This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Great Grandma’s Pasta Sauce has been passed down through the generations and it originated from a friend’s Italian great great grandmother. It is the most delicious, rich, flavorful, pasta sauce I’ve ever had in my entire life and I can’t wait for you to try it!

Email Yourself This Recipe!
Get the recipe link sent to your inbox! PLUS, we’ll send you fresh recipes weekly!

What makes great grandma’s pasta sauce so special?

My friend told me that for every Christmas and get together, his grandmother used to make her famous pasta dish.

It’s made with this homemade pasta sauce that simmers on the stove for hours.

This pasta sauce is like liquid gold.

It’s the most delicious, rich, flavorful, pasta sauce I’ve ever had in my entire life.

This pasta sauce was actually from his great grandmother who came over from Italy. YOU KNOW it’s good when it’s from a legit Italian. Not some Chef Boyardee character.

The secret to this sauce is the simmering process.

Low and slow, baby. That’s how all the flavors develop and marry one another in a sweet, luscious concoction.

If you want to taste what the Italians are so blessed with over in Italy, I suggest you give this pasta sauce a try. You won’t ever go back to your plain ‘ol marinara that you thought was good. This sauce here is genius.

And genuine.

Don’t hate on great grandma’s pasta sauce

As you can see in the comments section below, there was some haterade on this pasta sauce.

There is a multitude of ways to make pasta sauce. I am not claiming this is THE right and ONLY way to make it.

This is how his family makes it.

If this isn’t the way “your” Italian grandmother or mother or whatever makes it…please don’t yell at me and tell me so.

Recipes are passed down from generations for a reason.

Every recipe is different. Every recipe is modified for each family.

There no “right” way to make something. That is why recipes bring such joy in the kitchen; they can be changed up.

I’m bringing this up because of comments I’ve gotten about this recipe and thus have turned off commenting for that very reason.

This pasta sauce is so easy to make!

You literally need the most basic of ingredients:

  • Ground beef
  • Tomato puree
  • Garlic
  • Spices
  • Fresh basil
  • Water

Can I freeze this pasta sauce?

To be honest, I haven’t tried to freeze this before but I know others who have and it’s fine! I would put it in one of those plastic takeout containers and reheat on the stovetop (like defrost it then plop it into a saucepan).

Can this pasta sauce be made in the slow cooker?

Technically, yes, because the idea is to cook it low and slow. I haven’t done it myself but I know others have done it so I’d put it on low for 3-4 hours!

So many great recipes that you could use great grandma’s pasta sauce recipe in:

Grab the recipe for great grandma’s pasta sauce below and be prepared to get wrapped up in comfort!

Rate Print
4.63 from 97 votes

Great Grandma’s Pasta Sauce

By: Julie Chiou
If you want to taste what the Italians are so blessed with over in Italy, I suggest you give this pasta sauce a try. You won’t ever go back to your plain ‘ol marinara that you thought was good. This sauce here is beyond genuine and you will love it!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound (454 g) 80/20 ground beef OR 90/10 ground beef
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 6 ounce (170 g) can tomato paste
  • 24 ounce (680 g) jar tomato puree
  • Pinch of dried oregano
  • Pinch of onion powder
  • Pinch of garlic powder
  • Handful of fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6 ounces (170 ml) water

Instructions 

  • In a large stockpot, saute garlic until soft and fragrant in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, about 2 minutes.
    5-6 cloves garlic
  • Add your meat in with the garlic and brown until meat has been thoroughly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
    1 pound (454 g) 80/20 ground beef OR 90/10 ground beef, Salt and pepper
  • Pour in the tomato paste, tomato puree, and seasoning, including the fresh basil and sugar. Stir to mix well. With the 6 oz. can from the tomato paste, fill that with water and pour it in the stockpot as well.
    6 ounce (170 g) can tomato paste, 24 ounce (680 g) jar tomato puree, Pinch of dried oregano, Pinch of onion powder, Pinch of garlic powder, Handful of fresh basil, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 6 ounces (170 ml) water
  • Let mixture simmer, uncovered, for 2 or more hours (the longer the better, but minimum 2 hours), stirring occasionally.
  • Serve hot over fresh pasta.

