Back to the tried and true original I went! Finally a recipe that calls for tomato paste and actually uses the entire can. The whole crew loved this simple spaghetti pie. It’s a really easy recipe. HOLY SMOKE! I’ll add the meatballs in tomorrow and add fresh basil at the end of cooking. This is my family’s favorite spaghetti sauce, hands down. Melanie G – I love the crockpot trick and took that same tip from an earlier commenter. I am done looking for another recipe. Also makes enough for ample freezing. of italian sausage, but the results were fabulous! Drain excess grease. Is that how you read it as well?). https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/241067/chunky-italian-spaghetti-sauce I just made this tonight. About your question, I actually didn’t add wine during any of the variations mostly because I am not an alcohol drinker and usually don’t use it in my cooking, either. Yeah, totally, I think it could. Mel rest assured this is THE BEST SPAGHETTI RECIPE EVER. Yum Yum Bowls with Knockoff Cafe Yumm Sauce, Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper White Bean Chili, Simple green salad (or something more fancy like this. Worked beautifully. It was a big hit. I’d much rather use your recipe, wonder if my tomatoes will wait…. This is a great recipe for young kids that don't like spicy foods. Tried-and-true, this spaghetti sauce recipe really is the best. It cooked on low for two hours and then set for another hour while I prepared the rest of the spaghetti pie. This is the first time I’ve made spaghetti sauce from scratch. but wait, this chili took the $20,000 prize and blue ribbon at a chili cook-off! I thought I’d give this a try, was thinking to myself “this could be just another site with all great reviews only to discover the dish tastes ordinary” as I have been searching for the best bolognaise recipe for years and THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE ONE! Required fields are marked *. mild Italian sausage and it was great! I can’t wait until tomorrow to eat some more-spaghetti sauce, like greens, is a dish that definitely improves in flavor after being on the refrigerator overnight. But tonight I made this awesome sauce (puréed it for the kids) and served over low carb penne. Discover (and save!) Delicious! In a large bowl combine eggs, soft bread crumbs, Parmesan, dried parsley, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. My question is this. just about to make this for tomorrow night. Thank you. Hi! Another hit! Danielle – thanks for the tip about the crockpot. This turned out great, just a tip for everyone make sure to use real San Marzano tomatos imported from Italy, makes a big difference . Just perfect!!!!! I find peace and comfort in my kitchen these days. I’ve made this recipe with probably every brand on the market and to be honest, I think it’s great with everything from Hunt’s to San Marzano (those are hard to find in my neck of the woods). I would add up the ounces of crushed and diced tomatoes in the recipe and substitute a similar amount of fresh tomatoes, blending the amount that would sub in for the crushed tomatoes. Thanks for being the first so far! This recipe looks delicious but I have one suggestion. You said you have finally perfected this sauce, I’m sure during this process you experimented with putting some sort of wine in it, what made you decide to leave it out in this recipe?? This receipe is absolutely delicious!! Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the sauce rest for 10-15 minutes (for the flavor to absorb) before serving. My search is over. Will the sauce still thicken up okay without the meat, and should I decrease the onion or the spices or something else…? Is that posted somewhere? I think it was better the 2nd time around. Kind of glad they don’t like it because there was enough left to put a container in the fridge and 2 in the freezer for us to eat later. Hi Mel, I have been making this awhile and this past week made an especially good batch of it- not sure what made the difference – maybe I sometimes forget the balsamic vinegar and I remembered it this time. I’ve always loved my own spaghetti sauce but love to experiment also. Hi! It makes a delicious, creamy and cheesy sauce. I made this tonight, and no one in my family like it! Tiff, I don’t know…I’ve never canned this sauce. There isn’t a strong mushroom flavor – just a hearty texture and hint of meatiness. I hope it works out better if you try it again. I love your recipes! It was still fabulous. Mel, I will just keep cooking the spaghetti recipe I like. Everyone loved it! Love love loved it!!! It reduced perfectly, and though I would’ve eaten it after 2 hours, it was even MORE perfect after all day in the oven. AMAZING. They were also yummy! This tastes fabulous, but I just have one or two questions. It did not lose any quality or flavor even after frozen for a long time. Then I let the kids choose what sauce they want. I am sorry it might mean more work for you, though, if you won’t be able to enjoy a restaurant now and then! I’m sure he’s proud of you for cooking up a storm in his place! https://ohsweetbasil.com/favorite-homemade-spaghetti-sauce-recipe Making this for my hubby and 3 kids this weekend–will post an update!! Jessica – you’ll have to give me your details on how you can this. Try this with tomato juice instead of sauce. I have made this spaghetti sauce twice now and it is so delicious! I really want to add it but afraid the taste will be present. My husband took one bite, looked at me and said,”New recipe?” After a few more bites he said this is even better than his favorite pasta place. I also have to admit I was a bit scared of the balsamic vinegar, worried that I would ruin the whole lot after it was done! I just did canned applesauce for the first time, but since this recipe contains meat, I ust want to be fure that it is ok to can sauce with meat. And why no recipe for enchilada sauce? Wasn’t sure if it had another purpose. Although the jarred sauce was easy it lost something in the translation. Another thing I do that you may want to try, process two to four raw carrots and add that instead of sugar. My favorite way to thaw/cook the sauce is to throw the heaping frozen mass of sauce in the slow cooker and cook it on low for about 5-6 hours. MY KIDS ATE DINNER!! Can this sauce be made without the meat and still come out tasting good? I am really hoping to get away from prepackaged sauces. Made this recipe today and it’s fantastic! Barbi – thanks for letting me know you like this spaghetti sauce! Do I just simmer it a little linger to evaporate the excess liquid? I used it in lasagna the last time and got a thumbs up from my husband. Jen – I use a large stockpot, probably a 6-quart pot. CAC – you’ll definitely have to experiment with this since I haven’t tried it with fresh tomatoes. Hi Brad – it helps balance out the flavors and adds a nice rich acidity. Jul 23, 2014 - This Pin was discovered by Susan Wyant. I am going g to try your spafhetti,sauce