Rarely do I come across an Italian spaghetti sauce recipe that’s worth sharing but this has got to be one of them. This is one of those spaghetti sauce recipes that has been passed down through the family because it’s just so darn good.
I absolutely love Italian food with all those rich savory pasta recipes and spaghetti is no exception. Spaghetti is often a person’s first exposure to the rich complex flavor of tasty Italian pasta sauce recipes and this Italian spaghetti sauce recipe can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship!
Let me introduce you.
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What I Love About Italian Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
This Italian spaghetti sauce recipe is like a whole new world of flavor I can wait to introduce you to. It’s thick, genuine, delicious and a little sweet all combined into one single cohesive flavor profile. Here are some other awesome qualities about this recipe.
- Fragrant Italian spices
- Great for meal prep
- Savory and delicious
- Continually developing flavor
- No sugar in the recipe
Italian Pasta Sauce Recipe Notes
This particular spaghetti sauce recipe is full of deep rich flavors that are easy to develop with the right techniques. All it takes is a few simple tricks of the trade and I’m gonna’ show you what they are. Once you try this Italian spaghetti sauce recipe, I doubt you’ll make it any other way. Here’s what you need to know.
Letting the pork neck sit in salt and pepper for 30 minutes seems like a rather subjective process but you don’t want to skip this step. It helps coax out the pork’s most succulent natural flavors to build a sauce that is out of this world.
Cook everything in the same pot too. From building the fond to deglazing the pan, to the 3-hour simmer time – this is where you really build your flavor.
Also, when browning your pork necks be sure to leave plenty of room between pieces. Overcrowding your pan prevents air circulation and encourages burning which will totally mess everything up. You may have to brown in a couple of batches.
Ingredient Notes
Building this homemade spaghetti sauce from scratch is much easier than it has to be if you’ve got the ultimate spaghetti sauce secret ingredient. This Italian spaghetti sauce recipe isn’t a jar of pasta sauce add the paste.
This is the real deal and the flavor is Ah-ma-zing! Here’s a little about the main ingredients.
Pork Neck Bones – There you have it – the secret ingredient. I figured it best to go ahead and get it out of the way. Pork neck bones don’t have a ton of meat on them, but they add some intense flavor to broths and sauces.
They can sometimes be elusive in the grocery store but are almost always available if you as for them or visit your local Chinese or Korean market. Their typically dirt-cheap price point is an added bonus.
Grated Carrot – Believe it or not, the carrot isn’t just for cake! Using grated carrot adds that natural sweetness to your Italian spaghetti sauce recipe without the need for sugar. So – your spaghetti sauce will be healthy and delicious!
Onion & Garlic – Sautéing the aromatics along with the carrot not only adds fragrant yumminess to your sauce but it also brings out the sweeter more balanced flavor of the veggies. Also, doing this in the same pot where you browned your pork necks helps build your fond for a super flavorful sauce.
Red Wine – Okay my friends, this is a totally personal choice, but I prefer to use a decent tasting wine to deglaze my pan. Any red cooking wine will work just fine but if you aren’t crazy about it before you put it in the pan, it’s not going to taste any better in your sauce wither. You’ll also want to ensure you get all the tasty morsels off the bottom of the pan.
Tomato Products – Choosing a brand of tomato products you like will help ensure a better sauce. Preparing this awesome recipe doesn’t need to be expensive but it’s not the best time to grab the cheapest thing on the shelf either.
Red Pepper Flakes – This calls for ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. It’s not enough to give your sauce any heat but it will add some bold flavor. If it’s something that really bothers you then just omit it.
Grated Parmesan – Here’s another personal choice. Any grated parmesan works just fine in this recipe and it will taste fantastic. BUT, if you want it to melt into your sauce, then you’ll have to grate the parmesan yourself.
Processed parmesan in the little containers has anti-caking agents added to it which prevents it from melting. The sauce will be great either way.
Storing Tips
This Italian spaghetti sauce is like the superhero of spaghetti sauces and the fact that the flavor continues to develop is just icing on the cake. Of course, it does need to go into the fridge in a Ziploc bag or airtight container.
Can You Freeze This?
This freezes really, really well and the flavor continues to develop as it thaws. You can freeze it in any freezer-safe food-grade container or gallon-size Ziploc if you need freezer space. It’s best to slow thaw it in the fridge and then reheat it on the stove.
