Classic Spaghetti Sauce
A rich and hearty meat sauce, simmered with aromatic herbs for a deep, comforting flavor. This versatile sauce is simple to prepare in one pot and is perfect for a classic spaghetti dinner. It also freezes beautifully for easy future meals.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Per serving
- 277 kcal
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1 pcsyellow onion, finely diced
- 3 clovegarlic, minced
- 300 gground beef, lean
- 150 gground pork
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 800 gcrushed tomatoes
- 120 mlwater(optional)
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 1 tspdried basil
- 1 tspsugar
- 1 pcsbay leaf
- 1 tspsalt
- 0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
Equipment
dutch oven · large pot · wooden spoon · cutting board · knife
The method
Step by step
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
About 1 min
- 2
Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
About 7 min
- 3
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about one minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
- 4
Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pot. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it is browned all over.
About 8 min
Cook’s note: Increase the heat to medium-high to get a good sear on the meat.
- 5
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for one minute, allowing it to coat the meat.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Cooking the tomato paste deepens its flavor and removes any raw taste.
- 6
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and optional water. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, sugar, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
About 2 min
- 7
Stir well to combine, then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
About 5 min
- 8
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least 60 minutes, stirring every 15-20 minutes to prevent sticking.
About 1 hr
Cook’s note: For a richer, more developed flavor, you can simmer the sauce for up to 2-3 hours.
- 9
Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 276.8kcal
- Protein
- 14.7g
- Carbs
- 10.5g
- Fat
- 20.1g
- Fibre
- 2.6g
- Sugar
- 6.2g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store cooled sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
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