Best you will have: Classic Spaghetti Sauce

Yes it is easyto buy a jar of spaghetti sauce at the grocery store for those last minute pasta dinners but I want to let you in on a little secret- It is EVEN EASIER to set aside a few hours one day to make a few jars of your very own spaghetti sauce that will far surpass any store bought brand and leave you weak at the knees! Take a long afternoon to simmer this rich and savory blend of tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, oregano, sugar and much more! You won’t be disappointed.

I love me some spaghetti! I attribute this to my father who was known to make spaghetti at least once a week. He is a farmer and a hunter and not a regular in the kitchen but one thing for sure he loved his spaghetti and even more so he loved “his” spaghetti:) I don’t mind using the store bought marinara or spaghetti sauce but I find I always have to “doctor” it up to have the flavor I am accustomed to having so I figure why buy the sauce and still do more work. Why not just make my own from scratch and store it. Great Idea? Glad you think so!

Some like their sauce saucy and others like it chunky. I am a chunky kind of girl so be sure to add more liquid to the recipe below if you need more of a saucy version and adjust the seasonings accordingly. The kicker with my classic spaghetti sauce is the first and last step. The first step is to saute your onions, celery and garlic in butter (not oil) for like EVER on low heat and season them during this process. The last step is to allow your sauce to simmer over low heat for EVER! As in all day. Again, the longer the better. Are you seeing a trend here?

I promise that this will far exceed your expectations and will make your next spaghetti night a night to remember!

[print_this]

Classic Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:

1 can whole tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 TBSP Devo Olive Oil

1 TBSP Spanish Thyme

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1/4 cup Red Wine

2 TBSP fresh basil, chopped

2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the onions and bell pepper for 4-5 minutes, add the garlic and cook on low for another 2-3 minutes while you season the veggies with 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper and oregano. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil, reduce and simmer until reduced. Pour in the can of tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook on low ALL DAY! Okay, you don’t have to cook it all day but at least for 2-4 hours.

[/print_this]

42 comments

  1. Bonnie

    I so agree that homemade is best. Most recipes don’t specify canned whole tomatoes and that’s key since the very best tomatoes are canned whole. Also the addition of that small amount of sugar makes such a difference. You’ve inspired/reminded me to do this while there’s still fresh basil in the garden!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

  2. Erica

    I can’t tell you …I’ve been meaning to do this forever. Josh doesn’t like chunky sauces, so I know it’d be much easier for me to make my own and puree it before storing it. This looks fantastic- great flavors

  3. Laural @ Being Healthier

    ahh I love that ” saute in butter NOT oil for like.. EVER”… I bet that is darn tasty sauce. I wish my hernia did not exist because tomato sauce and I no longer agree. :-/ I might make it for someone else though, just to spite the hernia.

  4. Malli

    You are so right about that!!! The bottled spaghetti sauce has very little flavor. I just don’t have the patience to bottle up fresh marinara— but love love the fresh rich taste of it and your jar screams
    ‘fresh and rich’ all the way….Awesome!!

  5. Reem | Simply Reem

    There is no doubt that homemade sauce is the best…
    This looks so rich and fabulous…
    Send me some plzzzzzzzzz.

  6. Greg

    I like mine a bit less chunky, but not too much. I hate ones that are pureed. But here’s the thing, fresh is always best. Everyone has their own taste when it comes to this and whatever you make fresh is a 1,000 times better than store bought. Stepping off soapbox now… This looks wonderful.

  7. Mary

    You could make a fortune with that sauce! it’s breakfast time here – and honestly I could eat some now!
    Delicious recipe – thanks 🙂
    Mary x

  8. Kelli

    This house could have it every night so Im glad you fit this into your blog! I cant wait to try this and you are right it sounds super easy! I think I could try this now that is how wonderful this looks!

  9. Three-Cookies

    This sounds awesome. The longest I’ve cooked sauce for is 2 hours – I need to extend that it seems

  10. Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray

    This looks so tasty! Homemade is ALWAYS better.

  11. Torrie @ a place to share...

    Okay my friend… as usual, a couple of questions.

    I’m thinking of making this today. We’re leaving for Hawaii on Wednesday (actually Tuesday, since we’re staying at a hotel near the airport for the night)… which means LOTS of stuff to do today- and it would by nice to have a “make-ahead meal”- which leads me to my first question.

    Seriously, do you let it simmer all day?? I know you said you don’t need to, but can I??? I’d love to get it started early in the day!

    Secondly, I have plenty of cans of tomatoes, but I also have 4 tomatoes from our csa box that I need to use up. Would you recommend using a 28 oz can + the four (peeling them first) and just increasing the rest of the ingredients?

    I really, really want to try this- and I love that it begins in butter instead of olive oil, and I love that the celery, onion, and garlic are cooked “forever” :).

