If you want to adjust the flavors and ingredients in your spaghetti sauce, you can make your own spaghetti sauce! For a simple, fresh tomato and olive oil sauce, heat canned tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. You can also make a meat spaghetti sauce using classic herbs and cook until the meat is tender. Marinara sauce is also quite easy to make, even when you're just looking at the recipe. Simply sauté the small onions and garlic in olive oil before adding the red wine and tomatoes. After that, cook the sauce until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
Ingredients
Simple Tomato Sauce and Olive Oil
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil, separate
- 800 grams of canned tomatoes (including juice and whole pieces)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 10 basil leaves
For 450 grams
Classic Spaghetti Sauce with Meat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 450 grams of ground beef without fat
- 150 grams yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons (6 grams) minced garlic
- 170 grams of tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons (3 grams) dried basil
- 1 teaspoon (1 gram) dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) dried thyme leaves
- teaspoon (1 gram) fennel seeds, puree
- teaspoon (3 grams) salt
- Ground black pepper, according to taste
- 800 grams of whole or mashed San Marzano tomatoes (you can also use regular tomatoes)
- 470 ml beef stock
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) sugar
- teaspoon (½ gram) crushed dried chilies (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter (optional)
For 8 servings
Simple Marinara Sauce
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (4.5 grams) minced garlic
- 120 ml red wine
- 800 grams of tomato puree (including the pieces)
- 1 tablespoon (4 grams) chopped parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 grams) kosher salt (or table salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) ground black pepper
For 6 servings
Step
Method 1 of 3: Simple Tomato Sauce and Olive Oil
Step 1. Crush 6 cloves of garlic with the back of a knife
Peel 6 white bottom cloves and place on a cutting board. Use a flat kitchen knife to press each clove down firmly.
The resulting pressure will crush the white underside and give off its flavor
Step 2. Sauté the whites in olive oil for 2-3 minutes
Place the crushed garlic in a non-reactive saucepan and add 5 tablespoons of olive oil (extra-virgin). Turn the heat to medium and heat the garlic until it turns golden brown.
Stir the garlic occasionally so that it cooks evenly
Step 3. Toss the tomatoes with the juice and add the salt and pepper
Put 800 grams of whole tomatoes in a saucepan and stir with the juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4. Stir and heat the sauce for 10-15 minutes over medium-high heat
Turn the heat to medium-high to allow the sauce to start foaming steadily. Stir the sauce occasionally as it begins to cook and thicken.
The tomato juice will evaporate when the sauce is cooked
Step 5. Add the remaining olive oil and crush the tomatoes with a spoon
Turn the heat to high and add the remaining 45 ml of olive oil to the saucepan. Use the back of a wooden spoon/spatula to crush the tomatoes.
Step 6. Cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes and turn off the heat
Keep heating the sauce until the oil turns reddish. After that, turn off the heat and serve the sauce.
Step 7. Add fresh basil and pour the sauce over the pasta
Add 10 fresh basil leaves to the sauce and stir. You can add whole leaves or chop them before adding. Take the sauce and pour it over the cooked pasta, then serve immediately.
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for storage for (maximum) 6 months
Method 2 of 3: Classic Spaghetti Sauce with Meat
Step 1. Cook ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat for 7-8 minutes
Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil into a large saucepan or Dutch oven and turn the heat to medium. Add 450 grams of lean ground beef, 150 grams, 150 grams of chopped yellow onions, and 2 teaspoons (6 grams) of minced garlic. Stir and heat the mixture until the meat is lightly browned and crumbles easily.
Since you're using lean ground beef, there won't be much oil to drain. If the meat is too oily, drain the meat first before continuing with the sauce making process
Step 2. Add the tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, fennel, and chili flakes (optional)
Pour 170g of tomato paste into a saucepan and add the herbs. Stir to combine all ingredients and cook sauce over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3. Add the tomatoes, stock and sugar, then heat the sauce for 30 minutes
Pour 800 grams of whole (or crushed) tomatoes into the saucepan. Add 470 ml of beef stock and 2 teaspoons (8 grams) of sugar. Turn the heat to medium-high to bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the heat and let the sauce boil for 30 minutes.
- Do not put a lid on the pot so the sauce liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens.
- Heat the sauce for a maximum of 2 hours for a richer and smoother taste.
Step 4. Adjust seasoning and add butter if sauce is too sour
Try the sauce and add more herbs or salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too strong or bitter, add 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of butter.
Step 5. Turn off the heat and serve the classic meat sauce
Pour meat sauce over pasta or use it as a filling for homemade lasagna. You can also enrich the sauce with grated parmesan cheese.
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months
Method 3 of 3: Simple Marinara Sauce
Step 1. Saute onions in olive oil for 5-10 minutes
Pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil in a large saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Once the oil is hot, add 1 chopped yellow onion. Cook and stir the onions occasionally until they are translucent.
Step 2. Add chopped garlic and sauté for 1 minute
Place 1 1/2 teaspoons (4.5 grams) of chopped garlic in a saucepan and cook until the aroma comes out. Keep stirring the ingredients so they don't burn.
Step 3. Pour in the red wine and cook the sauce for 3 minutes
Turn up the heat to high and pour in 120 ml of red wine. Scrub the bottom of the pan to dissolve any remaining seasonings. Cook the sauce until the wine has evaporated.
- You can also use other wines such as burgundy, chianti, or pinot noir.
- If you don't want to use wine, use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock instead.
Step 4. Add tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper
Prepare 800 grams of tomato puree (including the pieces) and pour it into the sauce. Add 1 tablespoon (4 grams) of crushed parsley, 1 teaspoons (7 grams) of salt, and teaspoon (1 gram) of ground black pepper.
Step 5. Heat the sauce for 15 minutes
Lower the heat to low and let the sauce foam. Stir occasionally so the flavors develop and the sauce thickens.
Step 6. Serve the sauce
Turn off the heat and immediately pour the sauce over the pasta. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for garlic bread or bread sticks.
