Spicy Spaghetti Sauce
The best spaghetti sauce is one that is easy to make, versatile, and always a hit with everyone who tries it. This sauce is all of those things and more. It is made with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and it can be used on any type of pasta.
The best spaghetti sauce is one that is easy to make, versatile, and always a hit with everyone who tries it. This sauce is all of those things and more. It is made with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and it can be used on any type of pasta.
- salt and pepper to taste
- parmesan cheese grated
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 pound ground meat i like italian sausage best, but any ground meat works
- 1-2* jars (24 oz) spaghetti sauce any brand
- 1-2* cans (14 oz) diced tomotoes
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced or crushed
- 1-2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- 2-4 teaspoons dried oregano
- Carbohydrate 4.05360658090287 g
- Cholesterol 40.9438228375 mg
- Fat 11.6632690154296 g
- Fiber 0.871966922839297 g
- Protein 10.9543553616697 g
- Saturated Fat 4.50694944146029 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (79g)
- Sodium 227.112398164657 mg
- Sugar 3.18163965806357 g
- Trans Fat 1.77369954380982 g
- Calories 165 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown meat in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion and garlic, continue to cook until onions are soft.
- Drain off fat.
- Add diced tomatoes, salt and pepper, and oregano.
- Mix over low-medium heat.
- Add tomato paste and mix well.
- Then add spaghetti sauce.
- Simmer on low, covered.
- The longer the sauce simmers, the better the flavors will mix and the diced tomatoes will soften.
- If you’re in a hurry, however, the sauce is just fine with minimal simmering!
- When you start to boil water for your pasta, add the ricotta cheese to the sauce and mix well.
- I always taste it at this point and add seasonings as needed.
- Serve over the pasta of your choice with grated Parmesan on top!
Swapping Italian sausage for lean ground beef fundamentally alters the fat profile and spice level of a tomato sauce. Retaining excess grease from higher-fat meats will break the emulsion of the sauce, resulting in an oily surface layer rather than a cohesive coating for pasta. Brown the meat thoroughly over medium heat to develop foundational umami through the Maillard reaction, then drain rendered fats before introducing aromatics like onions and minced garlic. Onions require translucent softening to release natural sugars, while garlic burns easily and turns bitter if exposed to direct high heat for more than sixty seconds.
Scaling this recipe requires attention to liquid volume and evaporation rates. Doubling the batch increases the total moisture from canned diced tomatoes and prepared jars, demanding a wider saucepan to maximize surface area and encourage proper reduction during the simmer phase. Prolonged simmering breaks down the pectin in diced tomatoes, transforming distinct fruit pieces into a smooth, integrated base. Conversely, rushing the process leaves raw tomato notes unblended.
Fresh tomatoes demand longer cooking times or preliminary salting to draw out excess water, whereas canned varieties provide consistent moisture levels year-round. Incorporating a small amount of ricotta cheese near the end of cooking introduces milk solids that gently bind and enrich the texture without curdling from prolonged heat.
