Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Homemade spaghetti sauce doesn’t need to be intimidating! A simple sauce of crushed tomatoes makes for a rustic and easy weeknight meal, and one I wish I had learned long before I grew reliant on jars of sauce.
Homemade spaghetti sauce doesn’t need to be intimidating! A simple sauce made of crushed tomatoes, parmigiano reggiano, and fresh basil makes for a rustic and easy weeknight meal, and one I wish I had learned long before I grew reliant on jars of sauce.
This post first appeared in July 2012 as a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Wayfair and All Clad. All opinions are, as always, 100% mine. I hope you enjoy this favorite from my kitchen!
The Infamous Marinara Sauce Jar
There was a time when cooking looked like this: Grab jar of marinara sauce. Grab box of pasta. Get really fancy and cook ground beef in onions and garlic, then add marinara sauce. Boil water, salt, and drop in pasta. Drain pasta and serve with sauce.
Yes, that was then. And I will admit, that is also sometimes now. But the difference is that back then, that jar of sauce was as mysterious as the Shroud of Turin.
I used to think that a good homemade spaghetti sauce could only be achieved after hours and hours of mentoring from an Italian nonna. Preferably, an adorable, huggable nonna. The truth is, the mystery in a jar of sauce is really not that mysterious after all. It’s really all about simple ingredients.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce – Made Simple
So now, cooking looks more like this: Grab the ripest tomatoes. Snip the basil. Crush the garlic. And before you know it, a simple homemade spaghetti sauce is bubbling on the stove.
A simple sauce of crushed tomatoes makes for a rustic and easy weeknight meal, and one I wish I had learned long before I grew reliant on jars of sauce. Perhaps if I grew up in an Italian family, right?
As I toss spaghetti into the sauté pan, I like to imagine that this is one of the first things a child learns in the kitchen. In my case, I didn’t learn this until after I was first married, but you can be sure that it is an easy meal I like to enjoy often.
More Favorite Pasta Recipes
Spaghetti with Chicken Sausage and Lentil Bolognese
Fettuccine with Chicken Sausage, Kale, and Cannellini Beans
Spaghetti with Mascarpone Alfredo Sauce and Sugar Snap Peas
Vegetarian Pasta Puttanesca
Spaghetti Squash Shakshuka
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 Roma tomatoes quartered
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil coarsely chopped
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese plus more for garnish
- 1 lb spaghetti
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil water to cook your spaghetti.
- Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- When the garlic is a light golden color, add the sliced tomatoes and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- The tomatoes will begin to cook down; lower the heat to a simmer and let it cook until it is a chunky sauce, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta al’dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving the liquid, and place into the sauté pan, allowing it to finish cooking in the sauce.
- Toss in the basil and cheese.
- Add some of the reserved pasta liquid if the sauce appears too dry.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with additional Parmigiano Reggiano grated on top.
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
I would roast a variety of local fresh vegetables in olive oil and top with some fresh local goat cheese. Delicious.
I would make paella in that beautiful pan!
karenreichmann@hotmail.com
Linguini & Clams
Peperonata!
I think I would cook a pasta dish like yours or perhaps with a creamy basil sauce. I love large and deep pans that can hold substantial quantities of food.
I would make chicken fajitas :)
I would make caramelized onion and mushroom scrambled eggs for breakfast.
shared on fb Julie A Scott Laws
I would make a chicken and rice stirfry thanks
I’ve shared this giveaway on FB
https://www.facebook.com/elle.rouge1/posts/256936281085133
Thank you
I would make chicken breasts with sauteed onions in mustard sauce
I’d make some steamed clams with a white wine sauce!
I would love to make some awesome seafood in that pan!
I think I’d want to start by making this exact recipe. Thanks for the chance to win!
I think my bolognese sauce would cook down perfectly in this pan!
Great giveaway, Liren. I shared on Facebook, too!
I use my very old (like 23 years – a wedding gift) 3 qt Calphalon saucepan for everything – including delicious homemade marina sauce like yours :)
Well your dish looks pretty delish! But, I would probably saute some lovely summer veggies in olive oil with some tomatoes and basil because I can’t eat pasta :)
I want to make my own marinara sauce. Yum! :D
I’d cook some kind of pasta with lots of garlic and butter!
i think i would make this sauce. it looks so good!
Pasta with Pancetta
Using fresh tomatoes is so much better!
Delightful pictures :)
I would make risotto – and pretty much everything else.
i would make THIS lovely recipe!
I would make veal ragu…Your pictures are stunning my friend…..
I would make Chicken Piccata
I would make chicken marsala!
That sauce looks amazing! I would probably make a summer vegetable pasta or quinoa dish with vegetables from the garden.
I shared this giveaway on facebook
I would make my daughters favorite spaghetti and meatballs!