I’ve made loads of variations of pasta sauce over my many years of running a blog, however I feel this model wins the title of The Greatest Weeknight Pasta Sauce. Why? As a result of it’s extremely straightforward, budget-friendly, and makes use of just a few elements, but has a splendidly wealthy and hearty taste. In truth, I really like this pasta sauce recipe a lot that the final time I made it, I dug into the leftovers with a spoon. I simply skipped the pasta and went straight for the great things. 🤷♀️
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“Okay, why didn’t anybody ever inform me that making selfmade pasta sauce might be this straightforward and scrumptious? Love this! I solely had canned diced tomatoes available, so I pulsed them within the blender for a couple of seconds after which used them in lieu of crushed tomatoes. So good!”
Samantha
Easy Pasta Sauce Recipe
This selfmade pasta sauce recipe is SO SIMPLE, but so excellent. To make it, I take advantage of floor beef, olive oil, onion, butter, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning mix, and salt and pepper. That’s it. It’s sort of like a shortcut Bolognese however prepared in a fraction of the time, so you will get dinner on the desk quick in the course of the week.
The key to getting a lot taste out of such easy elements comes down to 2 issues: butter and a great 30-minute simmer. The simmer dulls the acidic flavors of the crushed tomatoes and helps caramelize the pure sugars right into a delicate sweetness. The butter provides physique and a slight creaminess, which once more helps stability the pure acids within the tomatoes. You want each parts to make this pasta sauce the very best it may be!
The Greatest Weeknight Pasta Sauce
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Add the bottom beef and olive oil to a pot and sauté over medium till the meat is cooked via (about 5 minutes). For those who’re utilizing the next fats content material beef (10% or larger), you might wish to drain the surplus fats as soon as the meat has browned.
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Whereas the meat is cooking, finely cube the onion. Add the diced onion and butter to the cooked beef. Proceed to sauté till the onion is smooth and translucent (about 5 minutes).
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Subsequent, add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning mix, and a few freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Stir all the pieces to mix.
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Place a lid on the pot and permit it to return as much as a simmer. As soon as simmering, scale back the warmth to low and let the sauce simmer for half-hour.
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After a minimal of half-hour simmering, add about ½ tsp salt, stir to mix, then style and add extra if wanted. The flavour of the sauce will deepen and the complexities will pop as soon as the salt is added. Serve over pasta or your favourite roasted greens.
See how we calculate recipe prices right here.
Serving: 0.75CupsEnergy: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 9gFats: 14gSodium: 234mgFiber: 3g
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Methods to Make Weeknight Pasta Sauce Step-by-Step Pictures
Collect your whole elements.
Brown the meat: Begin by including ½ lb. floor beef and 1 Tbsp olive oil to a pot. Sauté the meat over medium till it’s cooked via (about 5 minutes). For those who’re utilizing a higher-fat content material beef, you might wish to drain the surplus fats as soon as it’s cooked via. Whereas the meat is cooking, finely cube one small onion.
Sauté the onion: Add the onion and a pair of Tbsp butter to the cooked beef, and proceed to sauté till the onions are smooth and translucent (one other 5 minutes or so).
Make the sauce: Subsequent, add a 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, ½ tsp Italian seasoning mix, and a few freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Stir till all the pieces is mixed, place a lid on high, and let it come as much as a simmer. As soon as simmering, flip the warmth right down to low and let it simmer for a minimum of half-hour.
Simmer: After simmering for half-hour, the sauce might be a lot much less acidic and barely sweeter, however to make the flavour actually pop, it’s essential to add salt. I’d begin with ½ tsp, give it a style, then add extra to your liking.
And that’s all! Critically, SO straightforward. And whereas the sauce is simmering away for its half-hour, you may put together your pasta or no matter else you intend on consuming along with your sauce that evening. 😉
It’s the one pasta sauce I would like, and actually, I solely want the sauce. Pasta optionally available. 😂
I’ve been making this recipe for a loooong time now (I first posted it in 2018!). And because of reader suggestions, I’ve discovered simply how versatile it may be. Listed here are a couple of concepts to strive in your individual kitchen:
- Swap the bottom beef for floor rooster or turkey.
- Add in some minced garlic (round 2 cloves) when sautéing the onion.
- For those who’ve solely obtained canned diced tomatoes, both mix them earlier than including to the skillet or crush them as they cook dinner (simply observe the feel might be a bit chunkier!).
- Stir in two finely shredded carrots with the onion. They meld into the sauce because it cooks, including pure sweetness and somewhat additional veg with out being apparent! Zucchini can also be scrumptious, and would make this sauce style just like my hidden vegetable pasta sauce recipe.
- In case your sauce continues to be acidic even after the 30-minute simmer, stir in somewhat sugar on the finish to spherical out the flavour.
- Need to make it meatless? Simply skip the bottom beef, or use your favourite vegetarian meat crumbles. You possibly can additionally observe my lentil Bolognese recipe for a completely plant-based choice.
Serving Solutions
This pasta sauce recipe is, after all, superior with any form of pasta. Go along with no matter you will have in your pantry, or for a significantly flavor-packed meal, strive it with our spaghetti aglio e olio. It’s additionally wonderful over roasted greens! I initially shared this sauce in my roasted eggplant with meat sauce recipe, and it’s nonetheless a favourite of mine. This recipe would make a terrific lasagna sauce, too, and don’t overlook a aspect of garlic bread!
Storage & Reheating
This straightforward pasta sauce recipe is certainly one of my most meal-prepped dinners. As soon as cooled, it retains nicely within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days in an hermetic container. You can too freeze it for as much as 3 months in a freezer-safe container (go away some room on the high for growth). Let it thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating within the microwave or on the stovetop.
Our Weeknight Pasta Sauce recipe was initially revealed 4/18/18. We’ve up to date it to be one of the best it may be and republished 9/3/25.
