This is a quick recipe for tomato sauce.  I have just given the outline for the sauce, but you can add any kind of vegetables to it.  I especially like it with mushrooms and peppers.

Spaghetti Sauce

olive oil

green onions, chopped

garlic

tomatoes

basil

oregano

white sugar

In a large saucepan heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onion, green onion and garlic.  When onions are clear, stir in tomatoes, basil, oregano and sugar.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.n


So simple and tastes great! You can really do a lot with this. I added a can of tomato paste and thickened it a little quicker (probably totally illegal!) and added a bit more sugar and some salt and pepper. Very good and fast - loved it!

SUBSTITUTIONS:  Stevia for sugar
ADDITIONS:  1 lb. hamburger.
I thought the sauce needed to be a bit "thicker" so I added a can of tomato paste.  Turned out nicely and will definitely make again (with above mentioned modifications).

this was a great base recipe that you can do all kinds of things with. i used my home grown tomatoes, basil, and oregano in it instead of canned tomatoes and store bought spices; and put it in my crock pot to cook. i doubled it and will freeze the rest. thanks!
i gave it 4 stars because i too cut the oregano, so i didn't do it exactly as written.

Great spaghetti sauce!  I was in a rush to make tonights dinner so I used 14 oz of petite diced tomatoes (my kids are not a fan of tomatoes so I used only 1/2 of the 28oz can, then I used 1 29oz can of tomato sauce, 1 6 oz tomato paste, 2 tablespoons minced onion, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 3 tsp basil, 3 tsp oregano and 2 tsp italian seasoning.  I will probably use 2 tsp basil, 2 tsp oregano and 1 tsp italian seasoning which some of the reviewers suggested, but still a great sauce.  Thanks again!

People who rate a recipe they haven't tried simply because they don't like the ingredients are rude! There are millions of recipes on the Internet, if you don't like one for whatever reason, move on! I think this is a good basic sauce and cooks should add/remove any ingredients based on personal preference.

I use this website often and have found many fantastic recipes, but don't waste your time on this one!

My son is allergic to dairy and it's very hard to find jarred/canned sauces he can eat and most sauces take too long to cook.  This sauce was perfect - and everyone enjoyed it!

Now this is a simple sauce.  And, it's good!  I added frozen meatballs and used crushed tomatoes instead of diced because it was what I had.  Excellent!  I added the frozen meatballs after the sauce started simmering and simmered for 25 minutes.  I don't measure very precisely so I think I ended up with 3/4 of a large onion instead of what it called for.  End result - very tasty and easy sauce.

I usually make a quick meat sauce by using a jar of store bought spaghetti sauce and adding additional seasoning to suit our taste. I was out of store bought and we wanted spaghetti tonight so I began browsing allrecipes for ideas when I came upon this one.


This is a really great basic recipe. Don't ever be afraid to make adjustments for your family. I took a few short cuts and modified it to work with the ingredients I had on hand and adjusted the spices for our taste. These are the changes I made: placed chopped onion (had no green onion) in the same pan I just cooked the 8 minute spaghetti, with 1 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb hot Italian sausage. Minced 4 garlic cloves and sprinkled them with a pinch of salt and set aside.


I pureed 2 (14.5 oz) cans of Italian style diced tomatoes and added them to the browned meat mixture with the garlic. I added 1- 8 oz can of tomato sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp crushed red peppers, 1 Tbsp sugar, pinch of kosher salt to taste, and rubbed 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning and 1 tsp basil between my hands into the sauce, stirred, and simmered for 20 minutes adding the cooked spaghetti about 1/2 way through. The noodles get to finish cooking and soak up all the great flavors from the sauce. Very yummy and very little clean up!

Simple and good.  I added mushrooms and peppers to it.

Tried this recipe with pasta and meatballs.  I think it could use more tomatoes and/or tomato sauce and much less oregano.  The oregano dominated the flavor of the dish even though there were bold flavored meatballs in the dish.  I won't likely make this sauce again, sorry.