Notes

A lot of people have asked about freezing this. I have not personally done this myself but I believe if you freeze this in an airtight container or a jar, it will be ok for up to 2 months. Do not freeze it immediately after making it. You’ll want it to cool to room temperature before putting the jar or container in the freezer to prevent cracking.
On making this in the slow cooker: I’ve never made this in the slow cooker before, however, I believe it’s pretty do-able. This is what I would do: brown your meat, put it in the insert of the crockpot, then add all the other ingredients, stir, cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2 hours.
Email Yourself This Recipe!
Get the recipe link sent to your inbox! PLUS, we’ll send you fresh recipes weekly!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 9g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 15g
Hide Disclaimers

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

Photography by Jesse Reilly

You May Also Like...

308 Comments

  1. Pam says:

    I love to cook Italian food–officially, I have grabbed your recipe and made it my own….this is the BEST spaghetti sauce that has ever graced my table…..BRAVO & thanks for sharing!!

  2. Tammy Todd says:

    This sauce or gravy is the best I’ve ever tasted. I could eat spaghetti everyday if I could. This is definitely a keeper for now on. Thank you for sharing.

  3. Sara says:

    Loved this! I love making my own sauce but I’m no chef. This was an awesome base. I followed exactly except to add a few whole garlic cloves bc I am a garlic lover, a teeny extra fresh purple basil (leftovers in the garden) and dried thyme and parsley. The house smelled AH-MAZING while it was simmering. Next time I might try half ground beef-half sausage just because we’re part of a meat co-op and we always have a ton of both on hand. Thanks so much for sharing!!

  4. Stephanie Carter says:

    Unfortunately this recipe is too small for my family, I would like to add it to my recipe app so I can easily multiply the ingredients. How big would you say your pinches are? 1/8th tsp maybe? We are so sick of jarred sauce and my mother in laws recipe is, eh alright, and that’s after major tweaking so I’m really excited to try this.

    1. Julie Wampler says:

      You can easily do serving changes in all my recipes. If you look at the servings, just change the number and the other measurements change along with it.

  5. Beth H says:

    Unfortunately I do not have Italian in my heritage, so I don’t have a solid reference point. However I have tried many sauces and/or gravies from Sicilian friends or relatives of friends or acquaintances . This is the best. I don’t care what it is called, gravy or sauce. Second time making in two weeks. This time I am doubling an freezing a portion. Made no adjustments. Thanks Julie!

    1. Julie Wampler says:

      So glad to hear this! Thank you so much for writing!

  6. Whitney says:

    This has been a staple in our home for some time now. My 10 year old started helping me make it when she was in preschool, and I know it’ll be something she’ll take with her into adulthood. My family seriously expects it weekly and when we have extra kids over for dinner they always request it! Thank you so much for sharing something that has now become a tradition for my family.

    1. Julie Wampler says:

      Awwww this meant the world to me to read this. Thank you for sharing and I’m so glad your family loves it so much.

  7. Kyle says:

    Soo good i made this tonight thank you for sharing your recipe

    1. Julie Wampler says:

      Anytime!!

  8. Megan says:

    Can you tell me what a serving size is? The nutrition facts just say “one serving”. Thanks!

    1. Julie Wampler says:

      A serving size is about 1 cup of sauce

  9. Robin says:

    Loved by the whole family. No need to say more about that.Thank you so much for sharing it. As far as rude people making rude comments. Block and ignore them is the best thing to do. They must have a sad life.

    1. Julie Wampler says:

      Thanks so much!!

  10. Jae says:

    Love this recipe, however I found it to be much too sweet for me with the whole two tablespoons. Once I took it down a notch it was absolutely perfect. Thank you for sharing this! I wont use any other recipe now.