as it looks wonderful but i,have one quetuon. or do you want my reciepe!!!!!!! I just have one more word for this recipe: YUMMINESS!!! Left out spicy ingredients. I can soup with meat and it is delicious, so I am sure you could do the sauce too. I am really excited about trying this recipe the next time we have pasta. Thank you Thank you for such delicious recipes! There are several ways that we find Blue Ribbon recipes: Our very own Test Kitchen reviews and prepares a large sampling of promising recipes. I’m thinking lasagna is in my near future! I'm Mel! My family just loves this recipe too. Yardley Crew – wow, thanks for the referrals! We ate it with spaghetti for dinner, and we ALL loved it, including my 4 year old son. We actually made a sauce similar to this but added diced zucchini, more bell peppers, and on occasion squash. I made it at 11 am this morning and actually threw it in the crockpot on low. I share with my mother and sister. I took the advice of another commenter and did 1 lb ground beef + 1 lb sausage and it is amazing. Made this last night using a trick I found on Cooks Country. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. But never could get her’s to taste the same until her daughter told me, porcini mushrooms. I made two massive batches of this sauce for a spaghetti dinner fundraiser last January. Otherwise, I really liked the taste and the texture. They each differ quite widely by brand. 1 pkg. Sounds like a delicious combination! I had used it up and forgot to buy more. I’ve come again and again to your site but only recently took a moment to thoroughly read your About page (I thought I previously had, but no); when I discovered all the little ones you have running around your apron strings, my already good opinion of you grew! In addition, I’ve also included a slow cooker variation to the notes of the recipe, because many a Sunday, the aroma of rich, flavorful homemade spaghetti sauce is exactly what we want to come home to. This recipe made enough to freeze enough sauce for another meal. Thanks for continually sharing your talents with us! I made it for the first time last summer. Anonymous – thank you for letting me know you liked this! Not that I thought it would….that’s why I pulled it from Mel’s site. Love it and wouldn’t change a thing. Truly the best there is! While I was checking on different recipes, I came across your sauce recipe. Midwest Living November/December 2020 Recipes, 50 Quick and Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas. You can really tell what a great talent and love you have for cooking. Loved by all…3 kids included! oregano, dried. I would really like to can it. Thank you for your input. It's free! Do you happen to have a yummy spaghetti sauce recipe that uses fresh tomatoes? Just curious , what does the balsamic Vin do to it ?   Wondering it Here’s to a more successful sauce next time, thanks to you. I won’t bother to make it in the oven again. I also drained the fat before I added the flour. I have been trying out a few of your recipes, and they are soooo tasty! My husband, who doesn’t eat spaghetti, tried the sauce this am and loves it. I made this spaghetti sauce today for dinner tonight. As for the amount it makes it’s about 18 1/2 cup servings. Try adding a bit more salt – that can make a huge difference. Why? 1/2 tsp. In fact, I usually have to add a little olive oil to ground Turkey. Hi Mel, I have to agree with Sara…this is not traditional Italian sauce by any means. I’m so glad this homemade sauce fit the bill for what you were looking for! your own Pins on Pinterest Wanting to make a huge batch for future meals and I’m wondering if you can can this spaghetti sauce since it has mushrooms and meat in it? Has anyone tried this minus the meat? Hands down the best sauce ever.I froze the leftover sauce into dinner sized portions (for 2) and it’s so amazing to pull this out and have a delish supper ready in 10 mins! Hi Mel! in addition to the 1/2 sausage and 1/2 beef, I used green pepper instead of red and left out the balsamic. Just wondering how that might affect this particular recipe… thanks! on their spaghetti so no surprise there. Any chance you have made this in your Instant Pot?? I have made several sauces by scratch and would always go back to jarred because I didn’t like the acidic and very tomatoey taste it had, that overpowered the whole sauce. A robust stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. Your the best,,,thanks so much.Douglas. You’ve got it down! I substituted fresh tomatoes and this sauce was really good! I browned the meat with onion separately and added it to the rest of the sauce + veggies after pureeing that with my immersion blender, then simmered for an hour. Thanks for yet another winner!! Not a big hit with 3 of the kids, but they prefer butter, garlic and parm. Tell your 9-year old he/she is the smartest kid ever! Mel, your website has become my new recipe box! The other thing I always add to my spaghetti sauce (courtesy of giada delaurentis) is 2 Tbsp. Zoe – absolutely. Can you email me back with the answers? I’m shouting and celebrating because dinner is routinely a difficult experience (I.e. -Lauren, it came out perfect! Tonight my family tried your 1/2 tsp. WHOOPS! This is definitely the best one we’ve made! Can you tell me what the difference the balsamic would make versus the regular vinegar? Whoa. I was just thinking I needed to get this recipe in my collection and there it was at the top of your blog! Made the 1 hour bread sticks to go with the sauce. I have tried for years to make my own sauce and have always gone back to Prego because I could not make one that tasted any better until today. I think sharing recipes is a great idea! Can you make this without the meat and the consistency still be okay? I will definitely be making this again. , Yum!! This sounds wonderful! Hopefully I’ll have it posted by next week! SO yummy! I think I’m going to freeze two separate containers. I made this without the meat and it made exactly 12 cups for me. I made this and took it in to work. Love all of your recipes! And the brown sugar is lightly packed. The sauce was a hit from day one (I make it in the slow cooker). Give your home holiday style in a flash with these simple yet creative decorating projects. Discover (and save!) MMMmmmm! Jenny. Posted by Debs Blue Ribbon Recipes at 11:08 AM. Lol. Hi Mel – I just have to tell you how much I love your spaghetti sauce recipe! Yes, it’s delicious meatless, too (especially if you add meatballs in – when I’ve done that, I add cooked meatballs toward the end of the sauce cooking so they can absorb some of the flavors of the sauce). https://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-spaghetti-marinara-sauce-for-canning-or-freezing/, http://dealstomeals.