{This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my full Disclosure Policy.}
Make-Ahead Homemade Pasta Sauce is easy to make, packed with flavor, and less than half the cost of store-bought versions. Use it on pizza, pasta, as a dipping sauce, and more!
PC: Heather Ford (via Unsplash)
We’ve been making our own homemade pizzas almost every Friday night for several years now.
While we still occasionally treat ourselves to pizza delivery, we usually stick to making our own at home. I’ve tried countless recipes for homemade pizza crusts (before settling on this Perfect No-Rise Pizza Dough), and experimented with many different sauces, from store-bought to homemade. I’ve gotta say, this homemade version is hands-down our family’s favorite!
Make-Ahead Homemade Pasta Sauce
One of the best things about making your own sauce is that you can customize the flavor to your tastes (for me: garlic, garlic and more garlic!) and, more importantly, control the ingredients to your preference (for example, no sugar or unnecessary preservatives).
If you’re overwhelmed by the idea of making your own sauce, let me assure you that it is much easier than you think. The sauce essentially simmers on the stove (or you could use a slow cooker!). Because this recipe makes a large quantity, it allows you to benefit from cooking once, eating twice—actually six times!—since you’ll yield the equivalent of approximately six jarred pasta sauces!
If you’re already taking the time to make homemade sauce, why not save time and benefit from your preparation several more times?! We divide the extra sauce into freezer bags or containers and freeze to use later. Stacking freezer bags on a baking sheet allows them to freeze flat for easier storage in your freezer.
Uses
I love making this easy and delicious red sauce to use for spaghetti, lasagna (try our favorite grain-free and hidden veggie lasagna!), spaghetti squash, homemade pizza, and many other recipes. The flavor is so much better than anything I’ve bought from a jar at the store—thanks to simmering the sausage right in the sauce. (If you don’t want to use sausage, you can achieve the same rich flavor by adding beef broth to the sauce—just as much as you need to thin it to the consistency you prefer.)
Not only is this homemade sauce more flavorful than a store-bought jar, it’s also only a fraction of the cost! You can see the cost breakdown below, but please note that prices may vary by region. 🙂
Cost Breakdown
Tomato purée: $3.30 (I bought a giant 106-ounce can at Costco; alternatively, you could use four 28-ounce cans)
Olive oil: $0.44
Onions: $0.50
Garlic: $0.18
Salt: $0.05
Oregano: $0.35
Basil: $0.32
Italian sausage (1 lb): I didn’t include this cost, since the sausages only cook in the sauce to flavor it, and then they are removed. You may (and should) use the sausages for another purpose!
Total recipe cost: $5.14
Cost per “jar” (3-cup portion): $0.86
Remember, the total recipe yields approximately 18 cups of sauce, or the equivalent of six (24 oz) store-bought sauces, which typically cost around $3 each (but often even more for the better quality ones). You save over 70% by making it yourself, and you’ll love the flavor!
Supplies You’ll Need
To make the sauce, it is useful to have the following supplies:
- A large stockpot (at least 8-quart) with a lid (I use this one)
- A good chopping knife
- Quart freezer bags (or freezer-safe containers, such as canning jars with lids)
- Immersion blender (optional, but helpful if you like a super-smooth sauce)
Yields: 18 cups
This homemade red sauce is simple to make, packed with flavor, and less than half the cost of store-bought versions. Use it on pizza, pasta, as a dipping sauce, and more!
10 minPrep Time
1 hrCook Time
1 hr, 10 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 (28 oz) cans tomato purée (or 1 large 106 oz can)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp each: oregano, basil
- 1 lb Italian sausage links (optional)
- water or beef broth (as much as needed to thin; I use 3 cups water)
Instructions
- In a large (8-quart) stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomato purée, salt, oregano, basil, and sausage. Stir in water to reach your desired consistency. (If you are not using sausage, stir in beef broth in place of water.) Simmer 1-2 hours.
- Remove the sausage links from the pot with a slotted spoon (set aside to use in another meal or freeze for later). Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring to freezer bags or jars.
Notes
This recipe makes approximately six 3-cup portions (depending on how much liquid you add).
Leave a Reply