Omg, just made this recipe, i usually never write reviews, just read them! But this one deserve a 5 stars... I kinda feel rediculious for using pre made spaghetti sauce, since this was so simple and full of flavor! thanks...

My husband said it tasted like spaghetti in an Italian restaurant! These are the adjustments I made: no green onions, 2 tsp. sugar, 2 tsp. italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, 1/4-1/2 c. ketchup and 1 lb. browned hamburger. Will definitely make again!

Growing up we called this "Quick Sauce" as opposed to our Sunday "Gravy". It's always been my favorite. Just a few suggesions; when using canned tomatoes, always use San Marzano imported for an over the top authentic flair. Also, fresh basil is a must, the dried does not do justice to Italian recipes. I grow it in the summer and at the end of the season, pick the remaining leaves and put in a food processor with extra virgin olive oil and garlic freeze in a well oiled ice cube tray so I always have a fresh version of basil on hand. Lastly, instead of sugar or sugar substitute, you may want to shave off peeled carrots with a veggie peeler to give a natural sweetness. Otherwise, great recipe!

Good, quick sauce.  I also added a can of tomato paste to make it saucier.

I gave this a 4-star instead of a 5 because while it's a very good sauce, it could be improved by using whole canned tomatoes instead. It just lends to a more robust sauce.I pour them into a large measuring cup or bowl and squeeze them with my hand before adding to the pan. Letting the sauce cook for awhile will thicken it up if you don't have tomato paste on hand. I also don't add the green onions because they don't add anything to the sauce in my opinion. Once you see how easy it is to make your own sauce, you'll never buy jarred sauce again.

Great quick sauce to just 'throw together'.  I put a chopped bell pepper in with the onions &amp; 1# of lean ground beef. I made this pretty true to recipe, except the green onions (I didn't have any).  I have fresh herbs and added a bit more to my taste and used my own home canned tomatoes, along with a small can of tomato paste (some added for thickening). Picture posted.  I'd give 4.5-5 stars!

Very happy with the sauce.  Very forgiving.  I made it once with diced tomatoes and cut the spices to 3 tbsp.  Very good, a little chunky but that's what I like.  I've also made it with tomato sauce and a can of paste.  The kids like their marinara smooth and it was very tasty.

I have to admit I tweaked this one a little bit, just for experimentation. I used a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 3 teaspoons of both dried basil and dried oregano and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning (oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, basil and sage). I also added a pound of cooked Italian sausage after the first 20 minutes and let it simmer for about 20 more. This sauce was super easy and really, really good. I had begun the day thinking I would make a really complicated recipe for bolognese but ended up with thawed sausage and a late start to the dinner preparations. I am so glad I stumbled upon this recipe at the last minute. Definitely a keeper!! Thanks for sharing.

Very good basic recipe. Instead of 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, I put 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes and 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce and I have also added some roasted garlic with peppers. In a separate pan, I browned 1 lb ground beef with 1 small can of mushrooms and added it to the tomato mixture.

The flavor was good, but I used 1/2 the amount of seasoning called for.  It also could have used some tomato paste to thicken it up.

This was a good recipe to use for a quick sauce.  I ran out of ready made and used this instead of running to the store.  I did use the emulsion blender to make it a smoother sauce rather than a chunky one.

This ish is the bomb. I added some red onions, and it gave it a very pretty color along with fresh Basil. I also added a ton of crushed garlic and a can of tomato paste. Do yourself a favor- and make it this way.

This sauce was REALLY easy and you probably have all the ingredients in your house already. I will say however that you HAVE TO cut the Oregano in HALF... it is way too much. I also added paste as the sauce otherwise was not as thick as I like it.

I decided to try this recipe rather than run to the grocery store to buy spaghetti sauce.  I'm glad I did. It is easy to prepare and tastes good.

Perfect! Green onions are essential, they give the sauce it's own special flavor. Since I love the flavor of olive oil, I add a bit more than called for.