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_09.html, 2 pounds lean ground beef or lean ground turkey, 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and coarsely chopped, 2 cans (14-ounces each) Italian-style diced tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes, 8 ounces button or baby bella mushrooms, chopped. I think most of the flavor was brought out with the balsamic vinegar which I didnt realize would happen. We paired it with your garlic breadsticks (husband’s favorite bread) and everyone is happy. Julie – I’m glad you liked this! I added the balsamic vinegar. That looks scrumptious! I want to have it for dinner all the time. Any other substitute? So I only put in 1 T. Maybe next time I’ll be brave and do 2. I’ve not really calculated the cost per serving, though. I’ve started making it in triple or more batches and canning it for food storage and it works out really well! I found it several years ago. After trying this recipe it has become my go to. Thanks for checking in. He said it is the best thing he has had in his life. I also used vegetable broth. What brand of balsamic vinegar do you prefer? definately lookin forward to it. A quick glance through the comments below is proof that this spaghetti sauce is widely known, made and loved. Feel free to send it along! thanks, This is my second time making your sauce and my house smells awesome. Eep. What a yummy sauce!! I do use Italian seasoning, instead of individual spices, and add fennel seeds. AHHH~~ finally found the perfect Spaghetti Sauce. Thanks so much for this wonderful blog!!!! It thaws and heats up wonderfully well. I’m a little confused by your question – the recipe only needs about an hour of simmering time. Thanks for sharing. I got six cups sauce from my batch. This has been my go-to spaghetti sauce recipe for years! But I would suggest pressure cooking the entire recipe in the IP. It fit perfectly. Seriously, making family meals can be the pits sometimes so I’m glad that there are moms out there who can use some good ideas! It almost ruined the taste., but I added 2 T. Of white sugar to get rid of the bad taste. My husband who is not a huge fan of italian even commented on how good the sauce was. It wouldn’t be shelf stable unless it was canned according to the official ‘canning rules’ – so if you want to make large batches, I’d encourage freezing or figuring out how it will can (I believe others have left comments above saying they’ve canned it). This is my first time making it, and I am using beefsteak tomatoes from my garden. Best spaghetti I’ve made! I had all the spices already, and it really is relatively cheap to make. As a note, I had a crazy day so I made the sauce in the a.m. and simmered it in the crock pot all day. Thanks for letting me know! This was a hit! I don’t see the instructions for the bay leafs and my spaghetti sauce is now simmering, help! Made it with browned sausage links and put in crock pot. The flavor definitely deepened after I added it. ate way to much ,but just couldn’t stop, it was soooo good thank you. Good flavor, and not too spicy for the kids. I have an extra yellow laying around and forgot to buy a red one . My whole family and my best friend LOVED it !!!!! Will do. I omitted the food processor and just added the red pepper and onion. Hi Bailee, it was probably the vinegar. If so, how much should I use? I’ve never officially canned this sauce to put on my shelves but I would love to do that! I do prefer this as well. Our favorite Midwest resort destinations range from cozy lakeside lodges to indoor water park behemoths. If you left them out how much would it affect the recipe? I make it so much I have it memorized. And WOW it was wonderful!! I stuck it in a crockpot for 4 hours (after I sauteed the onions, garlic, and meat & peppers). My 4 children (10.5, 9, 5.5 and 3) grew up on this stuff. We love it! Thank you!! I use white or yellow onions (sometimes red if that’s all I have). I’ve been cooking for over 30yrs; 1 always-hungry husband and 3 now grown children and this is the best spaghetti sauce I’ve ever made. My husband loves this sauce and does not want me changing a thing. I made this tonight for a bunch of friends – it was a BIG hit w/ everyone. I also made the spaghetti pie, WOW, that was a hit!! The best sauce recipe!! I tasted it and it seems kind of bland. It’s like -4 degrees out so I don’t want to go shopping  haha The next morning when it is still frozen but thawed enough to chop into chunks, I throw it in the slow cooker and let it heat up for dinner. Would it work for this? Creamy cheesecakes, decadent pies, moist cakes and mouthwatering cookies are among our best holiday dessert recipes. I come back to this time and again. Blue Ribbon Recipes ~ Country Chili Sauce This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Cooking from Quilt Country by Marcia Adams. I came across your blog and love it! This is great! We found it to be just a tad overpowering, but still very delish. Mel,,, Read many of the comments,,,love to read what people have to say about your recipe’s . To reduce the sodium, omit the salt in the sauce and use reduced-sodium tomato products. I do have a question. Wow- this was SO incredible! Love this!! Mmmm my kitchen smells amazing. This recipe is superb, even satisfied my hard to please husband. This is the one. This comment is long over due as I’ve been making this sauce for a few years now. I keep it in my freezer all the time. I can’t find the spaghetti sauce recipe for canning though. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe Mel!! Thank you soooooo much for something so special that everyone loves it! containers for future dinners. Spaghetti with store-bought sauce is an I’m-losing-my-sanity-let’s-just-eat meal, but spaghetti with this sauce is something I always look forward to! Give this rich tomato sauce plenty of time to simmer so the flavors develop. I finally got my batch of spaghetti sauce canned this week, it went from a 2-night project to a 3-night project, whew. I froze half and will bring it out when my family comes! My family is so much happier around the dinner table thanks to this blog. I made it in the IP on saute and then simmered using the slow cook setting. I like my sauce smooth. Yes! Since it makes so much, and I will be freezing it, like recommended, do I still stir in the balsamic 15 minutes before I finish cooking it, or will that give the frozen remainder a bitter taste when I reheat it in a slow cooker another day? It was absolutely delicious!! Your sauce may be a bit chunkier but the flavor will still be there. I checked it about every 2 hours, afraid it would cook down too fast, but no! nearly every recipe I’ve tried has been okay, Made yours, and jack pot……………………he fell in love. It will have to wait for the weekend – I will let you know what the family says!Laurie. My entire family does. Mostly, I love dark chocolate and joggers (not jogging). . I may have made a mistake, though. This time I used some rosemary and maybe 1/8 of a tsp time. Make sure to pressure can at 10 lbs for 1 hour and 15 minutes. I use a 12-ounce can of tomato paste (or you can use two 6-ounce cans). Amazing! Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice make so many meals better. Thanks again for the recipe! I don’t know if this will help anyone but if you like more veggies and less meat in your sauce, try combining half this recipe with a whole batch of Mel’s marinara sauce. Hi Jenny – yes, you could definitely leave the meat out of this for a vegetarian option. Jul 23, 2016 - This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Cooking from Quilt Country by Marcia Adams. This may be the best homemade spaghetti sauce I’ve ever had, and definitely the best that I’ve ever made. This recipe wasn’t scary at all, we halved the recipe and have plenty of leftovers! Delish.I opened my patio door to let dogs out and my nbrs called to see what I was cooking. He raves, which makes me smile. None of this sauce made it to the freezer….my son even had it the next day COLD from the frig for his breakfast. I just wanted to let you know I have been making this recipe for a while now. I made it exactly like the said and my family and friends just devoured it. Thank you for a great recipe! Wondered if this sauce would suit lasagna? My husband prefers it that way. Reduce heat. refrigerator biscuits (I use Grand's butter tasting) 1 pkg. I’ve never noticed any adverse effects/taste from doing so. My kids gobbled it–they even gobbled the spaghetti squash I served it on in the first place, which they’ve never eaten so well before. Always amazing. I’m happy you’ve found “the one!”. My grandkids knew the flavor was different from my regular sauce and did not like it. I don’t think I’ll be buying jarred sauce again anytime soon! The meat (I use turkey) was also beautifully tender. Omg! I put mine in quart canning jars and freeze it. What do you think? Thank you Mel Cooked ahead for a Thanksgiving camping week I just made this sauce and it was yummy. We all say :   “Thanks Mel‍”. You might try omitting or decreasing the balsamic vinegar to see how that goes next time. I live in Idaho with my husband, 5 kids, and selection of weird farm animals. Hope that helps a bit! I have tried a ton of recipes, and I can sleep tonight knowing I finally have a winner. My picky little ones asked for seconds! And thank you! Awesome! It’s more of a marinara sauce, but it’s delicious. Melanie – thank you! As luck would have it, I need to make a batch of Spaghetti Sauce for the freezer, and found your recipe. Question:  If I missed it I’m sorry; how many cups does the sauce make? Sorry if this is a silly question, but could I use chicken broth instead? Thanks so much for ALL your A+  recipes. I would like to know if you can can this sauce which has meat. And we have made some great memories in the kitchen from many of your recipes. Savory Spaghetti Sauce Recipe: How to Make It | Taste of Home For example, I LOVE vegetable soup and occasionally I will add ground beef or Turkey. Sally – I’m glad that you tried this and it was a hit with you and your husband. I know how those rushed recipes go! And I’m sorry you had to dirty so many skillets and pots to make this! Thanks for posting….. Thanks Mel. Ah, thank you! Husband and I both noticed a rather unpleasant aftertaste – was it the vinegar? Awesome recipe! Everybody’s tastes are different, that’s what makes the world go ’round , Hi Mel! What kind or brand of flour tortilla’s did/do you use with your honey lime enchilda’s?  my Family thinks I rock! I don’t eat sugar, so I substituted raw honey, and believe it or not, fresh black berries from my garden. I called an audible and used a combo of pork, veal and beef, but otherwise, followed it to a T. This recipe is now part of my arsenal! Another “winner” as my 5 year old says. I only had 1/2 lb of hamburger on hand so that was all I used and I really liked it not too meaty. If not no worries. I would make it meatless. we love you! Enjoy the rich taste of pumpkin in pies, cakes, soups, cupcakes, bar cookies, cheesecakes and more. We made it tonight with tomatoes from our garden and couldn’t be happier with the results! Am making this now and it smells yummy… I was a bit confused by your note that it might seem watery… mine is quite thick before starting to simmer… 12 oz of tomato paste and 2 X 48 oz cans of crushed tomato, even offset by the broth and diced tomato doesn’t equal a lot of excess liquid. Today I added fennel seeds, about two teaspoons as we love fennel. Mel – quick question re: the mushrooms. I just broke down the chunks as it simmered. . Jul 20, 2019 - This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Cooking from Quilt Country by Marcia Adams. It makes a TON!! After trying this recipe for the first time tonight, my family all agreed it needs to replace my old recipe. For me I can never get enough mushrooms, and I add them at the very end or they would shrink to almost nothing. I love your site and knowing that I can always find awesome, no fail recipes! I also used lower sodium beef stock, so not sure if that affects the taste. Will make again. Tonight will be another spaghetti night. Please, please, please! ... any leftover spaghetti with sauce of your liking. My dad’s birthday is in a couple of days, so being the spaghetti lover that he is, he is going to get a batch of it. it’s human nature. Found this recipe just so happened to have all the ingredients and it was amazing thank you. In my world there are two ingredients that no chili should ever be without: Hunt’s vine ripened tomatoes and BUSH’S slow-simmered chili beans. I love the creamy version – that would have been my pick! I’ve added some additional notes to the recipe below to reflect some very minor changes I’ve made over the years. 30 minutes to prep but its better if you simmer it for hours allowing the fla ors to marry. We also love this sauce! I just saw another reply where you mentioned it is great without meat. I halved this recipe and had enough for spaghetti and a lasagna. I like a little chunkiness to my sauce. I collected this recipe while judging the Urban Cowboys and Cowgirls Cookin’ Competition, a part of the Houston Rodeo Festivities.. Also, can I use minced garlic in a jar? It is quarts for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the pressure canner….and out of a triple batch i last got about 8 quarts. I think that may be the next french bread recipe I try, too! Your site is a go-to for anything I’m looking for! If I added 1 pound of Italian sausage, I’d use it in place of one of the pounds of ground beef. Another win from Mel’s kitchen to mine. We like our sauce meaty! I didn’t have beef broth so blended up a can of whole tomatoes &added it to make up for the liquid. Absolute winner and all of my kiddos will get a copy when they get married!! Thanks, I’ll let you know how it goes! Thanks, Jenny! I appreciate you . ), that’s one of the things I love about it, because I can make it once and stick half (if not a little more) in the freezer for a super easy dinner later. It also freezes beautifully. First year gardening on our farm and I had two five gallon buckets of fresh roma tomatoes, fresh onions, garlic and basil. I only did 1 1/2 tblsp of