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This easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe has rich, slow-simmered flavor without spending all afternoon at the stove. Fire-roasted tomatoes, red wine and a splash of fish sauce give the sauce incredible depth, and the whole thing is ready in about 40 minutes. It’s an easy weeknight staple for spaghetti, meatballs, baked pasta and more.

Pasta on a white square plate with homemade spaghetti sauce and a silver fork on a wicker placemat.

Table of Contents

Kellie’s Note
Sauce From Scratch

Homemade spaghetti sauce was one of those recipes I learned to make early on, and over the years I’ve figured out how to get that Sunday-sauce flavor without actually giving up your entire Sunday.

My shortcut is a combination of fire-roasted tomatoes, red wine and fish sauce. The fish sauce may sound a little unconventional, but it adds the deep, savory flavor you’d normally expect from a sauce that simmered for hours. And if fish sauce isn’t your thing, Worcestershire sauce works, too, or just leave it out.

Why You’ll Love This Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

  • Ready in about 40 minutes. You get rich, slow-simmered flavor without cooking sauce all afternoon.
  • Big tomato flavor. Tomato puree and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes make the sauce rich, hearty and flavorful.
  • There’s a secret ingredient. Fish sauce adds savory depth without making the sauce taste fishy.
  • Perfect for busy nights. Prep is simple and most of the ingredients are easy pantry staples.
  • Freezer friendly. Make a batch now and stash some away for an easy dinner later.

Ingredients for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

  • Olive oil – Used to sauté the onion and garlic and start building the flavor of the sauce.
  • Vidalia onion – Mild and slightly sweet, it helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Yellow onion works, too.
  • Garlic – Fresh garlic adds plenty of savory flavor.
  • Dried oregano – Gives the sauce classic Italian-inspired flavor.
  • Red wine – Adds richness and depth once it reduces in the pot.
  • Granulated sugar – A small amount helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. You can leave it out if you prefer.
  • Fish sauce – My secret ingredient for adding deep, slow-simmered flavor. Substitute Worcestershire sauce or leave it out if preferred.
  • Tomato puree – Creates the smooth, rich base of the sauce.
  • Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes – Add texture and a deeper roasted tomato flavor.
  • Kosher salt and black pepper – Season to taste.
Two white square plates with spaghetti and sauce, overhead shot.

How to Make Spaghetti Sauce

  1. Sauté the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened.
  2. Add the garlic and oregano. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, then add the oregano.
  3. Reduce the wine. Pour in the red wine and cook until it has reduced by about half.
  4. Add the tomatoes. Stir in the sugar, fish sauce, tomato puree and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the flavors have come together and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  6. Taste and serve. Adjust the seasoning if needed, then spoon over pasta or use in your favorite Italian-inspired recipes.

Kellie’s Tips for the Best Spaghetti Sauce

  • Let the wine reduce. Cook it until it has reduced by about half before adding the tomatoes. This concentrates the flavor and keeps the sauce from tasting overly wine-forward.
  • Watch the garlic. Garlic can turn bitter when it burns, so cook it just until fragrant before moving on.
  • Don’t be afraid of the fish sauce. It adds savory depth, not fishy flavor. Worcestershire sauce is a good substitute if you prefer.
  • Taste before adding more sugar. Some tomatoes are more acidic than others, so adjust the sweetness to your taste.
  • Want it thicker? Let the sauce simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes until it reaches the consistency you like.
  • Have extra time? Let the sauce continue simmering gently. The flavor will continue to deepen the longer it cooks.
Close up of fork with spaghetti twirled around it on a white plate with spaghetti with spaghetti sauce.

The Best Tomatoes for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

You don’t need fresh tomatoes to make really flavorful homemade spaghetti sauce. I use a combination of tomato puree and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes because they each bring something different to the pot.

The tomato puree creates a smooth, rich base while the crushed tomatoes add a little texture. Using fire-roasted tomatoes also adds another layer of flavor that helps this quick sauce taste like it has been simmering much longer.

If you prefer a smoother spaghetti sauce, you can blend the finished sauce with an immersion blender until it reaches the consistency you like.

What is Spaghetti Sauce?

Spaghetti sauce is a tomato-based sauce made for serving with spaghetti and other pasta. Depending on the recipe, it can be as simple as tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and herbs or include additional vegetables, meat, cheese and seasonings.

My version falls somewhere in the middle. It’s a meatless tomato sauce, but red wine, fire-roasted tomatoes and fish sauce give it the richer flavor you’d usually expect from a sauce that cooks much longer.

Overhead shot of spaghetti with sauce on a white square plate with a silver fork.

Spaghetti Sauce vs. Marinara Sauce

Marinara and spaghetti sauce are often used interchangeably, especially here in the U.S., but they aren’t always exactly the same thing.

