This is our family’s go-to spaghetti sauce recipe. It’s very easy to make and tastes like it’s been simmering for hours, even though it takes just over 30 minutes. We have a few tips for making this quick spaghetti sauce the best ever. With some ground beef and a few pantry staple ingredients, you can have a delicious dinner on your table in no time!

A pot with pasta tossed with spaghetti sauce and a wooden spoon in the pot. - 1

This is the spaghetti sauce I make almost every time I’m craving pasta. It’s quick, unfussy, and made with ingredients I usually already have on hand. I like to serve mine over zucchini noodles while my family goes for classic spaghetti—and when I’m feeling extra indulgent, I’ll grab fresh refrigerated pasta like the kind you see in the photos.

The sauce is rich and meaty and tastes like it’s been simmering all afternoon, even though it’s ready in just over 30 minutes. It’s made with only seven basic ingredients, has no added sugar (thanks to a couple of simple tricks), and delivers big, cozy pasta-night flavor with very little effort.

When the weather is warm, try my fresh summer spaghetti !

Spaghetti sauce ingredients

There are 7 ingredients in this sauce and you’re likely to have all of them in your kitchen right now.

  1. Olive oil
  2. Onion
  3. Garlic
  4. Tomato paste
  5. Ground beef
  6. Canned tomatoes
  7. Italian seasoning (this is our favorite Italian seasoning !)
A pot of homemade spaghetti sauce. - 2 A white pasta bowl filled with homemade spaghetti sauce and pasta. - 3

Tips for making the best spaghetti sauce

This may be a quick spaghetti sauce recipe, but I promise you that it tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove for hours. Here’s how to make it taste the best:

  1. Mince the onion as small as you possibly can. You don’t want big chunks of onion here. You want the smallest pieces so when it’s cooked it almost melts right into the sauce.
  2. Saute the onion until it is very well browned and caramelized. This step is crucial for giving the sauce that “simmering for hours” taste.”
  3. Caramelize the tomato paste. Once you add it to the pot, let it cook for 3-4 minutes. It will darken and become sweet-smelling and add a lot of flavor to the sauce. It also adds sweetness, which is why we don’t need to add any sugar to our sauce.
  4. Use a hardy beef to tomato ratio. This rich bolognese sauce gets much of its flavor from the beef. Don’t skimp and use less beef or more tomatoes or the sauce will change entirely.
A pot with pasta and spaghetti sauce with a wooden spoon inside. - 4 A pot with pasta and spaghetti sauce with a wooden spoon inside. - 5

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

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Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce - 6

Ingredients

  • ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ▢ 1 large onion (very finely minced)
  • ▢ 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
  • ▢ 5.5 ounce can tomato paste
  • ▢ 2 lb lean ground beef
  • ▢ 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • ▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ▢ Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it is well caramelized, about 10 minutes more. Add the garlic and stir then push everything to the side of the pot. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large onion, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add the tomato paste to the pot and let it cook until it darkens and becomes sweet smelling, about 3-4 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink. 5.5 ounce can tomato paste, 2 lb lean ground beef
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning and bring the pot to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, Salt and pepper

Video

Nutrition

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .

A pot with pasta and spaghetti sauce with a wooden spoon inside. - 7 A pot with pasta and spaghetti sauce with a wooden spoon inside. - 8

Did you make this?

We love to see what you made! Tag @theendlessmeal or hashtag #theendlessmeal !

A bowl of pasta and spaghetti sauce with a fork in the bowl. - 9

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Pesto Caprese Pasta

A pot with pasta and spaghetti sauce with a wooden spoon inside. - 10

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion , very finely minced
  • 3 cloves garlic , finely minced
  • 5.5 ounce can tomato paste
  • 2 lb lean ground beef
  • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper , to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it is well caramelized, about 10 minutes more. Add the garlic and stir then push everything to the side of the pot. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large onion, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add the tomato paste to the pot and let it cook until it darkens and becomes sweet smelling, about 3-4 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink. 5.5 ounce can tomato paste, 2 lb lean ground beef
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning and bring the pot to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, Salt and pepper

https://www.theendlessmeal.com/easy-homemade-spaghetti-sauce/