Make this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe and have dinner on the table in an hour. Cooks in the microwave for an easy and fresh family dinner!
This homemade spaghetti sauce recipe is one that is near and dear to my heart. My grandmother made this spaghetti sauce and then after her, my mom made it. Before my mom passed away, but after she stopped cooking, my dad asked if I would give it a try. Well…of course we all know the answer to that. So I took my mom’s recipe home and gave it my best shot. It took a few tries, but soon my dad told me that it tasted just like my mom’s. In my book, there is no higher compliment than that. This homemade spaghetti sauce recipe tastes like you cooked it all day, but it only takes an hour…and you cook it in the microwave!
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons minced onion I used dried
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar or 1 pkg. sweetener
- Pepper to taste
- 12 oz. can Contadina Tomato Paste
- 6 c. water
- 1 lb. pasta
Instructions
- In a large covered casserole combine olive oil, onion, salt, garlic powder, sugar, and pepper.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add tomato paste and whisk again.
- Add water in 2 cup increments, gently whisking to combine between additions.
- Cook on high in the microwave for 1 hour, covered.
- During last 20 minute cooking increment, boil 1 lb. pasta according to package directions.
- When pasta and sauce are done, toss together. Garnish with basil if desired. Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
You can, of course, use other brands of tomato paste. My dad swears by Contadina so that's what I use. Cooked ground beef or cooked meatballs can be added to sauce during the last five minutes of cooking time.
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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe Tips
- I’m not sure when my mom started cooking this spaghetti sauce in the microwave. I know my grandmother used her stove top which is an option, but I don’t have any idea on the cooking time.
- This makes the perfect amount of sauce for one pound of pasta.
- I use a lidded 2 1/2 quart oval casserole dish.
- Feel free to add cooked ground meat or cooked meatballs to the sauce when it’s finished. My kids like it that way, but my dad likes it meatless. One of the best things about making this spaghetti sauce is that about halfway through the cooking time, the house begins to smell like an Italian bistro!
- This spaghetti sauce freezes extremely well. For smaller servings, make the full batch, but divide it in half before freezing.
- During the cooking time, condensation will appear in your microwave. I don’t worry about this until I’m finished cooking the spaghetti sauce. I wipe the microwave down well with a clean towel when the sauce is done and it shines like it’s new.
When I shared this recipe on Instagram, someone asked a question about the cooking time. The person thought an hour was a long time to have something in the microwave and asked if the sauce had ever blown up. Just in case you were wondering, no it hasn’t! Using the 20 minute increments allows the microwave to be opened and the casserole lid to be removed…so no worries.
Until next time…
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