Pasta With Tomato Sauce
This delicious Pasta with Tomato Sauce is so simple and tastes amazing. With flavorful ingredients, you’ll love how this scrumptious dish comes together.
Pasta with Tomato Sauce is a simple dish that’s made delicious by the complex mixing of flavors. To make a really mouthwatering sauce, you need to let the ingredients come together as they cook and release their aromatic properties. Garlicky, salty, and sweet, this pasta sauce has it all.
This recipe for Pasta with Tomato Sauce is an easy, quick meal that can be made any night of the week. And it’s a convenient option because most of the ingredients can be found in your fridge or on your pantry shelves. It’s also very versatile. You can add and subtract ingredients to fit your preferences, so everyone in the family will love it. Let’s see what deliciousness goes into it.
Favourite And Simple Spring Pasta Dish
Ingredients:
Instructions:
|
How Long To Cook Spaghetti
If you use white pasta, whole wheat pasta, or gluten free pasta, the time will be different. Always check the directions on your package. For this recipe, I used whole wheat spaghetti and cooked it for a total of 7 minutes.
Now to tell when its done, do you know that old trick of throwing pasta against a wall to see if it sticks? Yeah, dont do that. Although, that is a great way to tell if its overdone!
Really and truly, the only way youre going to tell for sure is to test it along the way. Take one out, blow on it, or run it under cold water to cool it off, and take a bite!
If its edible with a bite, but not undercooked and hard, its probably done. This is what al dente means.
You May Like: Grill Mates Sauce Mix Ins
Easy Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 2½ cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 cans tomato paste
- 1 can sliced mushrooms
-
Brown beef over medium heat. Drain off fat.
Advertisement
- Step 2
In a large pot, combine beef, salt, sugar, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, onion flakes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and mushrooms. Simmer at a low heat setting for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Step 3
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Serve sauce over spaghetti.
Wonderful recipe!! My family loves it!! I used 2 cans of tomato paste and 1 can of tomato sauce along with one can of diced tomatos instead of fresh. I also used fresh mushrooms and sauteed them in olive oil for a couple of minutes before adding them. Thank you for the recipe- I will stop searching for the perfect easy spaghetti!!!
Wonderful recipe!! My family loves it!! I used 2 cans of tomato paste and 1 can of tomato sauce along with one can of diced tomatos instead of fresh. I also used fresh mushrooms and sauteed them in olive oil for a couple of minutes before adding them. Thank you for the recipe- I will stop searching for the perfect easy spaghetti!!!
A nice basic meat sauce. Unfortunately, I realized out half way through that I was out of tomato paste and had to use tomato sauce and it still came out tasty. I added 3 cloves of fresh garlic, fresh onions, and used whole wheat pasta.
Tips For Storing Leftovers & Freezing

Store & keep fresh: Let sauce cool to room temperature then store in an airtight container or glass jars. Chill in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
How to freeze: First, let the sauce cool to room temperature then store in an airtight container or freezer-friendly ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Also Check: Best Bbq Sauce Ever Made
My Secret To The Flavour In Tomato Sauce For Pasta
Well, there is a secret weapon I use to increase the oomph of this sauce. And it is simply to char the tomatoes on low heat. When cool, peel off the skin and roughly chop or puree the tomatoes.
And to add fresh basil in multiple stages. Dried herbs will also do.
Read one and enjoy a delicious homemade pasta with this thick, rich, fragrant tomato sauce and enjoy!
How To Thicken Marinara Sauce
This pasta sauce should be thick enough to enjoy after simmering for several minutes uncovered, but if you want it even thicker then here are a couple of ways to thicken your pasta sauce.
Read Also: How To Make Mussels In White Wine Sauce
Our Favorite Ways To Serve It Up:
- Serve it with noodles: such as spaghetti, rigatoni, orecchiette, rotini or penne.
- Baked Italian dishes: I love using this sauce in baked pasta dishes or any baked Italian dish such as vegetable lasagna, chicken parmesan, zucchini lasagna, or eggplant rollatini.
- Vegetable noodles: Make a healthier version of pasta with noodles made from veggies like zucchini, sweet potato, or butternut squash noodles.
I hope you love this homemade tomato sauce just as much as we do! Its a staple for complimenting my favorite Italian recipes especially around the holidays.
Serve with your favorite crusty french bread for perfection!
If youre looking for a red sauce made with fresh tomatoes youll love our Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe!
Got Pinterest? Pin this recipe to your Pinterest boards!
If you tried this San Marzano Tomato Sauce recipe or any other recipe, dont forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on , , and for more crave-worthy content.
