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The Best Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs, a rich spaghetti sauce loaded with homemade tender meatballs and Italian sausage.
Spaghetti and Meatballs is a classic dish almost everyone enjoys. I even think a majority of the population would say this is one of their all-time favorite meals. Keep that in mind when I say this is the BEST Spaghetti Sauce, haha!
HERE IS WHAT OUR READERS ARE SAYING:
“This is way more than just spaghetti! It is like it is straight from a movie! I cannot wait to make it again!” – Nellie
A rich tomato-based sauce is simmered for hours with homemade meatballs, served with any type of pasta noodle, and dinner will be devoured!
In all honesty, this recipe is the best I’ve ever had. I have perfected it over the years, and I’m so happy to share it with you finally!
We make this so often as it is one of our favorite dishes that I’m really hoping that you will love it just as much as we do around here! The flavor is just so amazing.
You can leave out the meat in the recipe and have a fantastic marinara sauce but I’ve got to say that the meatballs (and sausage!) really give the sauce its pop!
Yes, I put Italian sausage and meatballs in my sauce and simmer it for hours. This just adds dimension to the overall flavors of the sauce, and well… it’s just plain delicious!
You can leave out the sausage and just make the meatballs but growing up this is just what we did and I’ve stuck to it. It’s never let us down. Let’s dive even more into the Best Spaghetti Sauce you’ve had in ages!
Some of our other favorite pasta dishes we have on our site include Taco Pasta, One Pot Ranch Chicken Pasta and Bacon Pesto Pasta.
Jump to:
- WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- HOW TO MAKE THE BEST SPAGHETTI SAUCE:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- CAN THIS BE MADE IN THE OVEN?
- HOW TO MAKE ROASTED GARLIC?
- WHAT KIND OF SAUSAGE IS THE BEST TO USE?
- CAN I FRY THE MEATBALLS?
- ANY ADDITIONS?
- ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
- HOW TO STORE:
- DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Best Spaghetti Sauce with Homemade Meatballs and Sausage
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Everything is homemade, so that comfort really shines through.
- This can be made on the stovetop or in the oven.
- This makes a healthy serving but can be doubled to serve more people.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Olive oil
- Italian Sausage
- Tomato paste
- Dried oregano
- Onion powder
- San Marzano tomatoes with basil
- Roasted garlic
- Fresh basil leaves
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Granulated Sugar
- Dry red wine
For the Meatballs:
- Lean ground beef
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Large Egg
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Fresh black pepper
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST SPAGHETTI SAUCE:
Sauce:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the sausages. Brown the sausages on all sides; they do not have to be cooked through. Remove the sausages and set aside.
- Add the tomato paste, oregano, and onion powder to the pot. Stir constantly into the oil to “fry” and release the aromatics for 2 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and roasted garlic.
- Tear the basil leaves into the sauce.
- Add the cheese and sugar. Mix to combine.
- Add the sausages back to the pot, making sure they are covered in sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer.
Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together, but do not overmix.
- Roll into 2 tablespoons-sized balls, and place on a sheet tray so they are not touching. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Place the meatballs into the sauce. Excess oil and bits of meat will remain on the sheet tray. DO NOT THROW OUT. Place the oven broiler on high. Broil the sheet tray with the bits until everything is golden brown, about 3 minutes. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL. When you take the sheet tray out of the oven, immediately deglaze the pan with the red wine from the sauce ingredients, scraping the bits off the bottom.
- Pour everything into the sauce, cover, and let simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with pasta of your choice and more cheese.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
CAN THIS BE MADE IN THE OVEN?
We love making these Spaghetti and Meatballs in the oven as well, I do this all the time if I am busy and can’t stir it as much as needed.
Just make the sauce in a large pot that is oven safe, like a dutch oven. Make sure it has an oven safe top as well.
Follow the directions, but at the step where you let it simmer for four hours, instead just pop it into a 250-degree oven to slow cook.
Easy peasy! Now, I suggest just stirring once every hour or so just so everything gets stirred up nicely and the flavors are able to combine!
Trust me, taking the extra time on this sauce will bring you unforgettable results.
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED GARLIC?
This recipe calls for one head of roasted garlic. It is very simple to make!
You can make it ahead of time or roast it while the sauce is simmering and just add it in whenever it is ready, no worries!
- Take one head of garlic and cut off about 3/4 of an inch off the top, exposing all the cloves.
- Place it cut side up into a piece of tin foil that is big enough to wrap the head of garlic in.
- Drizzle one teaspoon of olive oil on top, sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and 1 crack of fresh pepper.
- Wrap in the foil, place into a preheated 375-degree oven. Bake for 35 minutes to an hour, until a toothpick inserted into a clove meets no resistance. It will be slightly golden brown.
- Let cool to the touch, then squeeze garlic from the base and all the cloves will pop out.
WHAT KIND OF SAUSAGE IS THE BEST TO USE?
The best kind of sausage for this recipe is Italian Sausage links, available at your grocery store.
You can choose between sweet, mild, or hot, depending on your preference for spice.
Italian Sausage adds a rich flavor and a nice bottle of wine-like depth to the tomato-based sauce, making it a key ingredient for the best homemade spaghetti sauce.
CAN I FRY THE MEATBALLS?
Oh yes, you can definitely fry the meatballs if you prefer a golden-brown crust for extra flavor.
Just make sure to brown them on medium heat before adding them to the sauce.
Frying adds a deliciously rich flavor to the meatballs, complementing the easy homemade spaghetti sauce.
ANY ADDITIONS?
Want to make your homemade spaghetti sauce recipe even tastier?
