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This Homemade Spaghetti Sauce is rich and hearty, packed with fresh tomatoes and savory spices. One bite and you’ll be hooked!
Featured with this recipe
- Ingredients in Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- What Tomatoes are Best for Spaghetti Sauce?
- Additions to this Sauce
- Soy Sauce in Spaghetti Sauce?
- More Garden Fresh Ingredients
- Roasting Fresh Tomatoes
- No Fresh Tomatoes? No Problem!
- Low and Slow for Thick Sauce
- Freeze for Later
- Frequently Asked Questions about Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- More Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipes
- How to Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce is savory, fresh and beats the canned stuff from the pantry any day! I’ve been making my own spaghetti sauce for years now and I love it. It’s so easy to make, and the flavor is so much better than the store-bought kind. I love making this sauce with diced tomatoes from my garden, fresh herbs like fresh basil and fresh parsley. You can’t beat the flavor of homegrown produce in a dish like this one!
Ingredients in Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
This homemade spaghetti sauce recipe is a staple at our house, and will be at yours too! Top your spaghetti noodles with this fragrant, fresh pasta sauce and your family will love it! Here’s what you need:
- Tomatoes – fresh, garden tomatoes work best. I start with about a dozen or so, depending on how large they are. If you can’t find good, fresh tomatoes, you can use a couple of cans of crushed tomatoes.
- Olive oil – two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or whatever you have on hand.
- Onion – One large onion, diced or chopped with a food processor.
- Mushrooms – I love using fresh, chopped mushrooms for this marinara sauce. Homegrown vegetables give a nice bulk to this sauce.
- Soy sauce – I know it sounds weird, but soy sauce gives the mushrooms a wonderful meaty flavor that can’t be beat!
- Garlic – six large cloves
- Fresh basil leaves – Garden grown, or you can find fresh basil leaves in the produce section of your grocery store. Dried basil works in a pinch, just use half the amount.
- Oregano – dried or fresh, finely chopped
- Brown sugar – just a couple of tablespoons adds much needed sweetness to the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
What Tomatoes are Best for Spaghetti Sauce?
When making spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes, choose tomatoes that have a rich flavor and are less watery. Roma tomatoes, also known as plum tomatoes, are a popular choice because of their meaty texture and fewer seeds. San Marzano tomatoes, often considered the gold standard for sauces, have a sweet, low-acid flesh that adds depth to your sauce. Heirloom tomatoes can also be a great choice, offering unique and complex flavors. If you have an abundance of cherry or grape tomatoes, they can contribute a sweet twist to your sauce. Keep in mind that the type of tomato you choose will impact the sauce’s flavor, so consider the balance of sweetness and acidity that you desire and taste as you go!
Additions to this Sauce
Once you have a sauce simmering on the stove, you can add all kinds of meat to create a luscious meat sauce. Here are some ideas:
- Meatballs
- Beef Short Ribs
- Chicken
- Ground turkey
- Ground beef
- Italian sausage
Soy Sauce in Spaghetti Sauce?
You may notice that soy sauce is a key ingredient in this recipe. Trust me on this. Adding soy sauce to chopped mushrooms is an old trick that a chef in Utah taught me. When you add soy sauce to mushrooms while they are cooking, it gives them a rich, meaty flavor that is unparalleled. I ALWAYS add a splash of soy sauce when I sauté mushrooms. And I promise, it doesn’t make it taste weird or soy sauce-y at all. It just brings out the flavor SO much more. You have GOT to try this trick. It takes the flavor to the next level!
More Garden Fresh Ingredients
If you like a “chunky” homemade garden spaghetti sauce, just chop up any veggies you like and stir them in while sautéing the onions.
- Red bell pepper
- Green bell pepper
- Carrots, shredded or finely chopped.
- Red pepper flakes
- Zucchini
Roasting Fresh Tomatoes
Another suggestion for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes comes from one of our readers, Diana. She says, “I have a suggestion for those who don’t mind the extra time it might take. I started roasting my fresh tomatoes last year for canning and wow! what a difference that made! The natural sugars come out and it also concentrates the tomato flavor.” Here are her suggestions:
- Cut tomatoes in half, remove as much of the seeds/gel as possible into a strainer with a bowl to catch the juices and then place the halves cut side down on a large cookie pan covered with parchment paper.
- Even though you remove a lot of the seeds/tomato get before roasting, you will get a lot of liquid from roasting. Save it all and strain it.
