I know store-bought spaghetti sauce goes on sale with coupon for under $1 quite often but there is something wholesome about making homemade spaghetti sauce. And it really is so easy. And frugal. And you can freeze it! This week I came across some manager markdown mushrooms for $0.99 – when this happens (which isn’t as often as I’d hope), I believe it is a divine message that I should make spaghetti sauce. You see, we like a lot of mushrooms in our sauce and at $3-4 a pound it can cost as much as the meat. So when I find mushrooms on sale that need a loving home – I adopt them for incredibly low prices and introduce them to some tomatoes and meat. Everyone is happy.
I’ve made this on the stovetop before – just as easily as the slow cooker. But I do like the ease of throwing it all in the crockpot!
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey (I used moose meat from my dad in Alaska!)
1 – 2 onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic
2 – 28 oz cans of heavy tomato puree
You can use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes depending on what’s available and what thickness you like your sauce
1 – 28 oz can of tomato sauce
16 – 24 ounces of fresh sliced mushrooms
We really like mushrooms in our sauce, so we add a lot. You can scale this back a lot, if you want.
1/3 cup dried Oregano
1/8 cup dried Sweet Basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sugar
HOW TO PREPARE
1.) Dice onions. Saute in some olive oil in a saute pan on the stove until softened and slightly brown. Toss onions into slow cooker.
2.) Cook up your meat (ground beef or ground turkey) in a pan on the stove. Cook it until it’s completely browned. Drain any excess fat. Toss into slow cooker.
3.) Add the rest of your ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on medium for 6 hours or low for 8-10 hours. You can’t really mess up the cooking times. It’s all going to be cooked when you add it to the slow cooker, so it’s just a matter of flavors blending and it all coming together!
I usually make up a huge batch of this and then freeze it into meal-size servings using my Food Saver (see photo above from the last time I made some up for the freezer). Then when we want spaghetti or we need sauce for Eggplant Parmesan or lasagna, we’ll pull it out of the freezer. You just cut the bag open and dump it into the pot to heat it up! Super easy and you know exactly what’s in it.
Kelli says
My husband makes the best spaghetti sauce in the world!! From scratch!!
Estera says
shared this giveaway with my friends via text.
Estera says
I make the best spaghetti sauce in my family (family says so)..lol
Julie says
My husband can doctor up any sauce and make it amazing! I’m so blessed 🙂
Lindsay says
I shared this with a friend 🙂
Lindsay says
I have never made homemade sauce but that might change soon with this recipe!
Melinda D says
I’m still working on creating a yummy sauce……….maybe someday!
Amy says
My mom makes sauce that takes all day. She learned the recipe from her Sicilian aunt and it is so good. I am a pretty competent cook, but mine is not as good as hers!
Sarah Marostica says
In my family my dad makes the best sauce!
Sue H. says
My sister-in-law, Jean, makes the best pasta sauce since she is from an Italian family. I have tried many of her family’s recipes to great success.
Thank you!
Christina Bowler says
I have to admit that I still love canned sauce and just add a few touches to it. Its especially helpful on those hectic days that you don’t want to “think” about whats for dinner. 🙂
Miranda says
I think I make the best sauce in my family. Just recently I made marinara sauce with tomatoes from my garden. So much better than from a can!
Misty O'Rourke says
I love homemade spaghetti sauce. I learned from my mom 🙂 Her secret ingredient is a little pinch of red pepper flakes and about a quarter jar of salsa. Yum! I like to use crushed tomatoes, it gives it a fresher taste.
Kitsel says
How sad is this? No one in my family makes homemade spaghetti sauce. I think once I try your recipe, that will be changing!
Holly says
My mom makes the best spaghetti sauce!
Jen says
My husband’s grandma, “Mama”
amber says
my mom makes great spaghetti sauce, with a lot of green peppers and onions
Mimsie says
My mom made the best spaghetti sauce.
bekah says
I make the best speg sauce of course 🙂
Celia Husmann says
I make the best sauce! 😉 Grass fed ground beef, onions, garlic, organic tomatoes, and basil.
Carole says
I make the best sauce because it’s just me and my hubby.
Lamyai says
I think I make the good spaghetti sauce because my hubby doesn’t cook.
Tina says
I think I make yummy sauce. 😛
Kim says
I am part Italian, but no one in my family ever made authentic sauce, so I need to try this recipe! Otherwise, I usually just doctor up a jarred sauce and add extras.
Megan S says
I emailed my sister about this giveaway:)
Spoonie says
I love to make a huge batch of sauce, but my son doesn’t eat pasta. Crockpot is the best way to simmer for hours without scorching.
Spoonie says
I do love shopping Grocery Outlet with my son. I’m willing to let him try new flavors, when they are so affordable.
Patrice says
My grandma made the best spaghetti sauce and I miss her.
Lori H. says
Shared on facebook.
Lori H. says
I guess I make the best spaghetti sauce in my house because Im the only one that makes it in our house:)
Monica Young says
I tweeted about the giveaway https://twitter.com/Monnie311/status/262389884352876544
Monica Young says
I make the best spaghetti cause my Grandmother taught me years ago long long ago before I was even old enough to have kiddos. She gave me her Grandmother’s recipe and it’s been passed down for generations. I use her recipe every time I make spaghetti for dinner which is once a week 🙂
Cameron says
Yum!! Gotta try it!
Kelly says
I shared the contest on facebook!
Teresa says
My Mom made the best sauce. It was all from scratch!
Liz C. says
Me!
Kelly says
I’ve never tried making my own sauce but am inspired to now!
Tim says
I make a good sauce – everyone seems to like it.
Ann says
My sister-I just use a jar, but I should give this recipe a try.
Serina C says
My dad used to put chili seasoning (a little bit) instead of italian in it and it tasted yummy : )
Angela says
I make the best sauce…but I learned from my mom.
Megan S says
My grandma makes the best sauce!
Terry says
My hubby makes the best sauce – he uses spicy pork sausage and it gives it a nice flavor!
TIna Clum says
I also think that my mom’s sauce is best, but she cans her own tomato’s
Keisha says
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/onefallday/status/262330840808300544
Keisha says
My mom has always made the very best spaghetti sauce, since I was a little girl. I can never get it “just right”. The “secret ingredient is her love” <— this is what she always says, hehe.
Betsy says
My mom takes the prize for the best sauce! I think it’s the meat and mushrooms! 🙂
Lisa says
My mom makes a pretty good spaghetti sauce, but I have been trying to improve on it. I’ll have to try it in the crockpot.
susan lawson says
This recipe sounds delish and I love Grocery Outlet
Marci says
I use Ragu Garden Vegetable and doctor it up so I make the best spaghetti sauce!
Kathy says
Classico Tomato Puree is also 6 in 1 Tomato Puree, Heinz owns the company and labels it under two different names. Walmart sells the Classico Tomato Puree. It’s nice and thick for the best spaghetti sauce.