vinegar because I was nervous, but next time I would use all of it for sure and I might try with italian sausage instead of beef. I’m glad this spaghetti sauce was a hit! I have never made homemade spaghetti sauce before.. always thought it would be too hard. I browned my meat and added some tony chachere’s. Dive in to check out our top picks for a fabulous Midwest getaway. It would still be good with the processor? Thanks for another great recipe. If you don’t have balsamic vinegar, I’d probably leave it out. I’m a grandmother with 13 grandchildren now and still love to cook for others. Help… Dinner in 4 hrs. I make dinner & they complain about eating it). I love your homemade sauce and I have been using it quite a bit! Will be making it vegetarian also now since the spices seem spot on. Thank you again! I also added more basil, oregano & salt. It’s the best! That’s how I know it’s a keeper! I followed the recipe, but used 1 can of whole tomatoes in place of 1 can crushed (it’s all I had). I have always been curious about cooking meat into a sauce vs browning 1st. I used 1 lb. Thank you! Tonight I tried this spaghetti sauce and it turned out bitter, what did I do wrong? I am not sure whether I need to add the balsamic at the end. Sorry, I really wanted to like this recipe, even my sister has a better spaghetti recipe. Then…. I don’t normally comment… But I have to say, since discovering this recipe and your site about a month ago- I’ve made this sauce at least 5 times now. Unfortunately, now my husband will insist on having spaghetti at home rather than going out to an Italian restaurant. For years I made a homemade spaghetti sauce. https://www.yummly.com/recipes/spaghetti-with-white-sauce-pasta I’m so happy to have all of this homemade meat sauce to freeze!! I’m waiting for the canning recipe also!! Too sweet and rich after the balsamic vinegar. You have finally convinced me! I haven’t made this sauce yet (love your quick one with the soy sauce) but the reviews have convinced me I’ve put this recipe off too long! This is the best sauce ever!!! Thank you sharing. Since I didn’t have one around I used a medium sized carrot, just chopped it finely in a mini food processor. I was able to freeze two 48-oz. Can you taste the mushrooms? I did 1/2 hot italian sausage and 1/2 ground beef. Good luck! I love the red pepper in it! OMG,..I can’t imagine spaghetti or pizza without mushrooms. Have tried several recipes which were okay, but nothing like this. Absolutely fabulous, Dh declared prego would never be allowed in the house again LOL This was so easy to make and it tasted like you stood over the stove all day long. I bought Italian stewed tomatoes accidentally instead of the Italian diced tomatoes so that is why I had chunky sauce. Best spaghetti sauce EVER!! Thanks for many wonderful recipes! Tasted great. We had enough for supper last night. So happy to see how many people love this one, I’ve been making almost the exact recipe for years,, and happy to see you have and love it as a go to. Can I have it again? So excited. Didn’t quite like that taste. don’t lie–you’ll keep tweaking it. It takes a bit of work but it is so worth it to be able to dump it out of the jar and heat it up and already have the hamburger in it. Last year, I lost My precious husband ~~~ 31 Years of love, laughter and good food- he was a fantastic cook‍ Should I put it in a blender in batches to smooth it like the Marinara sauce? I love kind people, you definitely are one judging by your comment. Mel. I never really claimed this to be authentic Italian – it’s just the homemade spaghetti sauce my family loves and prefers. That says a lot. I just looked it up again, as I have oodles of garden tomatoes to use. As the kids aged, and life got busier, we went to a jarred sauce. Thank you so much for sharing this. Awesome sauce!!! My Italian husband, who is quite particular about his Italian food, says this is THE BEST! It made enough for me to save 3 nights worth of sauce in the freezer. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Is that a bell pepper? Very versatile and forgiving! Worked well as an ice pack and a nice easy meal. I don’t think apple cider vinegar will give the same depth of flavor. And, do I let it simmer covered or uncovered? Over the years I lost my desire to have spaghetti. Thanks for the great recipe! I don’t like cooking ground beef in the slow cooker, so I throw everything in the slow cooker except for the ground beef and balsamic vinegar. Our family doesn’t like mushrooms, do you taste them in the recipe? It looks amAAAzing! After years and years of searching I have finally found the spaghetti sauce recipe that is “the one”. I have never tried canning it (but hopefully will figure out a canning recipe soon!). And I received various frozen peppers in my meat share, so used a variety of green/red/yellow peppers. I gave plenty away but still had alot. All Rights Reserved. Never lose a recipe again, not even if the original website goes away!Use the Copy Me That button to create your own complete copy of any recipe that you find online. I haven’t used it in years and have been using this one instead. I made this tonight and my family couldn’t stop raving about it. Looking forward to enjoying it through the winter! have I told you lately that I love you?! Might be the brand of balsamic vinegar or even canned tomatoes you are using. Thanks!!! Thank you for sharing. I forgot to add the balsamic vinegar last time but hopefully remember this time to see if I like the taste. Alicia – wow, your changes sound decadent and amazing! Hi Mel! My family is super picky too – I just put the tomatoes in the blender. Is that the best way to do it? Making it today with no canned tomatoes – all fresh from the garden. I already had homemade meatballs in the freezer, so I didn’t use meat. this was all of their first pasta experience for eating solids. This was really good. YUM! I made this its sooooo delicious . Thanks, Anona! I’ll have to keep an eye out for those packets. This served no purpose whatsoever except to be mean and criticize. I don’t, sorry, but I believe others up in the comment thread have made this with fresh tomatoes. You might try subbing crushed tomatoes for the diced and see how that works. Pretty please? I double the recipe each time and can’t thank you enough! I love the addition of the red pepper/onion puree and the touch of balsamic vinegar at the end! Do you have any suggestions as to how I should add the pepper and extra onion? The best Spaghetti Sauce made from scratch with simple ingredients. Since I canned tomatoes, I wanted to experiment with a new recipe. It was delicious also. Add beef and mix well. Thank you for sharing. Hi Mel. The sauce is so simple yet rich and full of flavor! Yum, yum, yum! And we had two quarts left over, so I froze them (separately) and used one quart with a 16-oz package of spaghetti noodles today and it was the perfect amount of sauce to noodles. The family is obsessed! There are a lot of nutritional calculators