Awesome, quick recipe! I added a little tomato paste like some of the other comments said. I'll definitely be making this again!

The bones of this sauce are terrific.  I didn't measure the sugar exactly so I think that I used a little more.  BUT, when done, it was the consistency of salsa.  Perhaps I didn't do enough chopping!  I used a submersible blender to make it into a true sauce.  We ate it with meatballs and it was delicious.

This recipe doesn't work out at all for us. With so much dried basil and oregano, they never become part of the sauce itself, and it is not appetizing to be eating dried leaves all the time.

Very tasty. My wife and kids scarfed it up. Quick and easy .

This very close to the James Beard recipe that I have used for nearly 40 years. His version doesn't use oregano or green onion, adds fresh garlic and reduces the tomatoes before adding the spices.  If you omit the "Italian" spices and use chili powder and cumin, adding a can of diced green chili peppers to the tomatoes, you will also have a good red sauce for Mexican dishes.

Used all the tomatoes I had since I found I didn't have canned. Came out great!!!! Never going to used bottled sauce again

Used fresh green onions, oregano and basil, chopped fresh from my garden then popped into the sauce. Delicious and much lighter than most sauces that include canned tomato paste and sauce. Once my tomatoes get going, I will have fresh tomatoes, too!

This was really quick and easy!  Here were my modifications, and it came out very tasty!  I only had one 14.5 oz can of tomatoes (and they were whole, peeled tomatoes but I just diced them up), so I used that (including the juice in the can) plus one 6 oz can of tomato paste and one 8 oz can of tomato sauce.  I was too lazy to see if I had scallions still growing outside, so I just used up 1/4 of a medium onion and minced two really large cloves of garlic (because I didn't see that they were supposed to be crushed).  While the sauce was simmering, I cooked up 1/2 lb of ground spicy sausage meat and added it to the simmering sauce after about 10 minutes.  Then, I let the sauce simmer some more for 10 minutes to do the total 20 minutes.  We like a lot of sauce on our pasta, so this made about 3 servings.

i use shallots sometimes instead of chopped onions. also use italian seasoning or 2 tsp basil 4 tsp oregano, 1 tsp marjorium.
add mushrooms and red bell pepper when sauteing the onions

Big hit with my family! I made some modifications, added 1 can tomato soup and 1 small can tomato paste, along with about half pound of cooked ground beef. I used 1 tbsp. brown sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper as well. I usually use store bought sauce but I'll be doing this from now on!

I used brouwn sugar, it is better for your health, and also a dash of cinnamon for flavor, the second time around and it was much better.

This was so simple and we liked the flavor on this. I cut this in half and used a can of stewed tomatoes instead of diced, a small can of tomato paste and 3 cans of water, and then ended up adding another can of tomato sauce (15 oz.) as this cooked down and I needed to stretch it out. I added a lb. of cooked seasoned ground beef at my husband's request. I let this simmer for 1.5 hours before serving. The next time I will add a pinch of cayenne pepper and double the sugar. Great starting point and good like it is, but this would be easy to add in favorites.

This is such a good starter recipe. I used it to get the basic ingredients and the proportions of spices. Very good!

Easy to make if you don't have any sauce on hand.  I didn't have 28 oz can of peeled diced tomatoes on hand, so I made this with a 14 oz can of tomato sauce and a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes and it gave me a very nice marinara.

4 stars only because I didn't follow the recipe exactly. Instead of 1 28 ounce can of tomatoes I used 2 14.5 ounce cans of tomatoes with basil and oregano (because of that I also did not add the basil and oregano - and I pureed the tomatoes as I don't like cooked tomato chunks). I also used 1 teaspoon of brown sugar instead of white, as white sweetens it too much for my taste, and I added a pound of hamburger. I had read one review that said tomato paste was added to thicken it...I don't know how thin/thick it is on its own...I sort of "over"-cooked it...burned a couple places actually, but it's a recipe I will follow again, with my adjustments, minus the burning (I hope:-))

I used whole tomatoes instead of canned ones to eliminate unnecessary sodium, skipped the sugar altogether, and reduced the oregano and basil by 1 tsp. to make it tomatoier. The color was a little funky and it needed some body, so I put in some tomato paste.  Ended up being okay, but not great.

