How To Blanch Tomatoes
This spaghetti sauce is made by blanching fresh tomatoes. Blanching is a simple process wherein the tomatoes are placed in boiling water for a few minutes until the skin breaks open. The tomatoes are then transferred to an ice bath which stops the cooking and allows the skin to be easily removed.
I used 12 roma tomatoes for this recipe, which equals roughly 2 – 2 ½ pounds and amounts to about 2 ½ cups of spaghetti sauce.
Ways To Use Marinara Sauce:
There are sooo many delicious ways that you can put this marinara recipe to use! For example, feel free to serve it with
- Pasta: Spaghetti marinara is a classic, of course. But you could stir this sauce into any other kinds of pasta, baked ziti, lasagna and more. Or if you really want to go for the gold, make some homemade pasta!
- Meat or seafood: You could make Italian meatballs marinara, chicken marinara, shrimp marinara, mussels marinara, or whatever else might sound good!
- Parmigiana: Im also partial to using this sauce in my favorite baked eggplant Parmesan and chicken Parmesan recipes.
- Pizza: This recipe can also double as a marinara pizza sauce in any of your favorite pizza or flatbread recipes.
- Dipping sauce: Its also a fantastic dipping sauce for everything from breadsticks to mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, calamari, toasted ravioli and more.
- Subs and sandwiches: You know, Joey Tribbiani style. )
To Cook The Best Spaghetti We Have A Few Simple Tricks
Check the package directions of the spaghetti you plan to cook. On the box, there should be an approximate cook time for al-dente, which means the pasta will be tender, but not mushy. It will still have a bit of a bite, which is perfect.
When you know the suggested cook time, set a timer for a minute or so before it. So if the box suggests 10 minutes, set a timer for 8 minutes.
This way, at the 8-minute mark, you can check on the spaghetti to make sure it isnt done already. The box directions are a helpful guide, but its always a good idea to check the pasta early!
Cook the spaghetti in salted water. The water should taste salty. This seasons the pasta as it cooks and is necessary for the best-tasting pasta.
Toss the cooked spaghetti with a flavorful sauce like our homemade spaghetti sauce. Dont just spoon the sauce on top of the pasta.
For more spaghetti recipes, look at this baked spaghetti is similar to lasagna, but easier and if you love veggies, try our easy veggie spaghetti.
If you were looking to reduce the carbohydrates in your dish, swap half or all of the pasta with zucchini noodles. Heres our recipe for zucchini noodles pasta.
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The Best Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
I grew up eating some version of homemade spaghetti sauce at least once a week. It was one of my dads favorite dinners to prepare . Not much has changed in the past two-plus decades. I still love carbs and hearty meat sauces, and my dad still loves to make his very own spaghetti sauce creations.
In this recipe, youll find all the things youd expect in a homemade spaghetti sauce: ground beef, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and simple Italian seasonings. No wild fillers or preservatives, just simple, delicious, meaty homemade sauce perfect for all your favorite recipes.
Best Spaghetti Sauce Recipe From Scratch
What should I make for dinner tonight? This might just be the number one question that we ask ourselves almost daily over here.
Then you have come to the right place, we have rounded up 15 best spaghetti sauce recipe from scratch that we have shared over the years.
Plus, there is such a variety of flavours in these recipes, so you are sure to find something for you. Most of these recipes are quick and easy ones made especially for busy weeknights.
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Additional Veggies And Protein
When making a homemade marinara sauce, you have plenty of room to add a few more seasonings, vegetables, vegan protein, legumes, and for meat eaters, animal protein. Here are a few additions that are common when making spaghetti sauce.
- Fresh parsley, 1 or 2 bay leaves, dried oregano, and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes will yield a spicy and robust herby sauce. All should be added while the tomatoes are simmering.
- A drizzle of balsamic vinegar or splash of white or red wine will give the sauce another dimension and depth in flavor. Add while the tomatoes are simmering.
For meat-eaters, add:
- Brown 1/2 pound of ground beef or lamb with the onions and garlic, and proceed to the recipe as indicated.
For vegans and vegetarians:
- Add 1 cup of crumbled extra-firm tofu right before serving, or use cubed tempeh, seitan, or cooked edamame.
Spaghetti Sauce With Fresh Tomatoes
Spaghetti Sauce takes on a fresher, more vibrant flavor when you make it with juicy garden tomatoes. I am so excited to share this recipe with you! I promise, you will never go back to store-bought sauce again . We always have dozens of plump, ripe, red tomatoes in our garden and I love finding a scrumptious way to use them all up. This recipe makes me think of early summer suppers on our patio overlooking the garden. Its such a joy to eat the fruits of your labor!