online if you do a quick google search that can calculate the nutrition for you. Thank you so much, this is homerun recipe. I’m working on that as we speak, and if you can hang on to the last remains of summer garden tomatoes, I’ll hopefully be posting my perfected method/recipe later this week or early next. I wish you people would STOP saying how great it LOOKS… Reviews are suppose to be AFTER you actually make and try a recipe, so it helps those of us wondering before cooking. Not that I haven’t made some interesting things simply to use up leftover paste, but still. I was just thinking last night, “I wish I had a good spaghetti sauce recipe” when I bought the store stuff. Personally I would not leave the balsamic vinegar out. Hi Edie – I know there are a lot of high end balsamic vinegars out there but I almost always use the brand they sell at Costco. You can read about our tomato preparations in this post. So, thanks! Absolutely Delicious! Thank you…………………..you Rock. So, now I find myself cooking up a storm- many dishes  are your wonderful recipes! I used ground turkey only and fresh tomatoes instead of canned sliced. Use the same time/pressure as you would for stuffed pepper soups etc. unsalted butter..always seems to finish it off. Add the ground black pepper, garlic salt, tomato sauce, salsa, chili seasoning mix and kidney beans. We have done some of our own tweaking though. Absolute hit with the family! It was worth every minute though. I’ll try it again, and tweak it to my taste. I’ve actually seen Giada de Laurentis do the butter thing and have never tried it, but I think I will next time based on your recommendation! I have made it twice now. BUT not this sauce. Can you tell me if the brown sugar makes the sauce taste sweet at all? I love that it makes so much!! simmer, the resulting sauce had a slightly bitter undertone, thus I added the brown sugar I had originally omitted in favor of the natural sweetness of carrot and extra red pepper. I also forgot to ask: I may have added a little too stock to the mixture-it’s hard to say because there’s a lot of sauce. And, instead of the 1 and 1/2 cups of beef broth, I added 1 cup of beef broth and 1/2 cup red wine. This looks yummy! It would definitely be a bit more chunky in texture, but as long as you chop the onion and pepper very finely, I bet it will be fine. Hi there, love the website and the fantastic recipes! I made this for the first time tonight and I couldn’t be more pleased. When I retired I decided to go back to homemade. Amy – wow, that’s high praise! Halved recipe because my crock pot is small, still made a lot. Made this for dinner tonight. I am so happy I found your blog… I have been using your recipes and my picky family has been very pleased. And maybe one time I’ll try it meatless with like 2lbs of mushrooms – we are real mushroom lovers here. Also, it might not cook down and thicken like it does on the stove when simmered. You might even try leaving that out completely if that balsamic flavor profile doesn’t work for you. I’ve made it so many times now. I would then thaw it in the fridge, simmer for an hour and add the vinegar at the end as the recipe directs. I have two small boys and they gobbled it up. Halving the Recipe: this sauce halves (or even quarters) great if you don’t want to make such a large batch. Thanks, Gord! Cover; simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Thank you so much for all you do! I’m sorry to hear about your husband. Oh Mel, I just discovered your site. If the internet ever explodes and my blog disappears, you better believe I’ll have copies of this recipe hidden in secure, undisclosed locations so it can be passed down to future generations. It was like an “adult version”. I made this as the recipe said except for the red pepper. Thanks for letting me know! So much better than jar sauces you buy at the grocery store! I am really enjoying your posts and recipes. Next time I make this I will add some hot Italian sausage, something I’ve always done with my sauce. I added mushrooms as well. Bummer. I love your recipes! I love this sauce! When I tried to blend the pepper and onion they just flung to the side and would not blend. Thank you for a winner of a recipe … I am making more tomorrow! So she decided today that we need to make a homemade sauce…And I found you! Hands down the BEST spaghetti sauce I’ve ever made! Yep, here you go! Carla – thank you so much for your review on this recipe! My whole family really liked it. I keep tasting it because it is so yummy. Thank you, there hasn’t been a recipe of yours that we haven’t loved. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It can simmer for 2-3 hours (very low heat) with good results, especially if you want a super thick, flavorful sauce. I had to promise I would always use this recipe. I made it with puréed tomatoes instead of crushed because that’s what I had. (That, and I felt silly for having taken up a moment of your time with my trivial question.) Totally going to try this, but something you could add that is delish (my moms sauce is really yummy and has this in it) is zucchini, and I’m sure squash would be good in it too. I’m used to using Hunts sauce and tweaking it a little bit. OH MY GOSH THIS IS FANTASTIC SAUCE!!! I love to come home from church and smell it coming in my crockpot…it’s glorious and the balsamic vinegar gives it that depth! I don’t think I’ll buy sauce again. Letting it cook low and slow just made the flavor all the better! I have never been a huge spaghetti fan but with THIS SAUCE I’m converted! I can’t say enough about this spaghetti sauce. 3. They look forward to getting it. I do have a question about the spaghetti sauce. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. I just really love to can those two things because I’m lazy and hate that extra step when I’m cooking! Sorry , I hate to write anything bad but we just didn’t like it. If you are sure you want to make this spaghetti sauce recipe, I wouldn’t alter any ingredients except to take out the meat. Dottie – sure, you could purée this. Your email address will not be published. Before I put in the vinegar both my husband and I tasted it, and we both liked it. This is it. Also great frozen and heated up on busy weeknights. Thanks for the recipe! Made this recipe last night and loved it! Sorry! I tweaked the recipe based other other reviewers' recommendations: I used only 2 T of olive oil 1 onion a 29 oz can of tomato sauce only 1/2 t. of cayenne and it was perfect for my taste. Add Ingredients to … For you fire lover's double the hot sauce. Do you ever make this without meat? I also put it all in the crockpot after browning the beef and vegetable mixture for about 4 hours on low. , I was able to neutralize the bitterness with additional sugar and pinches of baking soda. Great point and I meant to add that to the note. This was delicious. Looks like you’ve had plenty of comments about this sauce, but I’m gonna add my 2 cents. I made it for my first-generation Italian grandparents and they both said it was the best sauce they’d ever had – and my grandparents are NOT ones to flatter or give compliments lightly! I prefer no sweet taste in my sauces I can omit it if it does. My husband and I thought it was too sweet…probably half the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar would have made it more balanced??? It has a permanent spot in my prized ‘I’ll-hand-these-down-to-my-children-binder’. You’ll probably need to simmer it slightly longer to let it thicken up. A+++++ recipe! Thanks so much for this recipe. Another keeper. 