Very good base recipe. Made a few additions to suit my families taste. Tomato paste and butter. Then because it was a bit too thick with the tomato paste, I added some beef broth. I won't be buying store bought anymore.  Thanks.

It's alright- this sauce is a fine base from which to create your own.  It's just a basic spaghetti sauce.  I added one small can of tomato paste to thicken it.  Then I threw in probably another teaspoon or two of basil, a pinch or two garlic powder, a dash of both salt and pepper, and a small handful of personally shredded Romano (do it yourself for smaller shreds!).  exnay on the oregano. I don't like it at all. Also, make it with the meatball recipe I put on this site. Serve it with any kind of pasta and TA DA... a great meal!

Loved it!  I added 1/4 orange bell pepper, a handful of mushrooms, and used fresh basil and oregano.  Every one seems seems to conquere on adding tomato paste.  That probably would have made it a 5.

This is a great recipe to use when you have very little time and a near empty pantry.  Its nothing like my normal "cook all day" ingredient loaded sauce but for a meal in a snap this is really good.  My kids love it.

Simple and delicious! My go to pasta sauce. I use it as a basic sauce then add whatever I have on hand.

As stated in the bio, this is an excellent outline for tomatoe sauce. We are a family of 7 and no one ever seems to like the same thing. This was a winner for my family. Quick, easy, and I always have the ingredients. I did ad tomatoe paste to thicken it up and a little extra sugar to sweeten it just a tad for my kids. I will be using this many times over, different variations now we have tried the original. Perfect base to throw some meat or veggies in!!

This is not good.  Way too much oregano and basil.  I would cut those ingredients in half, but I still don't think this particular sauce would be good.  It was significantly overseasoned, but still incredibly bland.

Sauce turned brown. I don't know what happened. I followed the recipe to the tee. Maybe 20 minutes is too long to cook? Don't know? Anyway, I think I will just stick to Ragu.

Great sauce.  Simple to make, takes only minutes to put together.    My go-to sauce for all things that look for a marinara sauce.  
You can do so many things to dress this sauce up - add meatballs, or mushrooms,  throw a drop or two of hot sauce in it. 
My family really likes this simple sauce.

I started making spaghetti in a hurry one evening before i realized that we had no sauce to go on it. I found this recipe and was pleasantly surprised that it was so flavorful. Since my husband needs meat, I added some cooked ground beef and mushrooms to the sauce. My picky kids devoured their spaghetti, and my husband couldn't say enough about it.  I have to admit that it doesn't look at all like the spaghetti sauces that I'm used to or have made in the past. It looks like it will taste bland with the lack of tomato paste or sauce. My husband said that I should start making it all of the time instead of using the stuff in the jar. Will make again!

I've been making my sauce this way for years. The only things I do differently is omit the sugar, use spaghetti seasoning and add roasted italian sausage: brush 4 links (2 sweet and 2 hot) with olive oil and spaghetti seasoning. Roast on a rack at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Mince in a food processor and add to sauce.

This sauce freezes well. I make 4-6 batches at a time and freeze it freezer bags lying flat (4-6 cups of sauce in each bag). It thaws in 10-15 minutes in the sink with room temperature water.

Works really well with those no-cook lasagna noodles for a quick, effortless supper.

I loved this recipe. I changed it up a little bit though.
1 TB olive oil
1 1/2 small onions diced
2 cloves garlic mashed
1 TB dried chives
1 14.5 oz plain hunts petite diced tomatoes
1 10 oz can RoTel original diced tomatoes and green chilis
2 tsp dried basil leaves
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp sugar
2 TB ketchup
a dash of salt and a dash of pepper.

after sautéing the onions etc and added the tomatoes, I measured out 3/4 of the mixture and pureed it.. made it thicken up nicely.

