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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
Hi Everyone! I just want to clarify that this is not ‘the sauce’ that only ‘true Italians’ make. What it is though, is the sauce that my great grandmother made, which was passed down to my grandmother, and then to my mother, and now Julie and I. When people say that we should use this meat, that meat, real this, fresh that, it sort of defeats the purpose and insults the history of my family’s recipe. My great grandmother and great grandfather emigrated to the United States in the early 20th century when the large influx of Italian immigrants to this country occurred through Ellis Island. My great grandmother from Rome, and my great grandfather from Ischia, off the coast of Naples.
They emigrated separately, and wound up in Southern West Virginia where they met and began their American lives together. My great grandfather worked in coal mines his entire life while he and my great grandmother raised 9 children together. Money was not abundant, and they used ingredients which were readily available and affordable to them at the time. One of the many definitions of authentic is: conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features. Could we change what ingredients are used? Sure, but then we would be missing the point of this recipe.
This recipe is as much a time capsule and a reflection of my family’s history as it is something to put on top of pasta.
Jayson the future husband. I appreciate the respect you have for your family. Telling your story of your precious grandmothers goes to the truth of family story telling. Thank you for keeping them very much alive through food blogging for love of family. I was thinking while reading complaints, critical suggestions and weird observations that these people were not taking into consideration all historical facts of life through different economic conditions. People all over the world resource what is at hand at the time. This is our food on the table history. We eat and are grateful for the most part. We respect our family’s sacrifices so that we came to be. Your Great grandfather slaved in the W. Virginia coal mines for penny’s a day. His wife turned those pennies into plated love for 9 children. That resulted in your lovely to be wife sharing her love for your family in a blog. And here we are reading your family’s journey into this country which was not easy by any measure. From Ellis Island to the Internet I thank you, your family and your sweet fiancé for sharing hearts in a pot to nourish our body’s and spirits. I also apologize for the thoughtlessness of others that lack the ability to do so themselves.
this is such a traditional recipe and you make it look easy. The picture absolutely drew me in. I love the angle and how rich you made the sauce look. I could drink it.
Let me start by saying I am Italian. There’s a million different ways to make spaghetti sauce.I never add sugar in any sauce.And I I only use fresh herbs,real onions and garlic instead of the powdered stuff.Fresh ingredients always taste better. Try using baking soda to cut the acidity instead of sugar. Just sprinkle a little over the sauce while it is cooking.It has no taste and works very well. However if you use a good brand of canned tomatoes you won’t have to add any at all. The major difference from an authentic sauce prepared in Italy to an American one is that is its more savory,while the American is sweeter.Finally the type of spaghetti/pasta and cheese will make all the difference to the final dish. Trying using an imported brand of pasta.It really tastes better.
Hi Julie! I make a sauce similar to this on occasion, only instead of ground beef, I make a braciole (usually flank steak stuffed with cheese, garlic, parlsey, and bread crumbs)brown it, then take it out, make the sauce, and return the meat to the sauce to cook. My grandmother from Naples always made it this way, because she could not serve meat and pasta on the same plate! So we would eat the pasta with sauce first, and the sliced up braciole for the 2nd course. On really special occasions, she would cook sausage and braciole in the sauce. I want to cry just remembering those days! Oh, and I currently LIVE in Italy, and have made sauce like this for Italian friends who have enjoyed it very much. It is a bit different than the way locals here make their sauce, but I’ve never had anyone leave annoyed because I used dried oregano instead of fresh! ;)
Tragedy averted! The bitterness simmered out beautifully. We were left with a rich tomato sauce with lots of depth of flavor. Lovely sauce, thanks!
Sorry I never got back to you! Been doing some car shopping today! I’m glad you figured it out and it turned out great for you :)
I have this simmering on the stove right now! Looks amazing and was very simple. Question though: It just began the simmer so I know it has to go for a few hours at least, but on initially tasting, it is very bitter, will that simmer out of the sauce? I did double the recipe but otherwise followed it to a T.
This is just like the “secret” recipe given to my mother by an old Italian woman who came to America to cook at our family restaurant when I was little. She barely spoke English. (Many years ago.) She told my mother the ‘last’ secret ingredient just before she died… cinnamon!!
I second the cinnamon! I always had a pinch of cinnamon to this sauce. I was looking through comments just to see if anyone else said this. :D
The sauce was awesome!
This is similar to how I make my sauce, but with vegan sausage. You can’t tell the difference and its a lot healthier for you and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
I’ve made this sauce 3 times now and I just wanted to finally thank you for sharing it! It’s wonderful and for a newbie cook like me super easy to make. Thank you, thank you!! My husband and I love this sauce!