Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe Made Under 30 Minutes!

This post contains links to affiliate websites, such as Amazon, and other affiliates. We receive an affiliate commission for any qualifying purchases made by you using these links. This is at no additional cost to you. We appreciate your support!

Sharing is caring!

Today’s recipe is for a homemade pasta sauce. This pasta sauce is almost as easy as opening up a jar of sauce but, it’s a homemade pasta sauce from scratch. We love adding fresh vegetables to our spaghetti sauce. Do you? You can adapt this recipe with your favorite vegetables, add ground beef, use turkey meat, use ground Italian sausage, omit the meat altogether or omit vegetables. It is a very versatile recipe to start with for cooking the fresh sauce at home, 

This spaghetti sauce is one of our 30-minute meals. Perfect for meal plans for when you are busy! Or just need to get dinner on the table for your hungry family.

Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe

Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe - This is quick and easy recipe with or without ground beef. A 30 minute meal perfect for busy days. It also has fresh vegetables in the sauce. DearCreatives.com #pastasauce #spaghettisauce #30minutemeal #dearcreatives

Do you enjoy having homemade spaghetti sauce? When spring and summer hit we love adding all our favorite fresh vegetables in the spaghetti sauce. Once you have this basic recipe steps down dinner can be made in no time flat. 

The best part is that its good tasting, healthy, not to mention a quick considering you aren’t using a sauce in a jar. Honestly, you can make this any time of year but, produce is so much better in spring, summer, and fall. Hands up! Who agrees with me on this one? 

How to make pasta sauce from scratch

Pasta Sauce

Adjust the recipe depending on how many people you are making it for. This recipe can easily be dinner for four people. (I hope to update this post’s images soon) 

Ingredients 

How to make pasta sauce 

Time saving tip! I pre-cook my ground beef, reserving half when I make tacos the day before. (recipe here) Store the cooked ground beef  in the fridge until ready to cook. Then pull out the ground beef to use in the sauce.

  • If you want to add ground beef, cook it first. Drain any grease (if not using lean ground beef or lean ground round) and set it to the side. Set meat aside until the vegetables have been sauced. If not using vegetables skip this step. Then, follow the directions below. 
  1. First, peel and chop the fresh garlic.
  2. Next, I wash, dry and slice the mushrooms, zucchini, the poblano pepper
  3. Then add them into 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet.
  4. Saute them all together on a lower heat.
  5. Open and add your canned tomato sauce.
  6. Then take little water and swirl it in the can getting any leftover tomato sauce and pour it into your skillet too. 

Note- Always use non-stick kitchen utensils with your non-stick pan! 

30-minute Pasta Sauce

Close up of Pasta sauce with spices and herbs

Now the fun part, toss in about one tablespoon of Italian spices and grind your pepper over your sauce. Don’t have peppercorns to grind? Just add about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper or white pepper. Next, stir it all together and put the stove on simmer for at least 15 minutes. Dash of salt to taste. 

Optional spices

  • 1 bay leaf
  • Fresh basil (the Italian spices has basil in it) But, if you have a herb garden or have it on hand add a leaf or two to the cooking sauce. 
  • Onions (minced and sauteed with the garlic) ( I just didn’t have any on this day for the sauce) 

I love to have my pasta sauces cook more but, honestly, if you need to serve it up quick you can stop here. If you have more time you can cook 30 minutes or more on a low simmer stirring occasionally. Cover with a lid if cooking for longer periods of time. 

Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe 

Yield: 4

Homemade Pasta Sauce

Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe - This is quick and easy recipe with or without ground beef. A 30 minute meal perfect for busy days. It also has fresh vegetables in the sauce. DearCreatives.com #pastasauce #spaghettisauce #30minutemeal #dearcreatives

Homemade pasta sauce in 30 minutes! Yes, it's homemade pasta sauce from scratch that is made quickly and is delicious. You can easily adapt this spaghetti sauce recipe to be with or without meat to fit your taste. Easy to make, get dinner on the table quickly to feed your hungry kids or family. Enjoy this pasta sauce tonight!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1-32 oz can of Tomato Sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
  • 1 poblano chile pepper (wash and seeded)
  • 3 small zucchini (rinse and sliced)
  • 1 small package mushrooms (presliced or wash and slice)
  • Optional 1/2 lb. pound pre-cooked lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon Italian Spice Mixes
  • Cracked Black Pepper or ground black pepper
  • Salt to Taste 
  • Garnish with Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

  1. Peel and chop the fresh garlic. (and onion if you are using one)
  2. Next, I wash, pat dry and slice the mushrooms, zucchini, and the poblano pepper. Add them into 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a slightly pre-heated pan on the stove-top.
  3. Saute them all together on a lower heat.
  4. Open and add your canned tomato sauce into the pan.
  5. Then take little water and swirl with any excess sauce in the can, then pour it into your pan too.
  6. Add optional pre-cooked ground beef.
  7. One tablespoon of Italian spices and grind your pepper or add black pepper over your sauce.
  8. Next, stir it all together and put it on simmer for at least 15 minutes 20 minutes.


Add sauce to cooked spaghetti noodles or other pasta noodles.

    1. Start the water for cooking your package of spaghetti noodles while the sauce is simmering. Cook the pasta noodles according to the directions on your package for Al Dente.
    2. Pour your cooked sauce over your noodles.
    3. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.
    4. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Adapt with 1 minced onion if you have one on hand. Saute it at the same time you satue the garlic.
  • If you don't have peppercorns to grind? Just add about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper or white pepper.
  • Use Lean Ground Beef Optional (half pound pre-cooked) I usually cook it the day before when cooking Tacos. Then add it to the sauce. If cooking the same day see more notes below and add after you add the tomato sauce to the pan.
  • Optionally you can use a second pan to cook, then drain lean ground beef to add to the sauce. Start cooking the ground beef first, as your gathering your other items to cook. When cooked add it to the sauce, after draining off any excess oils from the meat.
  • Start the water for cooking your package of spaghetti noodles while the sauce is simmering. Cook the pasta noodles according to the directions on your package for Al Dente.
  • Garnish with Parmesan Cheese
  • I love using fresh seasonal vegetables such as red bell peppers, green bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, and other peppers... Adapt the recipe by adding your favorites into this sauce after washing, chopping and adding to the pan for sauteing.
  • Our favorite (Sauce Pan)

Time-saving tip! I pre-cook my ground beef, reserving half when I make tacos the day before. (recipe here) Store the cooked ground beef in the fridge until ready to cook. Then pull out the ground beef to use in the sauce.

    Recommended Products

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Nutrition Information

    Yield

    4

    Serving Size

    1

    Amount Per Serving Calories 424Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 102mgSodium 1289mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 6gSugar 12gProtein 38g

    Not all nutritional information is 100% accurate.

    Close up pasta sauce with mushrooms and zucchini

    How to cook spaghetti noodles for pasta sauce?

    1. Cook your pasta in salted water that has been brought to a rolling boil.
    2. Make your spaghetti noodles al dente by finding the shortest cook time on the package (of spaghetti noodles or other pasta noodles) and follow the package directions.
    3. After your noodles are cooked al dente,  drain your noodles serve them in a large serving bowl with the pasta sauce poured over your noodles.
    4. Add fresh grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, at the table.
    5. Serve and enjoy! 

      Dinner

    Looking for more quick dinners or easy dinner recipes? Or other meal planning ideas?

    Try any of these easy pasta recipes and add them into your meal plans

    1. Italian Chicken Pasta Salad (30 minutes)
    2. Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore 
    3. Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipe
    4. One-Pot Nacho Pasta
    5. 30-Minute Meals

    Follow Theresa Huse’s board Recipes: Easy Dinners on Pinterest.


    Sharing is caring!

    Similar Posts

    2 Comments

    1. This looks great! I love a quick pasta dinner, but I don’t think I have ever made my own sauce from scratch! (is it bad to admit that?)

    Comments are closed.