I had some homemade meatballs in the freezer so I added those to the pan, covered and simmered for 45 min so the meatballs would heat thoroughly (they were frozen)

double the garlic, 1/2 the basil &amp; oregano , added small can of paste .... not a bad basic sauce

This sauce turned out amazing. Husband and kid approved!  We will definitely be making it again and again since Spaghetti is a favorite in our home!

My husband and picky kids loved this sauce.  I added mushrooms, bell peppers, a teaspoon of salt, and some red pepper flakes and served it over Stuffed Shells IV.  Although I prefer marinara sauce, my husband and kids thought it would be delicious over actual spaghetti.

This was a great base recipe. I used scallions instead of onions and two cloves of garlic. The can I used had basil and garlic included in them. I also used tomato sauce and hot Italian sausage. Instead of sugar I used truvia.

My take: I didn't have canned diced  tomatoes so I blanched one and diced it myself. Followed steps and when added tomatoes I also added a can of tomato sauce, and a teaspoon garlic power ( I LOVE garlic).  Added a packet of Sazon with coriander, a pinch of salt and let it simmer. I added some italian sausage and meatballs and it turned out terrific - YUMMY!

Very good basic spaghetti sauce recipe.  I added a couple of shakes of red pepper flakes to give it a little kick!  

On this recipe i used 29 oz of tomato sauce and 1 can of rotelli, i was short on funds just threw it together wow it turned out great,I also put hamburger  and use apriva instead of sugar

My sons and I tried it for the first time and we love it! A great recipe when you're out of the canned stuff.

I wanted spaghetti - was out of the jarred stuff so I made this. I didn't have diced tomatoes so I got a few cans of stewed and pureed them. I did what the other user did and added italian seasoning. I did 2 tsp basil, 2 tsp oregano and 1 tsp of italian seasoning. I also added some meatballs. I left the rest of the recipe the same and it came out excellent. Thanks for helping me figure out how to make sauce last minute!

I have never made my own spaghetti sauce. This was a really good base recipe. I did not modify the ingredients, but close to the end of the simmer time (once all ingredients were added), I threw the mixture in a blender, giving it more of a saucy consistency.  Mine was cooking up to be more of a chopped tomato consistency and I wanted a sauce. Otherwise, great recipe and VERY simple! I am NOT a cook by any means and this looked the easiest. I will definitely make this again!

If I may suggest,  instead of using a can of diced tomatoes,  Ilike to use a can of minced tomatoes.  Put the minced tomatoes into a food processor to give it a puree. The flavor from the stewed tomatoes make a huge difference.

This sauce was good..my picky daughter even loved it..I did alter it, however to suit our taste; I used a 6 oz can of tomato sauce and 1/2 chopped and peeled fresh tomato instead of the canned tomatoes.  I also didn't have any green onion which I didn't taste it missing. I used all the other ingredients in the recipe and it came out just delicious!  Has a slightly sweet flavor ..tasted gourmet..Yum!

Have made this twice already and love it. We have been adding a pound of hot deer sausage after the onions and garlic. I've also added 2 tablespoons of red wine with the meat and then 2 tablespoons of butter at the very end. The tomato paste idea is a also really good. Anyway, thanks so much for the recipe. Hooked on this:)

This is great! I added a small can of tomato paste and a small can of chopped mushrooms. Better than store-bought, and less expensive, too!!

Excellent base. I add 1 15oz can of tomato sauce and throw in a jar of mushroom slices. Made it many times!!

I added 1 six ounce can of tomato paste,  1 whole small onion, no green onions.  I have made it twice and will be making it again.  My husband and son liked it as well.

Sauce is good. I used tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes and added one can of tomato paste. I only added 1/2 t of sugar. It turned out very good. Thank you for the recipe.

