Get in on my famous Italian family’s recipe for homemade spaghetti meat sauce that is hands down the best ragu around!
Spaghetti sauce is one of those staple Italian family recipes that gets passed down from generation to generation. There really is no need to ever buy this pre-made because it’s incredibly easy to make and far better than anything from the store. Homemade food from scratch just tastes so much better.
What’s the Difference Between This and Marinara
The biggest difference between this and a marinara sauce is that marinara is vegetarian and has fewer ingredients. While a spaghetti sauce can also be meatless it tends to have a few more items such as:
- Parsley
- Cheese
- Basil
- Balsamic Vinegar (optional)
How Long Does It Take to Make
Just like with soup, this sauce will get better with time. It can simply be ready to eat in under 70 minutes but if you let it simmer for several hours over low heat the ingredients will have more time to infuse making the overall flavor for more intense and delicious. t will be far better the next day if you can wait that long.
How Do You Make It
Follow these very easy steps below:
- Caramelize the medium diced onions in olive oil over low heat for 30-35 minutes or until very browned.
- Add in minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes or until you smell it.
- Deglaze with red wine and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by ½.
- Add in the Italian sausage and ground sirloin and turn the heat to medium and cook until no pink is in it. Stir often to break up any large chunks.
- Add in plum tomatoes, dry basil, and dry oregano and stew over low heat for as little as 10 minutes and as much as 8 hours.
- Finish by adding in grated cheeses, chopped parsley, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. You also may need to thicken with tomato paste to get it to your desired thickness.
- Toss with cooked spaghetti noodles and serve.
I cannot stress enough that the longer it cooks the better it will taste. Also, note that the thickness of it the sauce is completely up to you.
Spaghetti Sauce Made With No Meat
To make a sauce with no meat, simply skip over the procedure of adding meat and go right into adding tomatoes. Simply work the rest of the way through the recipe procedures.
In addition, if you’re looking for a very basic tomato sauce then please check out my Pomodoro sauce recipe.
Recipe Chef Notes + Tips
How to Reheat: Add your desired amount to a medium-size pot and cook over low heat until hot. You can also reheat in a microwave-safe bowl until hot.
How to Store: To store the spaghetti sauce cool it in an ice bath in your sink or transfer to a refrigerator and cool it uncovered until it is cold about 3-4 hours. Cover it and keep it in there for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze: This will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 2 days ahead of serving it. Keep it in the refrigerator until 1 hour before serving it and reheat it until hot in a pot.
This recipe makes a lot so please hover your mouse over the servings amount and scale up or down to fit your desired amount needs.
More Amazing Italian Recipes
- Lobster Tortellini with Brown Butter
- Braised Pork and Fontina Stuffed Ravioli
- Vegetable Pappardelle Pasta
- Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
- Pork Saltimbocca Recipe
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Pinterest and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!
Video
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 peeled and medium diced white onions
- 10 cloves of finely minced garlic
- 1 cup cabernet sauvignon
- 2 pounds loose mild Italian sausage
- 2 pounds ground sirloin
- 109 ounces san Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons dry oregano
- ¼ cup dry basil
- 1 ½ cups each grated pecorino Romano and parmigiana Reggiano cheese
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup chopped Italian parsley
- sugar to taste
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- optional ½ cup tomato paste
Instructions
- Add some olive oil to a very large pot over low heat and cook the onions until they are deep brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Deglaze with red wine and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by one half, about 5-7 minutes.
- Place in the sausage and ground sirloin and cook over medium heat until it is cooked throughout, there should be no pink, while stirring often to break up any large chunks.
- While the meat is cooking crush the whole peeled tomatoes with your hands to bite size pieces.
- Put in the tomatoes, oregano, and basil and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Finish by stirring in the cheeses, parsley, balsamic vinegar and adjusting the seasonings with salt and pepper as well as sugar, if it needs it.
- Lastly, thicken it by stirring in tomato paste until it is to your desired thickness. This is optional.
- Toss with cooked spaghetti and serve.
Notes
- How to Reheat: Add your desired amount to a medium-size pot and cook over low heat until hot. You can also reheat in a microwave-safe bowl until hot.
