This homemade meatless spaghetti sauce is a simple, flavorful red sauce that works well for pasta night and other Italian-inspired meals. Made with olive oil, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and fresh herbs, it simmers into a rich sauce with plenty of depth.
Unlike a quick marinara, this version takes a little more time to build flavor, but it is still easy to make. Inspired by a classic slow-simmered red sauce, it develops richness without turning into an all-day project. Ground beef can be added if desired, though this recipe is written as a meatless sauce. It pairs well with pasta, meatballs, and New York Style Garlic Knots.
How to Make Meatless Spaghetti Sauce
- Start with a good quality olive oil, since it helps build the base flavor of the sauce..
- Sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, then add salt, brown sugar, a bay leaf, and a parmesan rind if using. These ingredients help round out the tomato flavor as the sauce simmers.
- Let it simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until it reaches your preferred texture. If you do not have one, carefully puree the sauce in a standard blender in small batches, or leave it slightly chunky.
- Stir in the tomato paste, fresh herbs, and black pepper. Taste and adjust with more salt or sugar if needed, then simmer for another 30 minutes.
Is There a Difference Between Marinara and Spaghetti Sauce?
- Marinara and spaghetti sauce are similar, but they are not always the same. Marinara is usually a simpler tomato sauce made with fewer ingredients and a shorter cooking time, while spaghetti sauce is often cooked longer and may include additional ingredients such as onions, herbs, meat, or cheese.
- Marinara is typically a simple tomato-based sauce and usually does not include meat. Once meat is added, the sauce moves into a different category, such as meat sauce or ragù, depending on the recipe.
So Why is Your Sauce Called ‘Spaghetti Sauce’?
- Compared with marinara, this sauce takes a longer route to build flavor by sautéing onions and garlic first, then simmering the sauce for a longer period of time.
What Makes a Great Sauce?
- Tip #1: Start with good tomatoes. Since tomatoes are the base of the sauce, their flavor makes a big difference. San Marzano tomatoes are a popular choice for their balanced sweetness and lower acidity.
- Tip #2: Use Fresh Herbs. Use fresh herbs. Fresh basil, oregano, or parsley can brighten the sauce and add a fresher flavor at the end.
- Tip #3: Add a parmesan rind. A parmesan rind can be simmered in the sauce for extra depth and savory flavor. If you have leftovers, they can be frozen and saved for future soups or sauces.
- Tip #4: Give it time. A longer simmer helps the flavors come together and gives the sauce a richer taste. This version is ready in about 2 hours.
Can You Freeze Spaghetti Sauce?
- Yes, this spaghetti sauce freezes well.
If you make this sauce, leave a rating or comment to share how it turned out.
SIMPLE HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE
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¼ cup good-quality olive oil
¾ to 1 cup onion, diced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 bay leaf
1 parmesan rind
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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Simple Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Description
A few staple pantry ingredients and some spices is all it takes to make a great classic meatless spaghetti sauce!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup good-quality olive oil
- ¾ to 1 cup onion, diced
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 parmesan rind
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
EQUIPMENT I USED:
- Basic gadgets (measuring spoons, bowls etc)
- Cutting board
- My favorite knife!
- Immersion Blender
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, sauté the onion in olive oil over low to medium heat until translucent. Do not let it brown. Season lightly with salt to help the onion soften, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar, bay leaf, and parmesan rind, if using.
- Partially cover and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind, then blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth. If needed, carefully puree it in a standard blender in batches.
- Stir in tomato paste, basil, parsley and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
- Simmer for another 30 minutes.
Notes
You can make this a meat sauce by simply browning 1 lb of ground beef (turkey or sausage) with the onion and garlic, then continue with recipe as stated in Step 2.
Delicious!thank you!
How many cups does this make? Can’t wait to try!
I made this sauce last minute and did not want to go to the store as it was snowing heavily. I did not have Parmesan rind or fresh basil and parsley. It was still fantastic. I served it over vegan meatballs and fresh pasta. Honestly the best sauce I have ever made. I won’t add the parm rind in order to keep it vegan but I cannot wait to use fresh basil and parsley from my garden in the summer. Thank you for this recipe.
thanks so much Pat! Love to hear how it worked out for you!
Made this sauce with homemade pasta. Delicious! I will now save my parmesan rinds. Fabulous, look forward trying more of your recipes.
I didn’t have the Parmesan rind, but otherwise I followed the recipe. My husband couldn’t stop snacking on the sauce while it cooked (already a good sign). I used it the next day for baked ziti while my parents were over. Usually we have leftovers for the next day, but it was gone! My mum asked for the recipe because she couldn’t stop thinking about the sauce. Thank you for the fantastic recipe, it’s definitely a keeper!
aww, thanks Amberlee! I see you made baked ziti with it. We have a great recipe for that too here –> https://happilyunprocessed.com/how-to-make-a-life-changing-baked-ziti/
Doni need the cheese part? I Dont have that
No Tiffany you do not. It will still turn out great!
Hi
Thinking of making for a large group. The 2x and 3x recipes list the same amount of Cans Crushed Tomatoes- is this correct?
I made this today, but I added Italian seasoned banana peppers to it.
Very nice flavor super simple and easy to make yet so smooth best sauce i have ever tasted 5 stars
thanks Mallory!
Great recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. Easy, simple and delicious.
This is the most amazing marinara sauce– Easy and it freezes well too. I will not add sugar next time. I put in 1 Tablespoon for a double batch and I think that was too much, but that is for my taste. Thanks again for this amazing sauce– Did I mention that it is the Bomb Diggity? YUMMMMMMMY
Hi Stormi! Thanks so much for the great review. This is my tried and true spaghetti sauce. Now the Sept is right around the corner I will be making it weekly. LOL
I do not have a way to puree. This is one of your steps. Is it necessary?
My forever go to recipe! This spaghetti sauce comes out perfect every single time. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Can I use this as a marinara sauce for your ziti recipe – how many cups does this make ?
Yes this is the sauce I use. It does need to be watered down just a tad though. Thanks for your question!
Deb
Looks like a delicious recipe! About how many people will it serve?
I’ve never counted Lisa but every time I make it it serves my family of 4, leftovers always end up being meatballs subs (so I use a little of the sauce) and then I freeze what’s left and it makes another batch. So all in all, I would say at least 8. It also depends on if you are going to simmer meatballs in it, that soaks a little of it up or it you add ground beef/pork for a meat sauce.