- Fresh Parsley – Chop some up for a burst of fresh flavor and a pop of greenRed Pepper Flakes – Toss in a pinch if you like a little kick
- Fresh Onions and Garlic – Add diced sweet onion and fresh garlic
- White Wine – Splash some in for a classy twist—makes your italian sauce taste like it’s been simmering a long time!
- Bay Leaves – Pop in a bay leaf for a sneaky layer of yum
- Fresh Herbs – Throw in italian seasoning or fresh basil
- Fresh Tomatoes – Dice some fresh tomatoes for a chunky tomato flavor
- Chicken Broth – Stir in a bit to thin it out
- Parmesan Cheese – Sprinkle some on top—cheesy goodness for spaghetti meat sauce fans!
- Brown Sugar – Add a tiny pinch of added sugar to tame the tomatoes—sweet like a family favorites hug!
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Here are 6 swaps to keep it tasty, whether it’s for picky eaters or just what’s in your pantry:
- Fresh Tomatoes – Use fresh tomatoes instead of canned—crush them with a food processor.
- Ground Turkey – Swap the beef for ground turkey—lighter but still a combination of ground beef vibe!
- Store-Bought Pasta Sauce – Out of time? Grab jarred spaghetti sauce like Classico Tomato & Basil—not as good as homemade spaghetti sauce recipe, but it’ll do!
- Dry Basil – No fresh herbs? Use italian seasoning or dried basil—still packs a fresh flavor punch!
- Pasta Water – Replace chicken broth with this starchy goodness—makes the resulting sauce silky smooth!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Sub this for butter—healthier and perfect for sautéing your chopped onion!
Tools used for this recipe:
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Sheet tray for cooking the meatballs
- Large bowl
HOW TO STORE:
REFRIGERATOR: The sauce itself needs to be stored in the refrigerator to prolong it’s life.
Place in a large ziptop bag or Tupperware container and it should keep for up to 3 days.
FREEZER: This can also be frozen for later use. To do this, cook everything as directed, place any leftovers in a freezer bag and seal and it should keep for up to 3 months.
To reheat just place back in pot or defrost/heat in microwave until it has come to temperature, we like to let it sit out for a little bit on the counter to defrost slightly so we can add it to a pan then reheat it that way.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- This recipe can be made on the stove or in the oven, see my directions above.
- You can swap out your meat for all ground beef if you like but we like to use sausage in our sauce, or you can leave the meat out completely.
- The meatballs need to be pre-baked before going into the sauce.
- This recipe can be frozen, see my tips again above on how to do that.
- Make sure if you are baking this dish you use a dutch oven or oven proof dish.
- This can easily be doubled for larger batches or to freeze some for later use.
Want a flavorful, easy weeknight dish that feeds the whole family?
Then you need to whip up the BEST Spaghetti Sauce ASAP!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried the BEST SPAGHETTI SAUCE, let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Best Spaghetti Sauce with Homemade Meatballs and Sausage
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 links Italian Sausage
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 28 ounce cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes with basil
- 1 head roasted garlic cloves removed
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves loosely packed
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese fresh grated
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese fresh grated
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 cracks fresh black pepper
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the sausages. Brown the sausages on all sides; they do not have to be cooked through. Remove the sausages and set aside.1 tablespoon olive oil, 6 links Italian Sausage
- Add the tomato paste, oregano, and onion powder to the pot. Stir constantly into the oil to “fry” and release the aromatics for 2 minutes.6 ounce can tomato paste, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Add the crushed tomatoes and roasted garlic.2 28 ounce cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes with basil, 1 head roasted garlic
- Tear the basil leaves into the sauce.1 cup fresh basil leaves
- Add the cheese and sugar. Mix to combine.1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Add the sausages back to the pot, making sure they are covered in sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer.
- Next, make the meatballs. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl add the ground beef, cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together (I like to use my hands for this), but do not overmix.1 pound lean ground beef, 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 5 cracks fresh black pepper
- Roll into 2 tablespoons-sized balls, and place on a sheet tray so they are not touching. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Place the meatballs into the sauce. Excess oil and bits of meat will remain on the sheet tray. DO NOT THROW OUT. Place the oven broiler on high. Broil the sheet tray with the bits until everything is golden brown, about 3 minutes. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL. When you take the sheet tray out of the oven, immediately deglaze the pan with the red wine from the sauce ingredients, scraping the bits off the bottom.1/4 cup dry red wine
- Pour everything into the sauce, cover, and let simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with pasta of your choice and more cheese.
Notes
- This recipe can be made on the stove or in the oven, see my directions above.
- You can swap out your meat for all ground beef if you like but we like to use sausage in our sauce, or you can leave the meat out completely.
- The meatballs need to be pre-baked before going into the sauce.
- This recipe can be frozen, see my tips again above on how to do that.
- Make sure if you are baking this dish you use a dutch oven or oven proof dish.
- This can easily be doubled for larger batches or to freeze some for later use.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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I made this exactly as written in the recipe. I was surprised with the total simmer time being 4 hours. I tasted the sauce and meatballs after 1 1/2 hours and the meatballs are perfectly moist and the sauce is delicious. Since I made it the day before serving to marry the flavors so I am going to cut back the cook time to 2 1/2 hours. Has anyone else done this?
No, I serve them whole, but you can chop them up if you would like.
Do you crumble the sausage after cooking into the sauce?
Mmmmmm, love all the basil in the sauce. SO flavorful!
This is way more than just spaghetti! It is like it is straight from a movie! I cannot wait to make it again!