• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Free Bonus
  • About

Boulder Locavore® logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Free Bonus
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Free Bonus
    • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Condiments and Sauces » Homemade Spaghetti Sauce – My Grandmother’s Recipe

    LAST UPDATED: September 29, 2021 • FIRST PUBLISHED: March 20, 2020 By Toni Dash 23 Comments

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce – My Grandmother’s Recipe

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce title

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce is easy to make and simmers into a soul-warming sauce. This pasta sauce recipe comes from my Grandmother’s recipe box and is very easy to change up!

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce title

    Homemade pasta sauce is always delicious!

    It fills the house with comforting aromas that brings everyone to the kitchen!

    This tomato-lovers meat sauce uses simple, wholesome ingredients for a hearty filling sauce.

    It’s easy to put together and simmers for 2 hours into a thick, delicious spaghetti sauce.

    Great over any type of pasta OR in recipes calling for pasta sauce.

    Ingredients

    The ingredients in this pasta sauce recipe are basic and easy to find at the grocery store.

    Substitution ideas are also included to change it up for what you have on hand.

    • Olive Oil
    • Yellow Onion
    • Green Bell Peppers
    • Celery
    • Ground Beef
    • Chili Powder
    • Kosher Salt
    • freshly ground Black Pepper
    • dried Oregano
    • canned Tomato Sauce
    • finely chopped (fresh) Italian Parsley
    • sliced Baby Bella or Cremini Mushrooms

    homemade spaghetti sauce in jars Substitution Ideas

    Can’t get one (or more) of the ingredients? Here’s how to change it up!

    Olive Oil – use Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil.

    Yellow Onion – use White Onion, Red/Spanish onion or Shallots.

    Green Bell Pepper – use Red Bell Pepper. Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers will work too but have a milder flavor.

    Ground Beef – use Ground Bison or Ground Pork. Ground pork will yield more fat when cooked so drain any excess fat before adding the tomato sauce, parsley and mushrooms.

    Ground Turkey or Ground Chicken can also be used. Ground poultry has very mild flavor so will not be easy to taste BUT the protein will still be there to make it a filling sauce!

    Spices – these spices and herbs are a winning combination but you can also substitute YOUR Italian favorites! Thyme, Italian Seasoning, Basil, even a bit of Red Chile Pepper!

    Fresh Italian Parsley – use Dried Parsley. The rule of thumb when substituting dried herbs for fresh herbs is to use 1/3 the amount of dried herbs in place of the measurement of the fresh herbs.

    In this case you would use 1/3 cup of dried parsley.

    Baby Bella or Cremini Mushrooms – use White/Button Mushrooms. They do not has as much flavor as the other mushrooms but will still be delicious!

    homemade spaghetti sauce spoonful

    How to Make Tomato Sauce less Acidic

    There are tomato lovers and those who don’t like tomato sauce to taste so, well, tomato-ey.

    To take the edge off the strong tomato flavor, after the pasta sauce has cooked add 1/4 teaspoon of granulated sugar.

    Taste and add more sugar 1/4 teaspoon at a time until the desired flavor is reached.

    This trick really doesn’t change the acidity of the tomato sauce but it tricks your taste buds into thinking they don’t taste as acidic.

    How to Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce – Step-by-Step

    STEP 1: In a large Dutch Oven heat the olive oil over medium-high heat (photos 1-2).

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce recipe steps photo collage 1-4

    STEP 2: Add the green pepper, onions and celery (photos 2-5). Sauté until the onions start to soften and turn translucent (5-10 minutes); photo 6.

    STEP 3: Add the ground beef cook using a spatula to break the meat into small pieces (photo 7). There should be no pink color (photo 8).

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce recipe steps photo collage 5-8

    STEP 4: Add the chili powder, salt, pepper, dried oregano (photo 9); stir to combine.

    STEP 5: Pour in the tomato sauce, Italian parsley (photo 10) and mushrooms (photo 11). Stir to combine.

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce recipe steps photo collage 9-12

    STEP 6: Bring to a simmer, partially covered (this will help with splattering). Stir every 30 minutes to ensure no sticking to the bottom of the pan.

    The spaghetti sauce will thicken (photo 12) and reduce to 8 cups.

    pasta sauce recipe on spaghetti

    How to Use Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

    Homemade pasta sauce is a flexible staple recipe. It can be used in many ways!

    • Over any type of pasta or in pasta shells
    • In lasagna recipe
    • Use it as a soup recipe base
    • Mixed with rice and grated cheese for Stuffed Peppers 
    • As a pizza sauce
    • To stuff Zucchini boats or Spaghetti Squash

    How to Store

    In the Refrigerator

    Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    In the Freezer

    Once the sauce has cooled place it into freezer safe containers allowing 1-inch ‘head space’ (room between the surface of the sauce and the top of the container). This allows room for expansion when it freezes.