- Roast the tomatoes at 350-400 degrees until the skins start turning color. When the skins are browned, remove the tray from the oven and drain the liquid into the strainer with the seeds/gel. Let the tomatoes cool somewhat and remove the skin.
- You can then add the tomatoes and the strained liquid/gel to the pot and process them the way you would for sauce or canning. The roasting concentrates the tomato flavor remarkably.
- Roasted Sun Golds are like candy after halving and roasting. Cut them in half, add chopped onion and garlic, red bell pepper, and some olive oil. Roast at about 325 since they are small and the skins are thin. No need to remove seeds or skins…just blend in the food processor.
No Fresh Tomatoes? No Problem!
Home-grown tomatoes are delicious in this recipe but fresh, garden tomatoes can be hard to come by year-round. Whenever we can’t use fresh tomatoes, we always use DOP San Marzano Tomatoes. They are THE best alternative to homegrown tomatoes. We even use San Marzano tomatoes before resorting to store-bought tomatoes. For this recipe we use two 28oz. cans of tomatoes. We prefer using whole tomatoes as opposed to crushed tomatoes (most DOP tomato brands only come with whole tomatoes) and simply mash them with a potato masher as the sauce cooks down.
Low and Slow for Thick Sauce
To thicken your sauce, slow and steady is your ticket. Last time I made this, I had it simmering for eight hours (uncovered, stirring occasionally). Trust me, the longer you can let it simmer, the better! If you are finding that the water isn’t evaporating as quickly as you would like or it isn’t thickening up how you want it to, there is an easy fix. Just add some tomato paste, about a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the consistency you are looking for. You can also blend chunks of tomatoes in an immersion blender and add to the sauce for extra thickness.
Freeze for Later
Make a double batch of this glorious sauce and freeze it in a freezer safe Tupperware-type container, a large freezer-safe Ziploc bag, or a glass jar. If you do go the glass jar route, make sure to leave an inch or two of space at the top of the jar so the sauce doesn’t expand and break the jar. When freezing, make sure to cool the sauce completely in the fridge before freezing. The sauce will stay nice and fresh in the freezer for up to six months. Low on freezer space or prefer to can your sauce? Try our homemade canned spaghetti sauce!
Frequently Asked Questions about Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes will stay good in the refrigerator for about three to four days. Any longer than that, you may just want to freeze it for later.
Yes, you can make much more sauce for what you can buy bottled sauce for. A 24-ounce jar of name brand marinara sauce costs $3.69 or 15 cents per ounce.
Add garlic and onions, simmer in olive oil, then add the rest of the ingredients. And of course, let it simmer as long as you can, so the ingredients blend together beautifully.
READ MORE: Easy Ground Beef Recipes
More Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipes
Looking for more delicious pasta sauces you can pair with your spaghetti? Try one of our other homemade savory pasta sauce recipes! If you are looking for more of an authentic Italian tomato sauce, try our Pomodoro sauce recipe (Sugo di Pomodoro). This recipe comes directly from Italy and pairs perfectly with spaghetti. If you have lots of tomatoes and are looking for more long-term storage for your spaghetti sauce, try our homemade canned spaghetti sauce. Then you can enjoy your sauce all-year round! For Ravioli, try our Homemade Ravioli Sauce.
How to Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 12-14 tomatoes (fresh, garden tomatoes work best- appx. 6-8 lbs. You can also use two 28oz. cans of San Marzano tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms fresh, chopped
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce (see notes above)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 10-12 basil leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon oregano finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place tomatoes a few at a time in the water and remove after 10-15 seconds.
- Immediately place tomatoes in an ice-water bath and remove skins and stems. Cut tomatoes into fourths and place in a food processor or blender.
- Process tomatoes a few times, you want them to be the consistency of crushed tomatoes (don’t over process). Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and sauté until they become soft and transparent.
- Add mushrooms and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce and garlic and continue to cook until mushrooms become soft.
- Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for at least one hour. The longer the better! Ideally 2+ hours.
- Serve over cooked pasta.
Notes
- Make a double batch of this glorious sauce and freeze it in a freezer safe Tupperware-type container, a large freezer-safe Ziploc bag, or a glass jar. If you do go the glass jar route, make sure to leave an inch or two of space at the top of the jar so the sauce doesn’t expand and break the jar. When freezing, make sure to cool the sauce completely in the fridge before freezing. The sauce will stay nice and fresh in the freezer for up to six months.
