Classic Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
A robust, garlicky, and fresh tomato-flavored spaghetti sauce, packed with herbs and Parmesan, perfect for family dinners.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Method: Main
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned. Remove beef to a paper towel-lined plate, drain excess fat, leaving 1–2 tbsp in the skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and sauté until softened. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Stir in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, cooked beef, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes.
- Serve over al dente spaghetti, garnished with fresh parsley and remaining Parmesan cheese.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, omit the ground beef and use vegetable broth. Fresh herbs make a big difference, but dried can be substituted in a pinch. This sauce freezes well for future meals.
Nutrition
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 22
- Cholesterol: 65