alternative for a “creamy sauce” is tofutti sour cream with herbs/cheese…it is a lot better for you while adding in the cream you so desire.
Lisa
August 9, 2010 at 10:29 amDo you have a recipe you can share?
House of Twirls
April 9, 2011 at 7:56 pmHi Lisa!
I am brand new to your blog and I must say the more I read the more I want to cry out of joy that I am not the only person/ mom that is trying to go back to REAL food!
You are an inspiration and thank you for posting all these amazing recipes!
I also turned my family’s traditional and wonderful sauce into my sneaky vegetable spaghetti sauce. The main difference is that I use summer squash and zucchini chopped up and thrown in after everything else is ready to stew. It looks like it will never blend in but give it a couple of hours. Not much left for the kids to gripe about, especially when we use it for extra cheesy baked ziti/ penne the second night!
Grateful in Florida,
Lacie
100 Days of Real Food
April 13, 2011 at 10:04 pmSo glad you found us!! :)
Karen
June 9, 2011 at 1:58 pmHi Lisa,
Do you have a pizza sauce recipe or do you modify this one at all for pizza?
Thanks and I continue to love your blog!
Karen
100 Days of Real Food
June 16, 2011 at 6:52 pmI actually buy our pizza sauce at our farmer’s market…are you in the Charlotte area? If so it’s at the Matthews Market and it is so good!!
Jen
August 25, 2011 at 8:31 pmObsessed with your blog! I make a similar spaghetti sauce, but ALWAYS add a little red wine to the mix. The alcohol cooks out, but the flavor it adds is amazing.
Tracy
October 8, 2011 at 12:30 amQuestion: I am obsessed with your blog as well and have tried several of your recipes and have told all my friends they have to try cause everything has been amazing and a HUGE hit with my family…..SOOOO on to my question…..I always hear that when making spagetti sauce it takes hours could this be done in a crock pot????
100 Days of Real Food
October 12, 2011 at 4:11 pmSo glad you like the blog and the recipes! I have not tried this particular recipe in the crock pot, but I have heard of “spaghetti sauce” recipes that work in the crock pot. Maybe google some of those recipes, compare it to this one and come up with your own version that works!
Brittany
October 26, 2011 at 7:24 amTo me this recipe looks great. But my husband doesn’t eat chunks of tomatoes and I don’t have anyway to puree them myself. Any suggestions?
100 Days of Real Food
October 26, 2011 at 12:32 pmYou don’t have a blender you could use?
breann
January 4, 2012 at 9:51 pmHi Lisa, LOVE,LOVE,LOVE, this Spaghetti sauce! I have a son and I am also always trying to get as many veggies in him as possible. I made this for dinner tonight, and it was a huge success. I didn’t have celery, so I substituted it for green pepper instead. I must say both me and my husband were a little leery about the carrots (I almost didn’t add them), I’m happy I did! Thank you~Breann
Karissa
March 4, 2012 at 6:42 pmI love your website and I am always looking for ways to have my family eat better, but I am new to this whole website so any beginner ideas you can give would be very much appreciated!!
100 Days of Real Food
March 6, 2012 at 6:04 pmI just added a “start here” page for those who are new! https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/start-here/
Sophia
March 8, 2012 at 3:57 pmI love this recipe! I use canned tomatoes though. But do you have any suggestions about brands? All the ones I find have calcium chloride added, which I guess helps keep the shape and prevent the tomatoes from breaking down in the sauce. And citric acid, although it says “naturally derived.” Are these still considered “real foods?”
100 Days of Real Food
March 16, 2012 at 6:58 pmTry to find canned versions with the least amount of additives possible. There will be better options at health food stores and also with organic brands. If you don’t have good options locally you can always order online.
Kara
March 22, 2012 at 9:38 pmI just made this sauce tonight and it was fabulous! Thank you for these great tips and recipes!
rachel
June 1, 2012 at 12:28 pmCould this recipe be canned or frozen? I am trying to use up my tomato crop before they all spoil.Thanks! Love your blog
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill)
June 6, 2012 at 9:59 pmHi Rachel. I freeze tomato sauce all of the time so I don’t see why you couldn’t freeze this recipe. Jill
Diana Harris
August 15, 2012 at 1:45 pmI saw where you stated this recipe can be frozen. I am wondering if anyone has ever canned it and had success?
