Recipes › Sauce › Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This classic Italian spaghetti sauce is built on a foundation of San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, and quality olive oil, simmered gently to develop deep, balanced flavor. The sauce comes together in under an hour and pairs perfectly with fresh or dried pasta for an authentic weeknight dinner. Made entirely from scratch without preservatives or artificial ingredients, it captures the essence of traditional Italian cooking.

Ingredients

• 2 cans (800g total) San Marzano tomatoes
• 60ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion (150g), finely diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (30g)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 250ml (1 cup) pasta water, reserved
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn (optional)
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and diced onion, stirring occasionally until softened and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.

2. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the onion and garlic and eliminate raw tomato paste flavor.

3. Pour in the canned tomatoes with their juice. Use a wooden spoon to gently crush the tomatoes against the side of the pan to break them down slightly.

4. Add salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine all seasonings evenly throughout the sauce.

5. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should bubble gently at the edges but not vigorously.

6. In the final 5 minutes, stir in reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon but still flow slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.

7. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in fresh basil if using. Serve immediately over cooked spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese.

Substitutions

• For vegan sauce: use 1 tablespoon olive oil more and omit cheese, or substitute nutritional yeast
• For lower sodium: reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon and use no-salt-added canned tomatoes
• For fresher flavor: substitute 600g fresh San Marzano tomatoes (peeled and crushed) for canned when in season
• For added depth: replace 120ml of pasta water with dry red wine

Tips

• Reserve pasta water before draining—the starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles and thickens it naturally
• Fresh, high-quality San Marzano tomatoes make a significant difference; avoid regular canned tomatoes which are more acidic
• Simmer on low heat; rapid boiling causes the sauce to break down too quickly and become bitter
• This sauce freezes well for up to 3 months; cool completely before portioning into freezer containers

In Italy, particularly in regions like Campania and Lazio, this simple tomato-based sugo is known as ragù leggero or salsa di pomodoro. Italian home cooks traditionally make this sauce in large batches and let it simmer for hours, though this streamlined version captures authentic flavor in less time while respecting the principle of letting quality ingredients speak for themselves.

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