What Is Tomato Sauce
A tomato product that is thicker than tomato juice but is not as viscous as tomato puree. To improve the flavor of the sauce, herbs, spices, garlic, and onion. Tomato sauce comes in a can and is available at most grocery shops. Its a versatile sauce that you can use as a foundation for various other sauces and in a range of foods.
Recommended Reading: Prego Homestyle Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Recipe Notes And Expert Tips
- Want to add some heat to your sauce? If you like a little kick to your homemade marinara sauce, then just add extra red pepper flakes, add a little at a time until you get the heat you prefer.
- Dont want to use whole garlic cloves?Thats not a problem, just use minced garlic instead.
- Want an extra flavor in your marinara?Stir in a little fresh basil when you finish cooking the marinara sauce, this will give an extra depth of flavor.
- Storage Keep in the fridge for 4 days in an airtight container.
Making Tomato Sauce Out Of Canned Tomatoes
To make your own tomato sauce out of a can of tomatoes, you can use whatever type of canned tomatoes you have on hand, whether they be whole, stewed, diced, or crushed.
First, drain off the liquid in the can and put it aside. Then give the tomatoes a quick whirl in your blender or food processor. If the resulting purée seems wetter than a typical tomato sauce, just drain off some of the excess liquid, or cook the mixture down until you reach the desired consistency. If using crushed tomatoes, cook down until it thickens a bit.
Some canned tomato products have added seasonings and some dont. Taste your sauce and tweak the flavor if needed, adding salt, oregano, basil, or whatever spices you prefer. Cook your sauce just long enough to warm it through for a fresh tomato sauce, or cook it until it develops a dark color and thick texture if you want more of a jarred sauce consistency. If the sauce gets too thick, add some of the reserved liquid.
Don’t Miss: What Are The Ingredients In Hot Sauce
How To Make Spaghetti Sauce From Tomato Sauce
Step 1
Combine all of the following in a medium saucepan:
- Two 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp each oregano, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp each onion powder and garlic powder
Step 2
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Pour over cooked pasta and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
How To Make Marinara Sauce With Step

Making our easy marinara recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions.
Full measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the printable recipe card below.
Tip the canned tomatoes into a medium saucepan.
Add the chopped onions, garlic cloves , dried oregano, pepper flakes, and extra virgin olive oil.
Over medium-high heat, bring the sauce to a simmer, and lower the heat to allow the tomato sauce to gently simmer for around 45 minutes.
Stir occasionally, then, after 45 minutes, use the back of a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes into small pieces.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and then, using a fork, smash the garlic cloves against the pan and then stir into the sauce.
If you prefer, you can use a food processor to blend your marinara sauce to the consistency you like, but we like a chunky sauce.
Add salt and pepper to taste, your sauce is now ready to serve with pasta, garnish with a little fresh basil!
Your sauce is now ready enjoy!
We hope you enjoy making the best marinara sauce recipe youll ever taste!
Wed love to hear how you got on with it, so please do leave a comment or feel free to ask a question.
You May Like: Pioneer Woman Marinara Sauce Reviews
Read Also: Hell’s Kitchen Whiskey Habanero Hot Sauce
Key Ingredients For Pasta Sauce
- Tomatoes. You cant make a traditional red sauce without tomatoes! Whether theyre fresh or canned tomatoes, this ingredient is an absolute must.
- Garlic and onions. You could technically leave these ingredients out. But without them, your pasta sauce would have little depth. Garlic and onions give your sauce a rich, fragrant quality thats hard to replace.
- Flavor boosters. When youre learning how to make pasta sauce, youll quickly see that its very receptive to herbs, seasonings and spices. Without these flavor boosters, youd have a bland recipe.
Ingredients For Simple Spaghetti
You will be amazed at how these simple ingredients make the tastiest spaghetti pasta sauce recipe!
- Spaghetti: Any pasta will work. I prefer using whole wheat or whole grain because it contains fibre and nutrients. If you use regular white pasta, please note the nutritional information of this delicious spaghetti recipe will change. Gluten free spaghetti such as brown rice, or quinoa, will also work but it does cook faster than wheat. So watch it to avoid a mushy mess.
- Tomato sauce: To make good spaghetti, you need a can of cheap, preferably low sodium, tomato sauce that reads tomato sauce. Not spaghetti sauce, not pizza sauce, not pasta sauce, not marinara sauce. Just tomato sauce.
- Parmesan cheese: I highly recommend using a block of fresh Parmesan and grating your own for this simple spaghetti recipe. Pre-grated Parmesan cheese in a shaker contains cellulose as a filler and does not taste as fresh.
- Extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic: Youll need lots of minced garlic in this recipe which makes it just as flavorful as a homemade spaghetti sauce.
- Dried oregano, salt, and pepper: A simple seasoning to add to the sauce is all you need.
Recommended Reading: Is There A Keto Friendly Bbq Sauce
How To Make Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce
This simple spaghetti dish is made in a single pot, saving you time and effort. I adore my 6-quart Dutch oven for just this reason! Whats the deal with all the salt? Dont be concerned. You will not be consuming the recommended 2.5 tablespoons of salt. Not only does salted water boil more quickly than unsalted water, but it also imparts a tremendous amount of flavor to the pasta and prevents it from sticking together.
- Prepare the spaghetti by filling a large Dutch oven or pot 3/4 full with cold water and bringing it to a boil. Toss in 2 teaspoons salt and the pasta. Using tongs, separate the pasta a few times during the first 2 minutes of cooking to ensure that it does not stay together. Continue to boil, uncovered, for another 5 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, tossing periodically.
Tips for preparing gluten-free spaghetti include the following:
- It cooks a little more quickly than wheat, so keep an eye on it. It has a tendency to cling, so mix often and rinse well with cold water after draining. During cooking, it causes the water to become murky, which is normal.
- Drain the pasta: Towards the conclusion of the cooking time, test the spaghetti for doneness by taking one strand onto a dish with tongs. Do not overcook until the meat becomes overly tender. Cooked pasta with a little of bite is the secret to a delicious pasta dish. Drain the water through a colander.
Expert Tips For Tomato Sauce
- Tomatoes: Use fresh ripe, red tomatoes in this recipe to get the best flavor! Avoid bruised and unripened tomatoes. You can also half, double, or triple the number of tomatoes in this recipe depending on how much quantity you want to make.
- Sterilizing jars: To get the best results make sure you sterilize the canning jar before storing the tomato ketchup. Start by rinsing the canning jar. Then boil water in a large saucepan till it reaches its boiling point. Soak the jar and lid in the hot water then continue to boil the water for 8 to 10 minutes. Use tongs to remove the canning jar and leave it to drain upside down on a thick towel on a kitchen tabletop. Once the canning jar is completely air-dried the tomato sauce can be stored. Either use canning jars or use heat proof glass jars.
- Preservatives: In order to store this delicious tomato sauce for a long amount of time you will need to add sodium benzoate which is a preservative. The sodium benzoate is added once you have finished preparing the ketchup. To prepare it mix 1 teaspoon of hot water with ¼ teaspoon of sodium benzoate. Allow the sodium benzoate to dissolve then pour it into the hot tomato ketchup and stir.If you are not comfortable using preservative then make a small batch of the sauce and store in sterilized glass jars. Or you can follow the canning method of boiling and sterilizing in hot water the sealed canning jars with the sauce inside them.
Also Check: Rao Sauce Where To Buy
You May Like: Texas Pete Sweet Chili Sauce
Finish Cooking The Penne Pasta Directly In The Sauce
Formed to look like fountain pens steel nibs, pennes cylinder shape and bias-cut ends capture pasta sauces that sneak inside its tubular straw, making just about any sauce the best to go with penne.
Authentic Italians cringe at the idea, but most Americans style of saucing pasta is to pile the cooked pasta in a bowl, plop the sauce on top, and call it a day. Not this American. I go the Italian route.
Heres the the best way to finish this and every sauced pasta dish:
- Cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of being al denté. The pasta will continue to cook in the sauce, absorbing the flavors as it does.
- Dont drain the pasta. Instead, transfer the pasta from its cooking water directly into the simmering sauce
- Toss the pasta in the sauce and continue to cook until done. If needed, add a few tablespoons of the pasta water to loosen the pasta or if it seems like there wont be enough. The starch in the sauce helps thicken it as well.
- Taste for seasoning, garnish, and serve. Add more salt or red chili flakes if a little more punch is needed, and dont forget a big bunch of basil.
Why This Recipe Works
One of the easiest meals on the planet to make is a comforting batch of spaghetti. It is super easy to make, it is affordable and its off-the-charts comforting and delicious!
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you either dont have the energy to make a batch of homemade pasta sauce or you do not want to take a trip to the grocery store to grab a jar of sauce, Ive got your back!
All you need is a can of tomato paste and a few other ingredients that are already likely sitting in your kitchen. Dinner has never been easier!
Don’t Miss: Sweet Baby Ray’s Buffalo Wing Sauce