Marinara is typically a simple tomato sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and herbs. Spaghetti sauce is a broader term and can include additional vegetables, meat, cheese or other seasonings.

This Homemade Spaghetti Sauce is still simple enough for a weeknight, but the wine, fire-roasted tomatoes and fish sauce give it more depth than a basic marinara.

Spaghetti Sauce Variations

  • Make it a meat sauce. Brown ground beef, Italian sausage or a combination of both, drain any excess fat and stir the meat into the sauce. You can also try my Italian Meat Sauce if you want a recipe developed specifically as a meat sauce.
  • Make it spicy. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes with the oregano.
  • Add fresh herbs. Stir in chopped basil or parsley just before serving for a fresh finish.
  • Add pesto. A spoonful of basil pesto stirred in at the end adds even more flavor.
  • Make it in the slow cooker. For the best flavor, sauté the onion and garlic and reduce the wine on the stovetop first. Transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours. You can skip the stovetop step if needed, but cooking the aromatics first gives the sauce better flavor.
Spaghetti on a white square plate with spaghetti sauce on top and a fork with twirled pasta.

Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing and Reheating

  • Make ahead: Make the spaghetti sauce up to 5 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Refrigerate: Allow the sauce to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze: Cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. If using a bag, freeze it flat so it takes up less space. Freeze for up to 4–6 months.
  • Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when possible.
  • Reheat: Warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You can also warm it gently from frozen, stirring frequently as the sauce thaws.
Two square plates of pasta with spaghetti sauce on a blue background.

Ways to Use Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti may be the obvious choice, but this Homemade Spaghetti Sauce can do a whole lot more. Serve it with meatballs, use it in baked pasta, layer it into lasagna or stuffed shells, spoon it over chicken Parmesan or use it with spaghetti squash for a lighter dinner.

It’s also a great sauce to keep in the freezer because one batch can turn into several completely different dinners.

More Easy Pasta Sauce Recipes

Stainless steel pot with Easy Italian Meat Sauce scooped with a ladle on a blue background

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Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

5 from 2 votes
By Kellie
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 10
Close up of fork with spaghetti twirled around it on a white plate with spaghetti with spaghetti sauce.
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This easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe is rich, flavorful and ready in about 40 minutes. Fire-roasted tomatoes, red wine and a splash of fish sauce give it the deep flavor of a sauce that simmered all day.

Equipment

  • large dutch oven stock pot
  • wooden spoon
  • measuring spoons
  • measuring cup
  • chef's knife
  • cutting board

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large vidalia onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 cup red wine
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 28 ounce can tomato puree
  • 1 28 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
  • kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion and cook until softened.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the oregano.
  • Pour in the red wine and cook until reduced by half.
  • Stir in the sugar, fish sauce, tomato puree and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes.
  • Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
  • Reduce the heat to low and cover.
  • Simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened and the flavors have blended.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Video

Notes

  • Fish Sauce Substitute: Substitute an equal amount of Worcestershire sauce for the fish sauce, or omit it if preferred.
  • Sugar: The sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. You can reduce or omit it according to taste.
  • Slow Cooker: For the best flavor, sauté the onion and garlic and reduce the wine first. Transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours.
  • Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
  • Freezing: Cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 4–6 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 418mg, Potassium: 684mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 605IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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8 Comments

  1. Marguerite Nicely says:

    Sorry Kellie, I re read the recipe and the puree and tomatoes were there
    I just read it fast.

    Reply
    1. Kellie says:

      No worries!

      Reply
  2. Louise M Sharadin says:

    I was wondering if this could be canned as well. I’d rather can this than put it into a freezer because I really don’t want to take up valuable freezer space. Of course, if the electricity would go out, I just might lose a lot of produce and other things if the electricity would be out for quite a while. This would be just a suggestion. Also, how much would one batch of this sauce make? I’m sure that would need to make several batches to make it worth my while in canning this sauce. Just let me know. Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Kellie says:

      I didn’t test the recipe for canning and since I’m not a canning expert, yet, I can’t say for certain. This sauce only makes about 8-10 servings so you would definitely need to make multiple batches for a freezer stash or canning.

      Reply
  3. Agnieszka says:

    I’m shocked I like your recipes very much. They’re so familiar with my sense of taste. (I use only more garlic and honey instead of sugar). But I really like many of them.
    And here I see you’re also from Poland 🙂 So cool. Pozdrawiam serdecznie.

    Reply
    1. Kellie says:

      Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoy them. My family is from Poland, I’m first generation American. But thank you again for your sweet comment!

      Reply
  4. Margie Kelly says:

    You mentioned making this sauce in a slow cooker. Do you have to brown everything before putting in the cooker? For how long does it cook?

    Reply
    1. Kellie says:

      It’s best if you do brown everything but it’s not necessary. And it only needs to cook on low for about 2-3 hours.

      Reply