Jenna
September 4, 2012 at 9:03 pmI made this to use up some garden tomatoes today. I knew my brother and dad wouldn’t like the hunks of vegetables so after I finished I puréed the sauce. Now it’s a little more orange than red but I think it will still pass picky eater inspection!! Trying to get more veggies in for boys that eat fried foods multiple times a week!
Anne-Marie
September 29, 2012 at 9:03 pmDisappointed that an alternative to using fresh tomatoes in this recipe is canned ones. There is no way these could fit into your ‘real food’ classification. The amount of BPA in all canned foods is well known and most definitely unhealthy and not okay in a healthy lifestyle.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill)
September 29, 2012 at 9:22 pmHi Anne-Marie. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. There are actually some companies who are now using BPA free cans, including Muir Glen tomatoes. It’s definitely harder to find, but there are some out there who are avoiding BPA. Jill
Karen
March 19, 2013 at 12:01 amI combined your recipe with another recipe that a commenter left and let me tell you! YUM! The carrots add a sweetness that I love! I have been unsatisfied with the red sauce recipies out there, however, this turned me into a believer! I combined this with your yummy meatballs. My two year old and my husband gobbled them up! Simple, healthy and delicious. That’s my kind of food.
Sarah
July 4, 2013 at 4:46 pmMade this and put it on spaghetti squash! Made a yummy veggie dinner! Also the long cooking time required for then sauce made my house smell so delicious!
Meaghan
October 28, 2013 at 11:41 pmHow do you freeze your left over sauce? Jars? Bags? And then how do you defrost? Thinking I might brave some homemade sauce…but if I do, I’m making enough for a few meals :). Thanks!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
November 1, 2013 at 8:45 amHi Meaghan. Lisa uses freezer safe canning jars/jelly jars and typically allows them to thaw overnight in the fridge. ~Amy
Deb
December 8, 2013 at 4:10 pmHi Amy! With all the facts about staying away from canned tomatoes (bpa in lining,etc), are the organic canned tomatoes canned differently? Thank you-
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
December 11, 2013 at 1:59 pmHello Deb. Only if they are marked BPA free. You can also find tomatoes in both glass jars and boxes. :)~Amy
Jim Frankel
January 9, 2014 at 3:30 pmLisa, 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!!!
;))
Kathy
January 27, 2014 at 6:20 pmI 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.
Amanda
February 3, 2014 at 2:24 pmI 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?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
February 5, 2014 at 7:48 amHi 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
bearmon2010
February 18, 2014 at 5:59 pmSorry 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.
Mary
April 1, 2014 at 11:22 pmCan this also be used as pizza sauce?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
April 5, 2014 at 12:08 pmHi Mary. Sure, you could if like the consistency. ~Amy
Donna
May 5, 2014 at 6:22 pmI 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.
Mary
June 11, 2014 at 4:48 pmHow long will the sauce last in the freezer?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 13, 2014 at 1:45 pmHi Mary. I’ve kept sauce for up to 6 months.
Tina D
July 31, 2014 at 5:55 pmDoes 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
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 2, 2014 at 2:03 pmI think it is: “not surprisingly, delicious”. :)
Melissa
August 18, 2014 at 11:59 amI 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.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 30, 2014 at 11:41 amHi 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
Laura
July 23, 2015 at 11:48 amHi!
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!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
July 29, 2015 at 7:04 amHi. Yes, 2lbs of fresh tomatoes is what Lisa used, too.
Jennifer
August 27, 2015 at 9:10 amI 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?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
August 28, 2015 at 11:59 amHi Jennifer. We’ve not tried a skin-on version so we can’t be sure of the results.
Sarah Jacobs
September 3, 2015 at 4:55 pmI always out the tomatoes in my vitamix with the skins on and the sauce turns out just the same.
Jeremiah dela Paz
September 4, 2016 at 2:53 amWhat kind of juice are you talking about? Is it the juice from where you boiled the tomatoes
D Singh
October 12, 2015 at 12:59 pmJennifer, 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.
Amy
April 30, 2017 at 10:54 amAre there any store bought sauces that are OK?
Brooke
April 30, 2017 at 3:18 pmI would like to know too please :)
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 10, 2017 at 4:27 pmThere 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.
brooke
April 30, 2017 at 3:17 pmWhat 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?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 10, 2017 at 4:18 pmYour preference, really. Garlic, basil, oregano or an Italian blend of seasonings.
Pat Zajac
April 4, 2018 at 7:57 pmI 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