Healthy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Healthy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce recipe has no added sugar! It’s meaty, thick, full of Italian flavor and great served over traditional pasta or spaghetti squash for a low-carb meal.
Healthy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
My hubby and I have done several Whole30 eating plans. Ever heard about it? You can find out all about it here but to sum it up, you eat meat, veggies, fruit and certain nuts & fats for 30 days. No sugar, no grains, no dairy. Yea…it was rough. I can leave grains and dairy behind any day… but I like my sugar.
We decided to do this as a kick start to healthier eating. I didn’t like how I was always craving sweet stuff. I guess having a food blog will do that to ya. This Healthy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce recipe is a staple in our home. We love our Italian food here, and I had to find a way to still be able to get that good Italian taste!
Low Carb Spaghetti Sauce
This spaghetti sauce has no added sugar, but is full of flavor. Find a tomato puree that has an ingredient list of one thing…tomatoes. Yes, tomatoes have some naturally occurring sugars, but as long as there is not sugar listed in the ingredients, you’re golden and will end up with a deliciously low carb spaghetti sauce.
Plus, it is hearty…full of meat and petite diced tomatoes. The kids don’t even mind the diced tomatoes…but they have to be “petite diced” so they are not so noticeable.
Freezing Spaghetti Sauce
You’ll love this healthy homemade spaghetti sauce recipe because it makes a big batch…you can freeze the leftovers to pull out at another time. And when you are trying to eat “real” food, anything that saves time is so helpful! To freeze this sauce, allow it to cool completely, then divide it into containers that will seal tightly for the freezer.
Spaghetti Squash
Serve this healthy past sauce over spaghetti squash for a low-carb, low-sugar meal, or use it as you would any spaghetti sauce!
Healthy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Healthy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce recipe has no added sugar! It's meaty, thick, full of Italian flavor and great served over traditional pasta or spaghetti squash for a low-carb meal.
Servings 20 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 cans tomato puree 29 ounces each
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, with juice 14.5 ounces each
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons basil
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef along with the garlic. Drain.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a low boil, stirring often.
- Once the sauce is heated through and at a low boil, reduce the burner temperature to low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Serve immediately or allow the sauce to cool, then package it in freezer-safe containers for easy storage.
Video
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 2.5 quarts of sauce, with 1 serving being ½ cup. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 3mg
Novice cook here… How long will the sauce keep in the freezer? Do you put it in the fridge during the work day to thaw, then it’s ready later?
We’ve frozen the sauce for up to 2 months. Yes, thawing in the fridge is perfect.
I made this tonight. It’s awesome❣️ No sugary sweet taste! I was reluctant to add the lemon juice as I didn’t know what the benefit would be.
Can I use canned tomato sauce instead of purée?
Yes, it is a little more runny than canned tomato puree and won’t have as strong a tomato flavor, but it should work.
Is this healthy for the heart and is it low in fat and sodium 😊
I use italian sausage instead of ground beef and add a grated carrot to reduce the acid which is basically what the sugar is added for.
If you want a real flavor boost that is really Italian, while you’re browning the beef & garlic add some finely minced carrots, some minced onion and, most important, one or two mashed anchovy filets. Nobody will recognize the fish, and you will be amazed at how they give a real depth of flavor to your otherwise ordinary sauce!
Made it tonight for my fam and they loved it! I added rosemary and went without the crushed red peppers for my wonderful aunt who doesn’t like any spice. I only used 1.3lbs of beef and I love how it is a large volume with less protein to cut down on calories and red meat consumption (it filled to the top of my sauce pan). I also didn’t measure anything, used very little salt, and I used whole grain penne pasta. Next time I might consider dicing my own tomato’s. Thanks for the recipe (:
If I use regular fresh tomatoes, how many would I need?
It totally depends on how big they are, but I would plan on between 4-6 tomatoes (about 3-4 cups of diced tomatoes)
I’ve made this twice and it’s an instant favorite! Way better than store bought!
Homemade spaghetti sauce is so much cleaner tasting! Not all the additives. Very seldom I use jarred. Very seldom! Homemade comes together quickly. Allow it to cook slowly for hours! Congratulations, your sauce is wonderful! I do add a small carrot for NATURAL sweetness! Red wine too! (Not cooking wine). I really like your site.