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One: Prep Your Tomatoes
The very first thing to do, of course, is to harvest your ripe tomatoes. Any variety will do. Roma tomatoes have a salty, hearty flavor thats good in sauces, but they can be a little more difficult to work with. Normally I would process two to four times this many tomatoes at once, but this is a bumper crop. Its mid-October, so Im thrilled to have any fresh tomatoes at all, but I only had enough for one batch of sauce this time.
Before you begin prepping the tomatoes, set a large pot of water on the stove to simmer. You want it hot enough to steam, but not hot enough for bubbles to appear on the bottom. You dont want it to start boiling. Only fill the pot 2/3 of the way, so the water wont overflow when you put the tomatoes in later.
Once youve picked the tomatoes, wash them gently. Next remove the stems using a paring knife. You can just cut the stem end off completely to make it easier, but it only saves a few seconds and wastes a lot of tomato-y goodness. Instead I dug in towards the center, removing the stem in a cone shape. For Romas you can just cut the end off.
You will also want to cut off any blemishes at this time. Tomatoes can split their skins from getting excess water while growing. These splits look unsightly, but arent going to hurt anything. Cut them out if you can do so without ruining the whole tomato. If not, dont worry about it too much.
What Are The Best Tomatoes To Use
The best spaghetti sauce is made using San Marzano tomatoes. San Marzano is a variety of plum tomatoes. These tomatoes have a stronger flavor and are sweeter and less acidic. You can find canned San Marzano tomatoes at your grocery store. The label should make it very obvious that the tomatoes are this variety.
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Can I Make Spaghetti Sauce From Whole Tomatoes
If you want to make spaghetti sauce completely from scratch using whole tomatoes rather than canned, youll need to peel your tomatoes and remove the stems. The easiest way to peel tomatoes is to blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes and then immediately place them into an ice bath. The skins can then be easily removed. We also have a different recipe for Fire Roasted Spaghetti Sauce.
What Tomatoes Are Best For Making Spaghetti Sauce From Scratch
It is tempting to buy the biggest tomatoes you can find because it means less peeling and less mess. However, the largest tomatoes do not have the best flavor.
For the best spaghetti sauce, you should use medium size plum tomatoes. You may be able to find plum tomatoes labeled San Marzano, and this is general a really nice variety that is low acid and more sweet.
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How Do You Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Its simple! Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil, add a couple tablespoons of tomato sauce and heat it up for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes.
Add the dried spices: oregano, thyme, bay leaf, a tablespoon of sugar, and red pepper flakes.
Stir well and simmer for at least one hour, but up to three hours. Just before serving, remove the bay leaf, and stir in a little butter, and some fresh basil and parsley.
Serve over your favorite pasta with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Buon appetito!
About This Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
I use four different forms of canned tomatoes to make this homemade spaghetti sauce: tomato paste, crushed tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes with their juice.
Although homemade spaghetti sauce requires a nice long simmer on the stove, most of that time is hands-off. You could also use a slow cooker to simmer the spaghetti sauce on low for 8 hours.
Why bother making homemade when you can buy a jar of sauce at the grocery store? Once you taste this sauce, youll know the answer to that question! Anything thats freshly made beats canned by a long shot. Plus you can be confident in knowing that the sauce you make is preservative and additive free, and made with love.
Listen for the Grazie thats sure to come your way. The correct response to that is Prego!.
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Ingredients For Spaghetti Sauce
MeatGround beef and Italian sausage are the meats of choice for this recipe but you can use just one or the other if youd like. Sausage is extra flavorful so if you skip it, add extra seasonings.
Vegetables Onion adds flavor while shredded carrot balances out the tang of the tomatoes. If youd like to skip the carrot you can add either a spoonful of sugar to taste or a chopped red bell pepper.
Other great additions to a homemade spaghetti sauce recipe include green bell pepper, mushrooms, or shredded zucchini.
Sauce Spaghetti sauce has a base of crushed tomatoes. I add tomato paste for tang and diced tomatoes for texture. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use all crushed tomatoes and simmer a bit longer.
In a Hurry?
Hey, its ok to change it up a little if youre in a rush!
To save time, brown the meat and onion as directed in the recipe below. Skip the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water and use a jar of pasta sauce or instead. . Simmer for 15 minutes.
Tips For Making The Best Spaghetti Sauce From Scratch
- If you like a chunkier sauce, you can serve it as is and toss it with fresh pasta. If you like a smooth sauce, simply pour the mix into a blender and blend until smooth. As you can see in the pictures here, we prefer a smooth sauce so I placed it in the blender and pulsed it for a few seconds. BE CAREFUL. The sauce will be very hot.
- This spaghetti sauce from scratch will have a bolder, more flavorful taste than its store-bought counterpart, especially if you used homegrown tomatoes. You could also useHome Canned Tomatoes in this recipe if you dont have fresh on hand in the winter. Either is a better option than canned tomato paste or tomato sauce from the store.