Make Ahead Tips
This makes enough for 2 pounds of pasta so making a batch is almost like doing meal prep. I typically make a batch of this sauce for dinner and freeze half of it.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
This will stay good in the fridge up to 4 days when stored properly in an airtight container and it will taste even better than the day you first threw it in the fridge.
Spaghetti Sauce Recipe Variations
Making spaghetti sauce isn’t difficult and there are a thousand different flavor varieties. Small changes can give you subtle taste variations that can help you make this Italian spaghetti sauce your own. Here are just a few suggestions.
- Try using mild Italian sausage instead of hamburger
- Add mushrooms for an extra meaty flavor
- Make it with half fresh and half processed parmesan
- Use fresh basil in the seasonings
- Try different brands of red wine
What Other Tomatoes Can I Use?
This Italian spaghetti sauce is an ingenious combination of robust flavors that only intensify when you make homemade spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes. If you are doing some long-term meal prep you can also try canning spaghetti sauce to preserve all that yumminess.
What Other Types Of Alcohol Can I Use?
The different types of alcohol that can be used to deglaze your pan often depend on the type of sauce you’re making. For instance, red wine works best for this recipe, but you could also make a white wine pasta sauce with a different recipe. Vodka sauce pasta is another popular favorite that’s got a ton of flavor.
Can I Add Alfredo Sauce To This Recipe?
The parmesan cheese adds a nice creamy cheesy factor to this Italian spaghetti sauce recipe, so I’ve never really tried adding alfredo sauce to it. It’s always tasted so good I never felt like I needed to add anything extra.
Now I have been in moods where I just wanted a nice big bowl of pasta tossed in light alfredo sauce. The richer the alfredo sauce, the closer to Olive Garden alfredo sauce flavor.
What Other Meaty Pasta Sauce Can I Try?
I think this makes one of my favorite pasta sauces but when I’m ready for a change sometimes I’ll make a spaghetti meat sauce with Bolognese. It’s another simple Italian recipe with big flavors.
What Other Sauces Can I Use My Excess Tomatoes?
If you’ve already got some of this awesome spaghetti sauce in the freezer and you’ve got some excess tomatoes you need to use up, you can always make a lasagna sauce or even try this marinara sauce recipe. You can also make a crockpot spaghetti sauce to take to the new neighbor down the street or have it for dinner yourself.
Italian Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork neck bones
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1/4 cup carrot grated
- 8 cloves garlic rough chopped
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce can) tomato sauce
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cup water more if needed to thin sauce
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasonings
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Dry off neck bones with paper towels. Place in a medium mixing bowl and toss with 3 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, brown the ground beef. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
- Add the neck bones to the same pot and brown in batches, allowing about 1/2 inch pan space to show between pieces. Remove to a plate; set aside. Drain and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.
- Add the onions, carrot, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat until the onion is translucent. Turn up the heat a bit, add the wine, and deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up all the brown bits.
- To pot add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and 1 cup water. Add ground beef and neck bones back to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat immediately and simmer for 2- 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Stir in parmesan and cook for another 30 minutes. Sauce can be thinned with water.
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More Pasta Sauce Recipes
The right sauce can make pasta a wholesome cost-effective meal at any time of the year and there are so many different flavors to choose from. When people think pasta, they naturally think spaghetti but there are lots of different pasta sauce recipes. Here are some of my FAVS for you to try.
- Carbonara Sauce – makes an easy meal with a rich creamy flavor.
- Pumpkin Pasta Sauce – infuse the tasty flavor of pumpkin into your pasta.
- Lemon Pasta Sauce – a tangy zesty sauce that comes together easily.
- Pesto Sauce – there are so many different things you can use this for.
- Cheese Sauce for Pasta – maybe even better than alfredo.
Conclusion
Next time you decide to have spaghetti for dinner, pull out this Italian spaghetti sauce recipe. Its rich deep flavors just beg for pasta and a little garlic bread doesn’t hurt either.
This recipe is my go-to spaghetti sauce and it is a popular family favorite. I make it for friendly get-togethers, family dinners, and even potluck suppers.
Once you try it, I just know you’re going to love it too.
Looks delicious. What do you do with the neck bones after the sauce is cooked?
Hi Vince. I remove and discard the bones. The meat will have fallen off the bones and integrated with the sauce.