- How to Store: To store the spaghetti sauce cool it in an ice bath in your sink or transfer to a refrigerator and cool it uncovered until it is cold about 3-4 hours. Cover it and keep it in there for up to 5 days.
- How to Freeze: This will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 2 days ahead of serving it. Keep it in the refrigerator until 1 hour before serving it and reheat it until hot in a pot.
- This recipe makes a lot so please hover your mouse over the servings amount and scale up or down to fit your desired amount needs.
Terry says
I halved the recipe, cooked it per instructions and let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of days before eating. It had a really great flavor. We had leftovers for a couple of days and froze the remainder of the sauce. The recipe is going into our family recipe book. Thanks for sharing!
Sherry A Jones says
Made this for my family tonight, it is the best I have tasted. I will be making your meatballs with this sauce tomorrow for meatball subs for the family.
Bekki says
What can I substitute for the wine?
Chef Billy Parisi says
Unfortunately, there is no substitute when it comes to wine or alcohol, so my advice is always to skip it.
MaryAnn says
Oh my! Amazing! Made it tonight and it still simmering and already a 5 star dish! Thank you!
Val says
Can you fresh tomatoes? I have so many plum tomatoes and this recipe sounds so yummy.
Chef Billy Parisi says
yes, just need to cook them down more.
Linda says
Odd question for you. When a recipe calls for say 3 onions, how can the varying sizes of onions add/detract from the recipe? Why don’t you say for example 3 cups of white onions. Seems like that would keep it consistent? TIA
Chef Billy Parisi says
Because in a recipe like this that has such a large amount it doesn’t matter how big they are. I’m usually specific when I need to be.
Mia says
Can I use ground beef instead of ground sirloin
Chef Billy Parisi says
Yes, ground beef is usually chuck or sirloin
Ryan A says
Making another batch today, seriously the best sauce ever, using part of it tonight for lasagna!
Stacy Wilson says
I made this today and it is amazing! Perfect for my big family.
yvette c conklin says
MAde the sauce and it is great! I added fresh aregano to it – lovely sauce Chef Billy Parisi and my guests also enjoyed your blueberry crostata- now on eof my favorite desserts!!!
yvette c conklin says
I am having guests next week and wanted to make my own family sauce BUT after seeing this, I will definitely try it out as I love experimenting with different recipes. thank you once again for all your easy to follow recipes!!!
Ryan says
Making this AGAIN as I type, this recipe is perfect, even my 14 year old who doesn’t like spaghetti sauce likes it!
Chef Billy Parisi says
You are so kind, thank you and so glad you all are digging it!
Georgia Villa says
Making this as I write my review. Going for the low and slow. I usually do meatballs and sausage so I’m excited to try this!! I’ve never added onions to my sauce so I’m excited for that as well, I love caramelized onions. 🤞🏽
Chef Billy Parisi says
You got this!!
Georgia Villa says
Thank you for the recipe!! This was absolutely delicious!! Love the balsamic vinegar touch!! Definitely going into my dinner rotation. If you ever go to Geneva, Il check out my cousins restaurant Osteria Bigolaro. It’s about a hour west of Chicago, beautiful area. Quaint, upscale town.
Chef Billy Parisi says
awesome, thanks so much for trying it!
Patricia Ross says
I would love to make this recipe, but we are a family of (6). I reduced the measurements, but they look weird. Would it be possible for you to provide me the specific measurements for each ingredient for a family of (6)? It would be so helpful. Thank you in advance
Chef Billy Parisi says
The easiest thing to do when the recipe ingredients look off when scaling is simply round up and you’ll be good.
Rachael Yerkes says
love this recipe! Super yummy
Jenn says
The BEST spaghetti sauce EVER!!!
Chef Billy Parisi says
Love this, thank you!
Lisalia says
Chef BP. Not only does this look amazing. It’s a hearty delicious addition to pasta. But I also just ate it off the spoon straight out of the pot. (ummm no double dipping tho) Another great one for my family meal rotation!
Chef Billy Parisi says
Haha, love this and thank you so much trying it!!
Pam says
Love your recipes….
Chef Billy Parisi says
Thank you so kindly, that is very sweet!