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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!
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!
Great Grandma’s Pasta Sauce
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
Nutrition
Photography by Jesse Reilly
This is a lot like my granny’s recipe. She is 100% Italian. Lots of basil makes it; sugar is a must. Never heard of coffee though as some mentioned. And for the name…red gravy was a common name for it growing up by both my maternal and paternal grandmothers, whom are both of Italian descent. Not sure if “red gravy” is a southern term down here in new orleans or if it came straight out of Italy.
Well…..I made this recipe on Sunday, on the stovetop, and it was AMAZING!!! My whole family enjoyed it and I cannot wait to make this recipe a regular part of our meals. Italian sausage and in the crock pot will be next!
Thank you posting this! I found it through Pinterest and I’ve never made my own sauce/gravy before. This recipe is not intimidating for me AT ALL and I’m super excited about trying it! One question – do you think, after the intitial steps, could you be placed in a crock pot on low for the day? Would it have the same wonderful taste? I’m a HUGE crock pot user since I work FT, but this could always be a Sunday simmer, I suppose.
Oh yes! That would make the sauce SOO tasty and amazing!! The flavors would marinade together all day – great idea, I’d totally do it if I were you! :)
P.S.
Chef Boyardee is real….
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chef_Boyardee
P.P.S. pictures are making me drooooooool!!!
Hi Julie – just found you through Pinterest too, via this particular recipe, which, btw, looks phenomenal. I used to date a half-Italian whose mom’s recipe was pretty much exactly like this one. It would cook all day long and end up being a nectar of the gods. Can’t wait to try this! On another note, I was dying to read up after looking at the pictures and then stumbled upon the word “infamous” in the first sentence and thought, “Huh?” You might want to fix that! :) Have a great day.
As an Italian, that’s pretty much how you do it! lol In my house, optimally, the sauce will cook for 24 hours or more. Don’t throw the meatballs or sausage in until a couple of hours before you plan on serving it. We have a huge old cast iron pot that ours is made in.. only we add 2 cans of tomato puree and a can or two of water (especially because we cook it so long). The one thing that’s missing from Jason’s recipe and I’m surprised it’s not there, is bay leaves! Add a couple and the key ingredient in my families is Locatelli pecorino-romano cheese. It adds a touch of salt and a nice bite to the sauce.. I often eat it only with bread! lol
Julie, I justed started reading your blog today through a Pin on Pinterest and I love it! I have to say you show far more restraint with Sande than I would have! Life’s too short to be aggravated by petty minded people who think their (note the proper spelling -lol!) way is the right way. I know because I USED to be married to one – nothing you can say or do will make any difference to them and they’ll just keep responding to stir the pot. Ignore her (or him!) and she’ll go away. Taste is a very personal thing. I can’t wait to try your recipes. Your photography is absolute perfection. Keep sharing those recipes!
:)
Aw – thank you so much for this comment, Wendy. Taste is a very personal thing and although I respect that everyone has their own opinions & ways of making things – she was completely out of line. Thanks for being a loyal reader :) have a wonderful day!
Thanks for sharing the recipe. It’s very similar to my Italian Nonna’s recipe. It’s nice to see these traditional recipes being handed down to our generation of cooks. On that note, as an actual Italian American who knows what I’m talking about (not a non-Italian who got her recipes from her boyfriend’s grandma 40 years ago) I thought I might clarify a few sterotypical misconceptions that a certain previous commenter perpetuated. Italians never call sauce “gravy.” It is not a word that exists in the Italian language. “Gravy” is a regional term used mainly by East Coast Italian Americans. As a California Italian, we never use that term and have only heard it while watching “The Sopranos.” Above all, there is not just one type of sauce, so ignore any criticism of your sauce recipe. Any good Italian cook has an arsenal of sauces used with a variety of dishes. One of the beauties of Italian cooking is the appreciation for variety in cooking, both among individual cooks and regionally. Italian cooking is a constant evolution of tradition and experiment. Thanks for keeping that spirit alive!
Thank you, Santina for this comment!! :) :) some people just have no idea what they’re talking and love causing drama ;)
Sorry, late to the party grammar stickler here. Your=possesive of you. You’re=you are. If YOU’RE going to be rude, at least check YOUR grammar first. At least she didn’t need to use their, or there, or they’re.
Omg, I’m totally the grammar police too! Her grammar was atrocious!!
Your blog is awesome and I look forward to reading it everyday!