Spaghetti Sauce 

By Dan Pelosi

Published July 23, 2024

Spaghetti Sauce 
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(710)
Comments
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A crowd-pleaser for all ages, this classic spaghetti sauce is thick, meaty and, most importantly,  perfectly coats each strand of spaghetti. Garlic, tomato and ground beef are the foundation of this simple sauce, and a mix of dried fennel seeds and herbs adds savory depth. Red wine and a bit of sugar bring out the sweetness of the tomato. The flavors of the sauce intensify with time, so feel free to make it in advance, refrigerate and reheat later. The sauce also freezes well so you can have it on hand for future meals. Don’t tell spaghetti, but this sauce is also delicious layered in a lasagna or stirred into a cheesy baked pasta dish.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 1medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6garlic cloves, minced
  • ½teaspoon fennel seeds
  • Crushed red pepper
  • ½cup cabernet sauvignon or other dry red wine
  • 1pound ground beef
  • 1(28-ounce) can tomato purée
  • 1tablespoon dried basil
  • 2tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1pound cooked spaghetti, for serving
  • Chopped fresh basil leaves, for serving
  • Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large skillet or medium pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, fennel seeds and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add red wine and cook down by about half, about 2 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Adjust heat to medium-high and add ground beef in large chunks, then season with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook beef, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and almost cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Use a spoon to skim off and discard any excess beef fat that has risen to the surface, as desired.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the tomato purée, the dried basil, oregano and parsley and the granulated sugar. Bring to a boil, adjust heat to low and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

  4. Step 4

    Serve warm over spaghetti with fresh basil and grated Parmesan, or let cool and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freezer up to 6 months.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
710 user ratings
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Comments

Jon

Instead of sugar I add finely chopped carrots - adds sweetness. Also, after the ground beef browns, I sprinkle in a bit of flour to absorb residual fat, which also produces a thicker sauce. Kinda like a roux of sorts...

Michael Napa

Some sliced mushrooms added when the simmering starts add umami. We’ve done something similar for a long time with the addition of the mushrooms, a pound of Italian sausage sliced and browned (cooks out fat) and the addition of a large can of crushed tomatoes as well as the purée. This recipe dates back to when my parents were doctor and RN in the Greenpoint Hospital ER and invitations to family dinners were a way of thanking them. It was Little Italy in those days before WW2.

MD

Pretty good, but 2 tbs of oregano is WAY too much. When I do this next time I’ll use a lot less (on the order of 2 tsp). BTW - I was confused about tomato puree from another recipe a while back. Found out that it’s basically tomato sauce, but without the added sugar. For anyone who can’t find puree, in addition to all the other great ideas here in the notes, consider using tomato sauce, but skipping the additional sugar. Also, in a pinch I’ve used canned diced tomatoes, whirled in the blender.

TM

This sauce was incredibly easy and so delicious! Didn’t have ground anything, so made the sauce and added meatballs. Excited to try it with ground beef next time. 10/10!

Suzy

My first word on tasting the sauce was “exceptional.” This is the real deal. I made half the recipe, added a couple of bay leaves, and omitted the meat. Don’t fret about the fresh tomato skins…they just kind of disappear with continued cooking. Thanks, Grossy Pelosi!!

C Billups

Does ground chicken or ground turkey work in this recipe? Would it freeze as well?

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