You can turn two cans of plain tomato sauce into a well-seasoned spaghetti sauce in just 20 minutes. This spaghetti sauce using tomato sauce requires no tomato paste, chopping or fresh ingredients, making it especially helpful when the pantry is looking sparse or dinner needs to stay simple.
I created this recipe during the early days of 2020, when grocery shelves were unpredictable and many of us were cooking with whatever we already had.
The combination is intentionally uncomplicated: oregano and Italian seasoning provide the familiar herby flavor, garlic and onion powder eliminate extra chopping, and a small amount of sugar softens the acidity of the canned sauce.
It quickly became one of the most popular spaghetti sauce recipes on Pip and Ebby, and readers continue to make it years later. Keep it meatless, add cooked ground beef or spoon it over any pasta you have on hand for an affordable dinner that reliably fills hungry bellies.
Why This Recipe Works
- It turns basic tomato sauce into spaghetti sauce. If you have two 15-ounce cans of tomato sauce and a handful of common seasonings, you already have what you need.
- There is no chopping or sautéing. Onion powder and garlic powder add flavor without requiring fresh ingredients or additional prep.
- The sauce is ready in 20 minutes. A short simmer gives the dried herbs time to soften and allows the seasonings to blend into the tomato sauce.
- You control what goes into it. Adjust the sugar, salt and seasonings to suit your family instead of relying on the flavor of a jarred sauce.
- It is inexpensive and flexible. Serve it as a simple meatless pasta sauce, add browned ground beef or Italian sausage, or use it anywhere you need a quick red sauce.
Ingredients and Notes
- Tomato sauce: Two 15-ounce cans create the base of the sauce. Use plain, unseasoned tomato sauce so you can control the final flavor.
- Sugar: A small amount balances the acidity of the tomatoes without making the spaghetti sauce noticeably sweet. You can reduce or omit it if preferred.
- Oregano and Italian seasoning: Using both gives the sauce a fuller blend of familiar Italian herbs.
- Salt and black pepper: These simple seasonings enhance the tomatoes and bring the other flavors together. Adjust the salt to taste, especially if your canned tomato sauce contains added sodium.
- Onion powder and garlic powder: These pantry staples provide savory flavor without chopping or sautéing fresh onion and garlic.
How To Make Spaghetti Sauce With Tomato Sauce
- Combine the ingredients. Add the tomato sauce, sugar, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to a medium saucepan. Stir until combined.
- Bring the sauce to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to boil, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from scorching.
- Serve over pasta. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Spoon the sauce over cooked pasta and top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Easy Recipe Variations
- Know what to expect. This recipe makes a smooth, simply seasoned spaghetti sauce rather than a thick, chunky sauce. For more texture, add diced, crushed or fresh tomatoes and allow the sauce to simmer a little longer.
- Make it meaty. Brown 1 pound of ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage in a large skillet. Drain any excess grease, add the sauce ingredients and simmer as directed.
- Use fresh onion or garlic. Sauté chopped onion or minced garlic in a little olive oil before adding the tomato sauce and seasonings. Cooking them first softens their texture and mellows their flavor.
- Add some heat. Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the other seasonings.
- Make it chunkier. Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes. The additional tomatoes will increase the amount of sauce and may require a slightly longer simmer.
- Add fresh flavor. Stir in chopped fresh basil or grated Parmesan shortly before serving. Dried basil can be added with the other seasonings.
- Adjust the sweetness. The 2 teaspoons of sugar balance the acidity without making the sauce noticeably sweet. Taste the sauce after it simmers, then add more sugar 1 teaspoon at a time if desired.
Storage and Freezing
Allow leftover spaghetti sauce to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen sauce overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or warm individual portions in the microwave.
Ways To Use Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
This simple sauce can replace a jar of store-bought pasta sauce in many of your favorite comfort-food recipes. Here are a few easy ways to use it:
- Spoon it over spaghetti or any cooked pasta and finish with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Use it to make Baked Spaghetti, Baked Ziti, Lasagna or Cheesy Manicotti.
- Pair it with Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs for an easy family dinner.
- Spoon it over cooked spaghetti squash for a lighter option.
- Serve it as a dipping sauce with breadsticks, garlic bread or mozzarella sticks.
- Use extra sauce for one of these recipes using leftover spaghetti sauce.
- And yes, I’ve been known to spoon leftover sauce over scrambled eggs. It may sound unusual, but it works!
FAQs
Can you make spaghetti sauce with tomato sauce?
Yes. Plain canned tomato sauce is an excellent shortcut base for spaghetti sauce. Add oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and a small amount of sugar, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
If you have tomato paste instead, use this recipe for how to make spaghetti sauce with tomato paste.
How do you thicken tomato sauce for spaghetti?
Simmer the sauce uncovered so excess liquid can evaporate. If you prefer an even thicker spaghetti sauce, add tomato paste 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Find additional solutions in my guide explaining how to thicken pasta sauce.
How much spaghetti sauce does this recipe make?
This recipe makes approximately 4 cups of spaghetti sauce, which is comparable to one large jar of store-bought pasta sauce. It is enough for about 1 pound of cooked pasta, depending on how saucy you like it.
What is the difference between marinara and spaghetti sauce?
Marinara is typically a simple tomato-based sauce made with garlic and herbs. Spaghetti sauce is a broader term and may include additional seasonings, vegetables or meat. Read more about marinara vs. spaghetti sauce before deciding which one works best in your recipe.
Can you freeze homemade spaghetti sauce?
Yes. Cool the sauce completely and freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, leaving room for expansion. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat.
Spaghetti Sauce Using Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 30 oz plain tomato sauce
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients. Add the tomato sauce, sugar, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to a medium saucepan. Stir until combined.
- Bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to boil, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and serve. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Spoon over cooked pasta and top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Video
Notes
- For a meat sauce: Brown 1 pound of ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage in a large skillet. Drain the grease, add the sauce ingredients and simmer as directed.
- For a chunkier sauce: Add diced, crushed or chopped fresh tomatoes. Simmer slightly longer if needed.
- For additional flavor: Add red pepper flakes, sautéed onion, minced garlic or dried basil with the seasonings. Fresh basil and grated Parmesan can be stirred in shortly before serving.
- Adjust the sweetness: The sugar balances the acidity of the tomato sauce. Reduce or omit it if preferred, or add more 1 teaspoon at a time after tasting.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooled sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.This recipe makes a smooth, simply seasoned spaghetti sauce. For a thicker or chunkier sauce, add tomato paste, diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes and simmer a little longer.
Nutrition
Megan Porta is a comfort food recipe creator who specializes in easy family meals and Instant Pot desserts, and the founder of Pip and Ebby. She has been cooking for three decades and developing recipes for over fifteen years, helping home cooks make reliable, cozy recipes for real life.
Hey.. Just tried this sauce myself.. pretty good. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Romeo! Glad you liked it too!
I cut the recipe in half, for 1 person and added some olive oil, basil, red pepper flakes and some canned mushroom pieces. It came out really good and I will definitely make again.
Thank you for sharing that Joseph. Sounds great! I’m sure others will enjoy your tweaks.
Thank you so much for this. I am out of spaghetti but I have a few large cans of tomato sauce. I did a search and your recipe pops up. I used your recipe and added some celery salt, red pepper flakes, better than bullion beef base, and a pack of sazon with some cooked ground beef, onions, and green bell peppers. One of the best pots of spaghetti I ever made. Will definitely be making this more often
That is so encouraging to hear. Thank you for sharing – it’s so nice when we can use what we have on hand and find that gem of a meal!
I made this tonight and it rocked! I made it into a one pot dish. I cooked ground turkey and added the tomato sauce and all ingredients to the pot. I added 30 oz of water and 1 lb of peene pasta and allowed to steep on a medium low temperature for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pasta was tender. It was delicious. I did add extra oregano and garlic powder. This was a hit and I will make it again. Thank you!
Sherrie, thank you for trying it and sharing your version! Ground turkey is a great option. Glad it was enjoyed!
So easy and so good! Never going to buy spaghetti sauce again. Thanks!!
I whole heartedly agree. Thanks for sharing!
New family favorite! Especially for my picky 9 year old who doesn’t like chunky sauces.
Oh yes, that’s a win for her then! Glad everyone can enjoy it. Thanks for sharing!
this was a huge hit with my family using ingredients I already had in the house! Mixed in some meatballs and was perfect! Thanks for sharing!
Always a win when you can use what you have on hand! Glad the meatballs were the perfect finish! Thanks for sharing.
New family favorite!
Wonderful! So glad you gave it a try!
Simple easy and tasty!
I can’t disagree with that review! Thank you for trying it out and commenting.
Have you ever tried making a 3x or 4x batch in a crockpot? Any ideas on times/settings?
Great question! This would be easy to put together in a crockpot. You could cook it low and slow as long as you’d like! I like to let things simmer for a couple hours. The longer you let the sauce cook, the more flavorful it’ll be so it wouldn’t be wrong to let it cook longer.
I’ll be making this soon with a large can of San Marzano tomatoes (on sale at Costco lately). That’s why I sought-out this recipe. I’ve made a lot of pasta sauces over the years, from marinara to Arrabiata and Bolognese, but I’ve never made one with only tomato sauce. And this recipe looks very promising.
Do yourselves a favor and try San Marzano tomato sauce with this. And hold off on the sugar. You probably won’t need it.
Thank you for the tip! This is a great recipe to get started with and then add as you like!
Amazing, was absolutely delish,,,,the only way I’m having spaghetti sauce, store bought NO WAY HOSIE,,,,,thanx for the recipe,,xx
Love that we’ve converted you. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I have chicken on hand so I’m going to remove the flesh from the chicken legs and slice them up to add to the sauce. I intend to grind black garlic and add to the sauce too.
Great ideas! I hope you love it. Thank you for sharing!
I swear that this is the best spaghetti sauce recipe I ever made. The only thing different I did was add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Perfect! Glad you tweaked it for you and I agree, it’s amazing and delicious. Thanks for sharing!
So simple. So good!
Very easy and very tasty! Will make it again.
So glad you tried it and liked it!
Kid approved. Delicious!! No leftovers. Thanks for sharing
Those are the best reviews! So glad you got that win with your kids.
I’m going to make this, can it be any tomato sauce or low sodium?
Thank you!
It can be any tomato sauce and low sodium would work too. Thanks for asking!
I tripled this recipe as I want to freeze some to have on hand. It’s my opinion that the amount of black pepper needs to be cut in half! I added balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to try to cut it. I ending up having to strain it to get it out! It’s delicious now, but it was just all black pepper before! Super easy and delicious. I will make it again, with half of the black pepper!
Freezing it is a great way to do all the work up front and then enjoy it later. It’s such a great recipe to have on regular rotation. I’m glad you found what works for you on the pepper – love that cooking is all about tweaking it to your favorite taste!
Could you make a very large batch of this and can it using the water bath method?
Thanks for this! So easy and always have what’s needed on hand… delish!
This is also great on spaghetti squash!
Yes! It is delicious way to enjoy squash. Thank you for sharing!
Hi can I can this sauce in a water bath canner? I would be using quart jars. How long? Should I use citric acid in my jars? Thanks
That’s a great question! I know you can can sauce but I don’t do it myself so I don’t have any tips. Sorry!