16 oz ball fresh mozzarella cheese. I am not Italian but live in community with lots of wonderful Italian cooks who could not believe I didn’t make my own sauce. I would love to try this today, but I don’t have a food processor or any sort of blender. I followed the recipe exactly, except I quartered it because I only had a half pound of mild Italian sausage & no ground beef. I am gonna use this as the base for baked spaghetti. I TRIED every restaurant, HAVE NOT FOUND GOOD SAUCE yet. I was just recently cleaning out my recipe drawer and my printed version is no longer with us. It is soooo good!!! Could I substitute a yellow bell pepper instead of red? I blended the pepper and onions with the broth. Thanks for letting me know! This is a keeper recipe for sure! . We have stared really looking at ingredients and it is unbelievable what our foods are actually made of! It was so good! I always add loads of veg to my sauce to replace meat. My kids love this sauce. For a smoother sauce for picky kids (eyeing my own two), diced tomatoes can be replaced with two cans of tomato sauce. Then he asked if this was a “secret Mafia Italian recipe”…lol. I’ve been making your weeknight spaghetti sauce and like it so much I couldn’t see a reason to try this one (especially since it took so much time and made so much). THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this great recipe!! Thank you so much. I did omit the mushrooms and red pepper and used 1 lb. I am going to assume off til I hear otherwise, I usually leave it off or partially covered. Thank you SO much for your recipes I have tried a number of them and they have ALL been big hits and will be on the menu rotation forever!! We ate it with penne pasta and there was plenty left over which I immediately froze for another meal. Melanie!! Much thanks and love from Ireland! Thanks! My family LOVED this! Can’t wait to try your new version. Love, love, love this recipe. This was delish! I made this sauce a few weeks ago and it was a hit with my husband, whom, after 22 years of marriage as never liked my homemade spaghetti sauce! I am happy to say that now I can thanks to you. Came home from work planned on making spaghetti looked in the cupboard and no jars of sauce. You are kind. I got rave reviews from my husband and the 2 college kids loved it. It definitely is the best Spaghetti Sauce in the world. This is a bolognaise and you won’t be sorry because it has a much better texture then browning the meat first and then building the sauce around it. Thanks so much for letting me know. Or do you recommend canned specifically for this recipe? Going forward,  we are not mushroom lovers so left them out and the sauce was still fantastic. The first time I did a meatless sauce, and this time I am adding the ground beef. Mel – After several attempts to make a home made sauce to my liking, I was thrilled with this recipe. I didn’t have any basil or bay leaves. It turned out great. I have a homemade spaghetti sauce recipe I do love that also freezes wonderfully, but like you, I’m always looking to tweak and improve! Where is the first sauce recipe you posted, with the red cooking wine and both chicken and beef bouillon? I froze enough for two more meals and put enough in the fridge to use on a pizza tonight and also had some for leftovers for lunch. Have made spaghetti and lasagna with it. Have you tried to make it in the instant pot? Just made this followed recipe all the way. This sauce was absolutely delicious. Tastes great. This blue ribbon potato salad is already a winner—so the 5 star reviews write themselves!. For those quick pinch nights, we’ve been using Mel’s sauce for meatball subs. In a blender or food processor, blend remaining 1 cup onion and the red pepper until smooth. Oh Mel, I just discovered your site. Everybody that eats it loves it. I love hiding veggies in everything. Thanks!! Thanks for posting! What makes this my ace recipe when I want to impress is from the extra depth element from the brown bits by sauté chicken thighs/legs with skin 1st before adding the vegs. Delicious!!! I also love that we get 4 meals out of it. Hi Stephanie, I always stir in the balsamic even if I’m planning on freezing the spaghetti sauce or using it later. You get an A+ for this recipe! Thanks, Patty – I’m so glad you like this recipe! Thanks, again! Without the meat, this sauce is awesome with Mel’s Italian Meatballs (her recipe calls for them to go on sub sandwiches but they are great on spaghetti too). Thank you so much for sharing! So, so good. I followed the recipe exactly but next time I will chop the italian stewed tomatoes into smaller pieces. The sauce was very good. I was a little skeptic. . I knew I needed something with a full, tangy flavor & finally decided on red plum sauce. Fall spices are the all-star of the spice rack right now. We are a family of four & I make this recipe, divide it in half and freeze half the sauce for another time. It is delicious! . Thanks! Create bountiful outdoor winter arrangements with a little help from Mother Nature. I discovered this recipe just a few months ago, and it is AMAZING! Thank you. I made this last night and love it. This looks delicious! The flavors blended perfectly however, I did omit the balsamic vinegar. We love the marinara, but wondered how you felt about this sauce sans meat (if you have tried it). I have 10 quarts of Mel’s sauce canned and we eat it even if its a year old . Wow is all I can say. Truly tasted like restaurant spaghetti, would recommend 100% to anyone…many thanks!!! I really enjoy your blog! In saucepan, add tomato sauce, paste, water, garlic, sugar, potato, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 … We always have a stash of containers stacked in the freezer for weekday lunches and dinners. But, I use very lean meat so there’s little fat, if any, to drain. So yummy! I want to try it soon. When my daughters come home for a visit, they always ask for my spaghetti dinner. My company loved it. I cooked this recipe today exactly as written, and I am afraid we didn’t like it. Last year, I made LOTS with my tomatoes, and froze it in 2-3 cup containers, minus the vinegar. That’s usually what I use. I know I added the balsamic vinegar too early would that have caused it? Perfect consistency of the sauce, delicious flavor. I could cry and dance, I am so happy!! Those looking for authentic Italian may be disappointed, others may love it as the positive reviews confirm. I really