Homemade spaghetti sauces?

[Jenny B]

Does anyone have some favorite spaghetti sauces they make from scratch? Would just love some new ideas!!! Thanks so much!!!

[Donna H]

I have made the one from Emeril's kid's cookbook many times and we all like it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_31567,00.html

[shonda in ca]

I really like the recipe on the back of my Hunt's tomato sauce can! :)

Here is a similar one, only mine is not a meat sauce or chunky.

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) Hunt's Tomato Sauce
1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano, undrained
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

Directions
Brown ground beef with onion in large skillet; drain.
Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, oil and brown sugar; blend well.
Simmer, covered, over medium-low heat 15 minutes, or until heated through.

[Loree']

Funny you should ask. It's what I'm eating while I surf.

Combine in crockpot & cook on low for several hours:
1 lb ground beef, browned
2 lbs canned, diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
12 oz tomato paste
1 c beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp pepper
1 T brown sugar
1 T dried parsley
1 T onion powder

[Kendra AU]

This is the recipe we use, sometimes we add more veggies, sometimes we don't.. just depends on what's in the fridge and what needs to be used up:

3/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) italian crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup water
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook the onion and garlic in the oil until soft, toss everything else in, mix well and let simmer a while.


That's the origonal recipe. Honestly, I can't handle a lot of oregano, so I use Italian seasoning in place. I also tend to get the tomatoes as ones with garlic, onion, and basil. I often throw in a cup or so of chopped celery as well. Before letting it simmer I throw it through the blender. My kids don't mind the veggies, but they prefer their sauce smooth. This works for all of us. I also start out with less water and add more if needed because we like our sauce THICK. Oh, and I tend to do this recipe x4 or x5 when I make it up. Then I put 3 cups in quart size baggies and toss them in the freezer.

Enjoy,
Kendra

[Rebe]

My recipe is like Kendra's. Except I change it a lot. :lol: But the base of the sauce is the same: 1 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes and 1 6-oz. can of tomato paste.

I don't add any water or oil. I add a tablespoon or two of sugar. I can't use actual onions because dh doesn't like them, so I use onion powder instead. I add in garlic powder, salt, oregano (love lots of it), basil, small amount of red pepper flakes, a bay leaf (removed at the end of about a 1-hour simmer), etc. Basically, the spices and seasonings that we like. It's very flexible.

[NurseNicole]

Vodka sauce is one of my FAVS. I don't want to offend anyone...if you want the recipe I'll send it to you...

Basic gravy
2 28 oz. cans of tomatoes (any kind ya have)
2 28 oz cans of sauce
1 15 oz can of paste
1 large or 2 med. onions minced
2 gloves of garlic minced
1 green pepper minced
Italian seasonings
Oregeno
2 Bay leaves
2 Large peeled carrots

I throw the tomatoes juice and all in my blender and pulse it a bit so it isn't chunky but isn't smooth. I sautee my veggies in a skillet. Dump everything in a BIG pot, add seasonings to taste. I cover the top of the sauce with Italian seasonings, then stir it in well, then cover it again and stir. (for an idea of how much I use) Oregeno a dusting on top, stir in. Add bay leaves and carrots. I bring to a good boil then let simmer for hours. I take the bay leaves out half way through the time I plan on cooking it for. It varies. I take the carrots out right before I'm going to serve it and throw them out, DO NOT eat them!!!

Chunky gravy
Same ingredients I just dice (instead of mince) the veggies and add mushrooms, I don't blend the tomatoes.

Meat gravy I fry up some sausage and add it with the veggies.

Alfredo
2 pints heavy cream
1 stick of butter (real)
1-2 c. freshly grated parm.

Melt butter in pan add cream, stir. Add parm slowly and stir. You can use a blend of hard cheeses.

[Laura F]

Meat Sauce

1 lb. ground beef (whatever % you want) or sausage or combo of both
1-2 chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
3 cans (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (or combo of both)
salt
pepper
1-2 tsp. sugar
dried Italian seasoning or fresh basil

Brown ground beef and/or sausage. (If using very lean beef, heat 1-2 T. olive oil before adding beef.) As meat cooks, add onions; add garlic. (If meat is fatty, pour off grease.) Once onions have softened, add can of paste. Fill can with water and add to mixture. Cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes. Now add seasonings to taste. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 1-2 hours.

I learned this recipe from a good friend who grew up in an Italian-American family. She likes using tomato sauce; I prefer the texture of crushed tomatoes. This freezes really well and makes for easy weeknight dinners.

[Jenny B]

Thank you gals!! These look just great!!! :) :yum: :)