    Seal and freeze for up to 6 months for best flavor results. Thaw in the refrigerator.

    I use these freezer containers for soups and sauces. They can be used in the refrigerator too.

    pasta sauce recipe on a plate of pasta

    More Easy Dinner Recipes You’ll Love!

    These recipes were specially selected due to the ingredients they use. They should be easy to find and don’t use many ingredients.

    • Easy Shakshuka Recipe – Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce
    • Spaghetti Carbonara
    • Boneless Pork Loin Roast with Garlic and Fresh Herbs
    • Butternut Squash Noodles in Sage Brown Butter
    • Ultimate Burger Grill Guide

    Some Side Dishes to Try too!

    • Lemon Garlic Broccoli
    • Instant Pot Artichokes
    • Irish Soda Bread
    • Fresh Green Beans with Bacon and Sliced Almonds
    • Balsamic Roasted Fall Vegetables
    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK , TWITTER , INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST !

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce title

    Nana’s Spaghetti Sauce

    Slow simmering tomato meat sauce full of robust flavor and perfect on any pasta.
    5 from 15 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
    Servings: 8 cups (2 Quarts total)
    Calories: 280kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 1 large Yellow Onion peeled and chopped
    • 2 Green Bell Peppers seeded and chopped
    • 4 stalks Celery cleaned and chopped
    • 1 pound Ground Beef
    • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
    • ½ teaspoon dried Oregano
    • 5 15-ounce cans Tomato Sauce
    • 1 cup finely chopped fresh Italian Parsley
    • 2 cups sliced Baby Bella or Cremini Mushrooms

    Instructions

    • In a large Dutch Oven heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the surface is rippling add the onions, green pepper and celery. Sauté until the onions start to soften and turn transluscent (5-10 minutes).
    • Add the ground beef and brown, using a spatula to break into small pieces while it cooks. Cook until no pink remains.
    • Add the chili powder, salt, pepper, dried oregano; stir to combine.
    • Pour in the tomato sauc, Italian parsley and mushrooms. Stir to combine.
    • Bring to a simmer. Simmer over low heat partially covered (to control splattering) for 2 hours. Stir the sauce every 30 minutes to ensure no sticking to the bottom of the pan.
    • When complete the sauce will have thickened and reduced to 8 cups yield.
    • Can be used immediately or within four days.

    Notes

    Due to the volume of vegetables it takes longer to begin to soften (10 minutes’ish).
    Simmer over the lowest setting to ensure it’s still cooking but to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 1749mg | Potassium: 1287mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2057IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 5mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!
    « Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Oreos Crust
    Magic Cookie Bars with a Tropical Twist! »

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

    Free Email Course

    5 FAST & EASY 15-MINUTE RECIPES
    Spending too much time in the kitchen?
    These recipes are fast, easy, and perfect for every occasion.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cathy says

      March 24, 2020 at 9:54 am

      I really love the addition of chili powder in this recipe!

      Reply
    2. Lindsay Cotter says

      March 22, 2020 at 6:38 pm

      5 stars
      The fact that this was your grandmother’s recipe makes it even more special! It’s so delicious and will be a favorite for us!

      Reply
      • Adrian says

        September 26, 2022 at 9:29 am

        This recipe is almost identical to the one my mom made. She was nice enough to write it all down before she passed, so I still get to enjoy it to this day!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Toni Dash

    Toni Dash BoulderLocavore.com Head Shot

    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

    AS FEATURED ON….

    BoulderLocavore.com Featured By Press

    Easy Dinners

    • Instant Pot Jambalaya Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe: Quick & Easy Comfort Food
    • Instant Pot Smoked Paprika & Garlic Chicken Legs with lime wedges on a pewter platter Instant Pot Smoked Paprika & Garlic Chicken Legs
    • Korean BBQ Chicken title image Easy Korean BBQ Chicken recipe
    • Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket title image Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket: an Easy One Pot Meal
    • Shrimp Salad title image Shrimp Salad Recipe
    • Green Chile Stew title image Hearty New Mexican Green Chile Pork Stew

    TRENDING RIGHT NOW

    • Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket title image Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket: an Easy One Pot Meal
    • Apple Cookies in basket with title Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cookies recipe
    • cilantro lime rice title image Easy Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
    • Korean BBQ Chicken title image Easy Korean BBQ Chicken recipe
    • How to Make Moist Homemade Shredded Chicken Breast title How to Make Moist Homemade Shredded Chicken Breast Recipe
    • Instant Pot Jambalaya Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe: Quick & Easy Comfort Food

    Footer

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Contact | About | Privacy Policy | Disclosure Policy | Accessibility Statement | Cookie Policy


    SIGN ME UP to get FREE recipes directly to my inbox!

    Don't miss our TRAVEL SECTION!


    Copyright © 2010-2023 All Rights Reserved

    Boulder Locavore is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.