appreciate your blog. I’ll have to try it with a little fennel – thanks so much for the comment, Jorene! This was good, but definitely needed much more salt, at least for my taste. It’s a fantastic recipe to help people understand how simple and delicious a homemade sauce can be… A wonderful way to help understand what each step brings to the dish. It was so good! This sauce was good. My husband devoured it and asked for more. In saucepan, add tomato sauce, paste, water, garlic, sugar, potato, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. garlic powder. Chavah – glad you liked this sauce and I’m definitely going to throw it in my crockpot next time I make it! That’s the best! So good! I haven’t tried – not sure if the pH levels are safe for canning. The taste was fantastic and my kids asked for seconds which is a first. Thank you so much for including your tips. This was delicious…the whole family loved it! Blue Ribbon Recipe. I made this tonight for my family and it was AMAZING!!! Wonderful recipe. I’ve always assumed the primary reason we brown meat is to drain the fat. I made a batch with ground turkey, instead of ground beef, and the husband didn’t like that batch. Hi Hannah…yes I think the bitterness was probably due to the balsamic coming in too soon. And thanks for letting me know you’ve liked a few recipes so far. I think that’s why I needed much more salt, to counteract the sweetness. I’d like to try it with white sugar  instead of brown. I don’t know why the ground beef I use always comes out tough, flavorless, hard, and over-done. You weren’t exaggerating about perfection. I replace one pound of the ground beef with one pound Italian sausage and we like it even more. Do you ever sub this leftover sauce in your spaghetti pie, ziti, or lasagnas? I have made this sauce many times since discovering it about two years ago. The first time i omitted the red pepper and let it simmer in the slow cooker for 4 hrs. Hi Mel! I would sure appreciate it. Thanks! This big batch yields about 16-20 cups/servings (the yield is right above the recipe title). Thank you so much for this recipe and all you do. Hi Mel, I wasn’t too sure about the basalmic vinegar, so to begin with, I put one third of what it calls for, and it was perfect. I halved the recipe so maybe there wasn’t enough in there? I add pound of italian sausage in addition to the beef. Follow @melskitchencafe on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #melskitchencafe. I allowed it to simmer about 2 hours. Mel, I’m excited to try this recipe. Mash the potato in the sauce and add meatballs. The flavors will definitely mellow over time so it might be fine refrigerated for a day…but you could also try adding a bit more tomato sauce and brown sugar to see if that helps. I’ve actually been wanting to can this sauce, too, but have been kind of nervous to try it. A lot of times I’ll freeze this sauce and then throw the frozen portion in the fridge overnight. I love seeing all the goodness you are whipping up in your kitchens! I sautéed it at the beginning with the onion. I used 3 cans of diced tomatoes, minced garlic (in the jar), 2 beef boullon cubes (didn’t have any broth in the can), brown sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and my husband added a little bit of regular sugar. but have a question: I have no idea what beef stock is (there, I said it) I bought beef broth, will that work? Can you leave the meat out of it so you can use it for chicken (or veggie meals)? Does yours turn out the same way? And we grilled spaghetti squash to go with it (boiled a few elbow noodles to in case the kids needed some encouragement, but the adults mainly ate the spaghetti squash with sauce). Thanks in advance! pot for my three kiddos play date tomorrow and for our meals. Oops-just made it for the first time and didn’t wait to add the balsamic. I think it is the best spaghetti sauce I have ever had!!! Then make your own site and do it there. Other than that, I did everything as prescribed – and it was fantastic!!! After reading the reviews I thought it would be best to not add it. The balsamic just adds a different layer of flavor (has a bit more depth than white vinegar). The second time, I used 1 lp ground beef and 1 pound ground Italian sausage. I just finished making this, and unfortunately, I didn’t have any diced tomatoes on hand. After all these years (more than a decade) I can’t imagine using another spaghetti sauce either. I’m new at canning. I have some lazy tomatoes that are taking their sweet time to ripen. Thank you for sharing. Thanks so much for sharing. Should be fine! Sounds good. I have also tried your sweet and sour chicken – fantastic!!! The sauce is GREAT!! I like the vegetable ideas the other ladies have shared. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves. I have been making your old version for the past year except with ground turkey and no wine. 150 ppl. Thank you. I made this in the slow cooker and it just barely fit in my large oval one. I’m guaranteed to have it for months to come. Wanted to say hi while I had this window open. How many batches of this would you say I need to make? I have tried so many recipes and then found this one and it’s all I use. That’s the way my mom made them which was passed on from her mom. I really wasn’t thinking much when I started with a regular sized skillet. The sausage links come out so tender they just fall apart. This truly is The BEST Homemade Spaghetti Sauce. This was awesome! We still have plenty to eat plus leftovers! Processing the veggies sounds like such a great idea for sauce. Made the sauce this morning… doubled the recipe in a massive 18qt. Spaghetti is his favourite dinner.Simply an incredible sauce! I let it simmer for four hours and it seemed to get better overnight. It made a bunch so we’re having leftovers tonight and I plan to freeze the rest for a lasagna maybe at the end of the month. Use this sweet Blue Ribbon Barbecue Sauce to make a Barbecued Pork Sandwich from Bruce and Eric Bromberg's "Blue Ribbon Cookbook." What changes would I need to make if I just want to make a plain sauce (no meat in the sauce) My five-year old wants spaghetti and meatballs for his birthday dinner. Only change is I add a green bell pepper in addition to the red, and a teaspoon of red pepper flakes. I’m tempted to serve without the pasta and eat it by the bowlful….it’s that good!! This second time around I added 1 lb sausage and 1 lb hamburger- so good! This sauce was amazing. Thanks. The roasted red pepper gave it a sweet smoky flavor and letting it simmer on the stove top reduced the sauce to a nice thick consistency (it was too watery in the slow cooker). Blue Ribbon Recipes ~ Country Chili Sauce This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Cooking from Quilt Country by Marcia Adams. Everyone who eats it raves about it and wants the recipe. I will say that I don’t think a full batch of this will fit in the popular 6-quart Instant Pot so you might want to halve it for pressure cooker safety.