- If your family needs meat in the meal, simply cook up a pound of ground beef or turkey and add it into the sauce while its cooking on the stove. This will help to make a hearty meal that the whole family will enjoy!
- For an extra special kick of flavor to this sauce, add in a handful of Sun Dried Tomatoes. SO good!
- The longer you simmer this sauce, the more flavor it will have. If you have time, let it cook a while longer.
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What Is Tomato Sauce
Tomato sauce is a much thicker tomato-based sauce than marinara sauce. Typically, the tomatoes have not only been peeled, but also had the seeds removed. Canned tomatoes dont work as well in this instance. Tomato sauce has more ingredients than homemade marinara sauce, along with a deeper, richer and more complex flavor.
And, believe it or not, traditionally, tomato sauce was not vegetarian. It was based on the French mother sauce, Sauce Tomat, and started with a roux made with pork fat. Its more suited to blanketing or enrobing foods, almost like a gravy. In some areas of the United States, one version is actually called Tomato Gravy.
Most of us think of modern tomato sauce as vegetarian and containing no gluten. It comes in a can and is used as an ingredient, rather than being its own version of a full-bodied, rich and flavorful tomato-based sauce. Its the start of pizza sauce, pasta sauce and other dishes. What a shame. A delectable and truly homemade tomato sauce is mouthwateringly delicious and stands on its own as an extraordinary sauce.
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How Much Spaghetti To Make
While leftover sauce is easily frozen, leftover noodles do not freeze well. Its okay to make a little extra for lunch the next day but dont make too much pasta. Here are some general guidelines to help you figure out how much spaghetti to make.
The serving size for the average eater is about 1 cup of cooked pasta, shown below.
For 1 cup of cooked spaghetti, cook 2 ounces or 56 grams of dry spaghetti which looks like this. Add more or less depending on the crew around your table.
Other ways to eyeball how much spaghetti to cook for each person.
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How To Make And Can Spaghetti Sauce From Scratch
Sarah is a homemaker and stay-at-home mom who enjoys writing about motherhood, healthy living, finances, gardening, and all things homely.
How to Make and Can Spaghetti Sauce From Scratch
As a homemaker, feeding my family healthy, organic, and minimally processed foods must sometimes take a back seat to our needs for frugality. So when I discovered that I could have my sauce and eat it too by making and canning my own spaghetti sauce, I was hooked. However, it took a few tries to get my recipe just right. I started looking at existing sauce recipes, and while they had their merits, they were missing the bold, robust flavors I was looking for. Over time, I developed my own recipethe one Im sharing with you today.
Imagine giving an Italian dinner basket with a loaf of homemade French bread, fresh noodles, a pint of sauce, and a bottle of wine as a gift for an anniversary or birthday gift for a friend, or the look on your familys face when they take that first bite of real sauce. I havent bought commercial spaghetti sauce in over 3 years, and you wont either once you try your hand at making your own.
How To Make Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Step 1. Brown ground beef
In an 8-qt heavy bottom pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 2. Cook vegetables
Add onion, carrot, and celery, and sprinkle in some salt to season lightly cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 3. Tomatoes, garlic spread seasoning and spices
Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic spread and seasoning mix, dried herbs, and sugar stir well.
Step 4. Drizzle olive oil
Drizzle 4 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and stir again. Taste the sauce to see if the seasoning is right for you. You can add some salt, if needed, and pepper according to your taste. Cover the pot with a lid.
Step 5. Simmer
Let the sauce simmer for 2 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally.
To serve: Ladle warm sauce over your spaghetti noodles or your favorite pasta. Top with lots of grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Let the sauce cool and store the leftovers in the refrigerator or freeze.
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Two: Blanch And Peel The Tomatoes
Blanching is the process of very lightly cooking a food in hot water, then stopping the cooking process using cold water. Blanching only takes a couple minutes, and will make the skins slide right off with almost no effort. You can use this same process for peaches! If you have a stock pot that came with a strainer, it will be even easier. Just place the tomatoes in the strainer and lower it into your steaming water. Set a timer for one minute youll see the skins starting to split by the time the minute is up.
Remove the tomatoes and place them in an ice bath, which is simply a big bowl of ice water. Or do what I did forget to set up the ice bath and run them under the faucet instead. The cold water serves two purposes it stops the tomatoes from cooking any further, and cools them so you dont get burned. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, you can begin skinning them. The peels should slip off very easily using only your fingers. If they dont, dunk them in the hot water for another 30 seconds and try again. I had a few Romas from our food co-op that I added, and they were a little more feisty. Next time I would give them an extra minute in the pot, and cut a shallow slit around their middles in addition to the X.