  12. Jihane @Sinful Sundays

    Delicious! I have always wanted to cook sauce all day but never trusted a recipe enough to do so. I’m def going to try yours! And, I’m a chunky sauce kinda girl so yours looks perfect! 🙂

  13. Geni

    I may never buy jar sauce again! This home made sauce looks incredible!

  14. Dmarie

    ooh, I love me some spaghetti too. your sauce looks great!

  15. yummychunklet

    D’oh! I just made spaghetti sauce last night! Oh, well. I’ll be having pasta again very soon, so I’m excited to try your delicious sounding recipe!

  16. Maria

    Thank you for sharing this, girl! I am always on the lookout for a great spaghetti sauce recipe.

  17. Roz

    There’s nothing like a delicious homemade spaghetti sauce! I’ll bet this brings endless smiles on your family’s faces! I just started my WordPress ‘sister’ blog and was wondering if you could drop me a line to let me know how in the world do you add the “Google Friend Connect” plug-in widget? I can’t figure this out at all! Thanks for your help! Roz

  18. Valerie

    I’ll take a gallon of your special sauce. I’d put it on everything!

  19. Eva@ kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/

    I love home made tomato sauce, and I agree, the chunkier the better. I am curious to what Spanish Thyme tastes like, Jessica? How different than regular thyme? We’re just at the end of tomato season in Ontario, which is really too bad.

  20. Caroline

    I walk right buy the canned tomato sauce in the grocery store now. I definitely prefer making homemade, especially because it’s so easy to prepare and tastes much fresher. Yours sounds fantastic!

  21. kankana

    YOu know how much I love pasta and this sauce with some meat balls .. and then warm spaghetti .. it will be like a party in my mouth!

  22. The Slow Roasted Italian

    This looks phenomenal. Low and slow is my motto when making sauce. My mouth is watering, and spaghetti and red sauce sounds perfect!

  23. Candace

    What a beautiful sauce! I am not a huge spaghetti fan; but I could definitely love this sauce. Yum!

  24. Tessa

    Homemade sauce is one of those things that I keep meaning to do, but just never get there. This looks so good. I need to move it up on my list!

  25. Nami | Just One Cookbook

    Drool…. I love your classic spaghetti sauce. I haven’t made spaghetti sauce for a while and I’m already craving for this. I make one with so many recipes and I must try your recipe…. pictures are telling me how good this is already! I can’t wait to try!

  26. kitchen flavours

    Yup, homemade sauce is always the best! And you can freeze them too! Your sauce looks delicious, I love chuncky, the family love saucy! And they always win! 🙂

  27. Blond duck

    That looks so good! There’s nothing like homemade sauce!

  28. lena

    jess, you frightened me for a second when you mentioned have to cook all day! that’s really easy and you’re right, when some store bought requires additional cooking, why not cook from scratch ourselves? usually for how long can you keep this homemade sauce?

  29. Mary

    This looks fabulous. I make mine very much like this, but I admittedly do start with diced tomatoes a lot of the time. With fresh ones from the garden in my near future though, this is definitely going to be made again! (Small perk to living in the desert heat = two full growing seasons)

  30. Rachel @ The Avid Appetite

    my mother is Italian, and so good sauce has always been a staple in our house. I recently learned how to make her meatballs and sauce and I feel like now I finally know how to cook 🙂 Your version looks fantastic!!

  31. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen

    Like soup, a slow simmering sauce on the stove is one of those simple pleasures well worth the wait.

  32. Velva

    I love spaghetti and homemade sauce. I find great comfort in a big pot of sauce (a/k/a Sunday sauce) simmering on my stove. What’s great about this sauce is that evokes fond memories of something your father enjoyed, it makes this extra special for you. Awesome.

    Cheers.
    Velva

  33. Betty @ scrambled hen fruit

    Homemade spaghetti sauce is always best! I try to make it with fresh tomatoes in the summer and then freeze it, but I never got around to it this year. I’m going to save your recipe for a lazy Saturday so I can cook it all day long! 🙂

  34. Kristy

    Next to making pies, sauces are my favorite thing to make. I’m going to give your techniques a try next time. I haven’t done a sauce this way before and I’ve got to say…you’ve got me quite intrigued. 🙂

  35. sportsglutton

    Homemade sauce is always the best and it’s so simple to make. Great recipe using classic ingredients.

  36. nancy at good food matters

    great looking chunky sauce! it is indeed fun, easy, and very satisfying to make a big pot of tomato-goodness.

  37. Sarah

    Loving this- been gone so I have to catch up on all your posts:)

  38. Corey

    wonderful- stashing this recipe away for a rainy day

  39. Helene

    We are eating pasta tonight so I will try this recipe.

  40. Torrie @ a place to share...

    Forgot to tell you- I did end up making this… & so glad I did! Ryan got home and said- “What’s been cookin’ all day???”

Comments are closed.