- You may notice that soy sauce is a key ingredient in this recipe. Trust me on this. Adding soy sauce to chopped mushrooms is an old trick that a chef in Utah taught me. When you add soy sauce to mushrooms while they are cooking, it gives them a rich, meaty flavor that is unparalleled. I ALWAYS add a splash of soy sauce when I sauté mushrooms. And I promise, it doesn’t make it taste weird or soy sauce-y at all. It just brings out the flavor SO much more. You have GOT to try this trick. It takes the flavor to the next level!
- If you like a “chunky” homemade garden spaghetti sauce, just chop up any veggies you like and stir them in while sautéing the onions.
Does the texture if the mushrooms change when you freeze?
If you are worried about getting a weird texture, you could always just chop the mushrooms really small. That way you get the flavor without the texture. Hope this helps!
Making this now and it smells amazing! I added beef and roasted red peppers. I also used the entire tomato and blended it raw in the vitamin first. Cut back on tons of time. Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Great idea to use the entire tomato! So glad you liked this recipe, thanks for coming back to let us know!
Delicious! It tastes so fresh. I also had a much longer prep time than 15minutes, but maybe I’m just slow. Nevertheless, I’m definitely making this again!
So glad you liked this recipe Kimberly! Sorry the prep took so long! What part did you find was the most time consuming? Trying to figure out how I can adjust the time to make the prep time more accurate. Thanks for the 5-stars!
Hi hopeing to make this sauce tomorrow,l have plenty of ripe small plumb tomatoes 🍅 do I
Still need to skin them?
Skinning them is totally a personal choice. Skins will soften if you decide to keep them on, I just like them skinless. I have used cherry tomatoes (well, Sun Golds) in this recipe with skins on and it is AMAZING– the skins are so thin you don’t even notice them. If you are fine with cooking the skins, I would say go for it!
This sauce is delicious!
Thank you! 😀 So glad you liked it!
I used this recipe and followed it to a T, ended up with tomatoe soup. It was very time consuming and VERY frustrating to end up with something that went in the garbage. Wasted home grown tomatoes 😡!
Hi Lydia- my guess is that the sauce didn’t reduce enough. You can simmer it as long as you need until it reduces. I am so sad to hear it went in the trash! It probably just needed more time or a little extra tomato paste.
I am assuming the recipe is calling for fresh herbs? Can you use dried herbs in this recipe?
Yes and yes. Fresh or dried herbs will work just fine! You can just add the herbs to taste and you will be totally fine. Hope this helps!
This sounds delicious! Do you mince/chop the garlic cloves or use them whole?
Hi Jen– you will want to mince the garlic. Hope this helps!
Can this sauce be canned
You will want to keep an eye out for acidity levels when canning. However, we actually have a canned spaghetti sauce recipe right here that is just as delicious! https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/canned-spaghetti-sauce/
Excellent sauce! I followed the recipe with a couple of exceptions – I added fried mushrooms and ground beef after the sauce had simmered for a couple hours. I also simmered for about 3 1/2 hours, as it was too thin after even 2 hours. This sauce has great flavor.
So glad you liked it. Definitely the longer you simmer it the thicker (and better) it will be. Glad you kept simmering! Thanks for the 5-stars, Sam!
I just made this and it turned out great. It’s a very nice thick sauce. I didn’t use the soy sauce or mushrooms and I removed the seeds from the tomatoes. It will be perfect for my homemade meatballs! It’s a keeper, thank you!
so glad you liked this recipe, even with the omissions! Adding meatballs will definitely give it that “meaty” taste that makes this sauce so good. Thanks for the 5-stars!
Had to add tomato paste
I was wondering about the seeds…I left them in, there are a LOT! But sauce tastes great
I love this sauce. I tried 2 others that we’re just ok, but this one was perfect for me. I have had a double batch simmering for about 4 hours and will do it tomorrow too. My husband is obsessed with putting wine in sauce and wants to add some. Have you tried that? I’m wary of ruining the perfect mix of flavors.
Hi Emily- so glad you liked this recipe! A little bit of cooking wine won’t hurt at all, you can throw it in with the mushrooms and it will probably be delicious. I wouldn’t overdo it but a few Tbsp. of cooking wine won’t hurt at all. Hope this helps!
I’m trying this recipe today and was hoping you could tell me app. How many cups of fresh tomatoes I’m looking for?, my tomatoes. Are very sizes. Thank yu
An average sized tomato can range anywhere between 3/4 c. and 1 c. IF it were me, I would just round up for sake of ease. So I would say 12-14 cups of tomatoes. Hope this helps!
