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Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce for the Freezer

Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce for the Freezer

A large-batch meat sauce with ground beef, Italian sausage, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and Italian herbs. It makes about 8 cups and freezes beautifully in four convenient portions.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat and Aromatics
  • 1 pound Lean ground beef
  • 1 pound Mild or sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 Medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 Garlic cloves, minced
Tomatoes and Liquid
  • 28 ounces Crushed tomatoes
  • 28 ounces Tomato sauce
  • 6 ounces Tomato paste
  • 14.5 ounces Diced tomatoes, preferably undrained
  • 1/2 cup Water or beef broth
Seasonings
  • 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons Dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
Optional Finishing Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil, only if meat is very lean
  • 1/4 cup Fresh parsley or basil, chopped

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, then cook for 7-10 minutes while breaking the meat into small pieces. Continue until thoroughly browned, then drain excess fat.
  2. Add the finely chopped onion to the browned meat and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, water or beef broth, sugar, Italian seasoning, dried basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix well so the tomato paste dissolves into the sauce.
  4. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, watching closely so it does not scorch on the bottom. Reduce the heat to low once the first bubbles appear.
  5. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a thicker sauce with a more developed flavor, simmer uncovered during the final 15-20 minutes.
  6. Taste the finished sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, sugar, or herbs as needed. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley or basil, if using, just before cooling or serving.

Notes

Cool the sauce completely before freezing. Divide into airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving about 1 inch of headspace for expansion. Label and freeze for up to 3-4 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or reheat gently from frozen in a covered saucepan with a splash of water.