I should have questioned the 4 tsp each of oregano and basil - overload of those two.  Next time I will cut those each in 1/2 - I used my Cuisinart quick prep hand blender and pureed a lot of the tomatoes to make a thicker sauce.

This was excellent!  I made it for some friends, it didn't last long.  The only adaptations were that i added a green bell pepper, and used 3 cans of diced tomatoes, i pureed the sauce after it had cooled down to room temperature the night before.  I then reheated it the following night for friends.  Great served with parmesan cheese!  

Very easy &amp; good! I added bit of red wine &amp; bit of tomato paste to thicken otherwise very tasty

All I could taste was the basil and oregano.  Added more sauce, sugar , and additional spices to make it edible.  Family wasn't impressed at all, and my husband said it smelled funny.  It was all the oregano and basil.

I was so distraught at having forgot to pick - up a bottle of spaghettti sauce, until I realized I could look up recipe and try making it.  I'm glad I did! I'm not a buying another bottle now that I discovered how easy and enjoyable this sauce is :)

I think this recipe was absolutely AMAZING! I made  a few substitutions to my liking as well ( i can't help making a recipe my own!) I added a green bell pepper, used about 2 1/2 teaspoons of garlic, and added more oregano. I will use this recipe all the time, I love it and so does my family!

This is incredibly easy, but it tastes great.  When in a pinch, I used dried minced onion and it tasted just fine like that too.

I was looking for a simple basic sauce and this was perfect!  I substituted a can of tomatoe sauce for one of the cans of tomatoes to help thicken plus I added italian sausage and mushrooms.  I simmered it for about 2 hours and the flavor was wonderful. Tastes great and very easy to make. I will make this again and again.

My Mom used to make this when we were kids because we are Catholic and couldn't eat meat on Fridays.  So, to us it is known as Friday Spaghetti.  We adapt to our taste and what's available in the house.  Love using fresh tomatoes but when not available canned are great too.  I love great meals in restaurants, but sometimes I think this is as good as anything I can get out.

I used this recipe along with others and I have yet to be disappointed.  Just as a foot note: if you get to an ingredient you don't have and you've already started, Substitute and get as close to it as possible.  You won't be disappointed.

I was out of oregano so substituted Italian seasoning. It was really good.

I will make again. Did make some adjustments. I used crushed tomatoes with basil, reduced basil and oregano to 3 tsp.  Increased sugar to 3 tsp, it breaks down acidity. Added about 1 tsp of salt and pepper. Was tasty and quick!

I didnt have any garlic so i tried only using garlic powder, that didnt help AT ALL. I have no complaints about the recipe besides the oregano being VERY over powering, next time i will do 2 tsp. however, this could be because of the lack in garlic.

Very good sauce!! I followed recipe exactly, and it turned out great. 

This was very easy to make. But in my opinion it was too sweet.

I made this exactly as it is written except I doubled everything and used fire roasted tomatoes. It was fabulous! I will definitely be making again.

I've made this sauce twice and it came out perfect each time.    The key is use ORGANIC crushed tomatoes.  No need for the sugar   You'll taste the difference right away.  The 2nd time I added green peppers and mushrooms for a cacciatore.  Again wonderful.  Now that we are empty nesters, this is the perfect amount for 2 and leftovers the next day for lunch.

I coming home from work and I am going to make this for my husband and kids I am so sure this recipe is going to be a home run!! :)

The recipe is simple and delicious! I made it exactly how it is written. I did add some red chilli flakes only because I like it spicy. Great recipe!

I used a can of tomato paste and 3 cans water because my husband doesn't like lumps of tomato.  Yummy results from slow cooking for 4 hours.

We were out of spaghetti sauce, so I tried this out with a can of crushed tomatoes instead of diced.  I also added my few touches, like salt, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.  It turned out great!

An easy homemade spaghetti sauce with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs.

spaghetti sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost: $5.39 /serving

Author : COURTNEYNOONAN

Ingredients

Instructions

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