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Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe // You Never Have To Buy It In A Jar Again!

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

EASIEST Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

We had some new friends over last month, and that always makes me a little nervous. It's kind of stressful to think of what to make for dinner when you don't know your guests all that well. I usually stick with Taco Night, but we did that the last few times we've had people over and I wanted to mix things up at least a little. Spaghetti is typically a safe choice. It's also really easy to make a meal out of-just add a salad and garlic bread and you are done! 

So I went with pasta! During dinner, the husband said "Well, Kristen, I think this is the best sauce I've ever had!" His wife piped in with, "That's because he's used to Prego." I was almost embarrassed to tell them just how easy it is to make! 

That's why I want to share my recipe with you today. Who doesn't appreciate an easy, crowd pleasing meal that seems fancier than it actually is!? 

EASIEST Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe        EASIEST Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

EASIEST Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
My Ikea dutch oven may have been the best purchase I've ever made!

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 small chopped yellow onion
1 small chopped green bell pepper (optional)
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes & liquid
1 28 oz can crushed tomato
Dried oregano
Dried basil
Salt & pepper
Freshly torn rosemary
Freshly torn basil


Heat olive oil in large saucepan or dutch oven on medium low.

Add garlic, onion and option bell pepper. Simmer until fragrant and onions sweat. About 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in tomato paste. Then add diced tomatoes and the liquid from the can. Stir in crushed tomato.

Season with oregano, both kinds of basil, rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. Save some fresh basil for garnish.

Cover and simmer on low for at least 30 minutes, but all day if you’d like. Stirring occasionally.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve over the pasta of your choice. Feel free to add in cooked ground beef, meatballs or any vegetarian meat substitute. My suggestion is to add it in and allow to simmer at least another 20 minutes before serving.

I absolutely love making this sauce on days when I'm going to be home all afternoon. There is just something so wonderful about having dinner simmering on the stove. It makes the whole house smell so good! The longer it simmers the better it tastes, but it still works just fine if you only have 30 minutes. 

Before going vegetarian, I added ground beef which was really good. Now we just eat it plain, but I have added vegetarian meatballs as well. 

Oh, and a note on the bell pepper! It really adds a lot of flavor, but I know some people don't like them or it upsets their stomach. Basically, I add one if I have one on hand, but it's still good without it. 

Leave a comment below if you stress out about what to make for guests! I'd love to know what your go-to recipe is for a crowd pleasing. Do you have a 'secret' recipe that is actually a lot easier than people think?! 

5 comments

  1. I pinned this quickly!! I've actually never made a homemade sauce before! Probably should do that before I turn 30 in a couple months. Seems like a right of passage or something. ;) Thanks for sharing! I love your light-hearted writing and story-telling!

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  2. We are soooooo trying this. I love spaghetti but K doesn't like red sauce much. I might be able to win him over with some homemade sauce!!
    (And food compliments are the best!)

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  3. YUM! I am totally bookmarking this! I'm a sucker for homemade anything. Seems like a great recipe to have on hand!

    Katherine | www.oneswainkycouple.com

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  4. This sounds delicious! My husband is Italian and every winter he makes a few giant pots of sauce (or gravy, as he calls it) and we freeze it and use it throughout the year. I'm going to have to buy rosemary for the next batch though, I bet that makes it extra delicious!

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  5. Okay, hands down this is the easiest pasta sauce recipe I have ever seen and made. Will definitely be not using any more bottled sauces.

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Hi friends! I'm Kristen, and this is the Life and Style of an early 30's Floridian living the Best Life Ever, with her husband and three pugs. Runner | Avid Reader | Small Shop Owner

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