Thank you for specifying that it’s 12-14 CUPS of tomatoes. I was looking at the recipe thinking there was no way my 12-14 tomatoes were going to equal 8-10 lbs LOL. This was exactly the comment I was looking for to clarify 🙂
Glad it helped! Sorry if it was confusing in the post!
Amazing! I used a mix of Roma’s and celebrities and fresh herbs. Delish! Question: if I do not want it as thick… May I add water? Also has anyone tried canning this yet?
Hi Brittany- I wouldn’t add water, I would just simmer it for less time. It will be pretty watery if you don’t let it simmer as long. Hope this helps!
Just made this recipe it is now simmering, I will simmer at least 5 hours and let you know how it turns out ..rachel
I’m excited to hear how you like it! A 5-hour simmer will be perfect! Yum!
I just got mine put together and it is simmering on the stove. My husband came home for lunch and when he walked in he immediately said how great the house smelled. I plan on letting it simmer for several hours and will probably not have it until tomorrow night (I think sauces always are better the next day)
Oh man, if he thinks it SMELLS good, I can’t wait for him to TASTE it!
This is wonderful sauce! I let my tomatoes drain a bit, similar to what I do for salsa, and used red bell pepper in place of mushrooms. My family is asking for more! I plan to can some to enjoy this winter.
So glad you like this recipe! Great idea adding some red bell pepper. You can definitely add more vegetables to the sauce to bulk it up. We have added carrot before, too, and it is wonderful!
This spaghetti sauce was so good! We had a good crop of tomatoes this year and were looking for other ways to use them. I came across this recipe and gave it a try. Very easy, and we had all the ingredients at home already. I did let it simmer for the 2 hours recommended, and it turned out great!!
So glad you liked it! Simmering it down is key. It makes all the flavors combine beautifully. Thanks so much for the 5-stars!
The whole family loved the recipe! I also added chopped carrots and bell peppers! Amazing, Amazing, amazing! I allowed the sauce to simmer for 1hr 45ish mins and turned out just fine! Thank you so much for sharing! This is the only way I’ll eat spaghetti now…from now on.
Yay!!! I am so glad that you liked this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and for the 5-stars!
Excellent recipe. Hard to believe there’s no beef in the ingredients. My only complaint is that the
15 min. prep time is way off. It took me at least 30 min. to blanch, peel, core and quarter the tomatoes, and I still had to chop the onion, mushrooms and basil. I think a 45 min. prep time is more realistic.
Hi Belle– thank you so much for letting me know how long it took you to do this recipe. I will re-evaluate the time and make some changes. Thanks for the 5-stars! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
You can always add browned ground beef or sausage after the sauce has been made. Keep some separate for vegetarians, though!
Absolutely! That would be delicious!
My family looved it!!
So easy to make and remember Ingrid’s.
I love this recipe!!! It is a keeper! I used fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs from my garden and doubled the recipe. I was so impressed I did it again the next day so I would have plenty to freeze. I let it simmer uncovered for several hours to reduce the liquid. Perfect. My hunt for the perfect sauce is over with.
Thank you so much for this wonderful comment! We are so excited that your hunt for the perfect sauce ended with us! Thank you! 😀
I was thinking of putting it in the crockpot for about 4 hours. On low with lid on. Do you think that would be to long , would it thinkin up that way also.
That should actually work nicely! That’s a great idea!
Do you have to remove the seeds???
I’m doing mine in a crockpot. Question – do you saute the garlic listed in ingredients? Not mentioned in recipe to even add it.
Oops the recipe instructions DO say add garlic to onions sautéing. My bad. Thank you. ,
Loved this great way to use my end of the season tomatoes only problem I had was too much soy sauce ..next time I will add more mushrooms
I made this Sunday and it was so amazing! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks for the 5-stars Jennifer! We are so glad you liked it!
Outstanding. I used less salt. So fresh tasting and soy sauce adds depth! Will make often
So glad you liked this spaghetti sauce! Thanks so much for the 5-stars and the nice comment 😀
How much does this recipe make?
It makes about 6-8 servings depending on your serving sizes. Hope this helps!
I’ve been making this for about a year and half now. This has become me and my husband’s favorite meal to make. It’s delicious and better than anything you can get at a restaurant around where we live. Love, love, love l!
I really enjoyed this recipe and will be making it again, I didn’t use brown sugar and I found that half a carrot grated into the sauteed onions adds more than enough sweetness
Great idea! Awesome way to cut out sugar without having to cut out the sweetness. Thank you for sharing!
Can you freeze this sauce
Yes! It freezes great!