Looking for a quick and easy homemade spaghetti sauce recipe that freezes well and tastes great? This is my modified version of a recipe I found in a freezer cookbook. I use it often when I’m freezer cooking for my family. It’s perfect for spaghetti, meatballs and lasagna. This sauce is especially great for my cheese shells recipe. It practically cooks itself and can be made in large quantities and split up for quick reheating right when you need it.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce For the Freezer
Ingredients:
Makes 12 cups
2 1/2 cups cooked ground beef (this amounts to about 1 lb)
1/2 cup – 1 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 cup chopped green pepper
24 oz. tomato sauce
12 oz. tomato paste
2 cups water
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Directions for Cooking
Mix together cooked ground beef, onion, garlic, green pepper, tomato sauce, tomato paste water, oregano, basil and black pepper in a large saucepan or crock pot. Simmer at least one hour in saucepan or 6 to 8 hours on low in the crock pot. Cool completely before storing.
The longer you simmer this sauce, the thicker it will become. You can check it periodically so that it cooks to your specifications. You can slowly stir it every once in a while
to make sure the sauce doesn’t scorch on the bottom. If possible, spray your crock pot or saucepan to keep the sauce from sticking if you forget to stir it!
This recipe can be multiplied if you want to make even larger quantities. You can also double the amount of meat in your sauce if desired. If you do this, you may need to add more tomato sauce if the consistency is too thick.
Freezing the Spaghetti Sauce
There are several ways to store this sauce. You can freeze according to the amount that you will need at a time. After it is completely cooled, you can pour it into quart or one gallon freezer bags and freeze them flat to maximize space. Or you can use rigid freezer containers if you have the space.
When you need the sauce, simply heat it in a pot over medium low heat after letting it thaw in the fridge overnight. It tastes fantastic! You can use it for your family or share it with someone in need.
Photo Credit: Desiree Tonas
