Spaghetti or pasta is a favorite weeknight go-to dinner for many families. It is for us too.
I used to reach for a jar of prepared pasta sauce, but once I figured out that homemade pasta sauce didn’t have to take all day to make, I rarely grab the jar.
Instead, I use some version of this recipe. It starts with a can of Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes. Well, actually I started this version with the Italian sausage, but the crushed tomatoes are the main ingredient.
The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta. It’s so easy! Homemade is so much better than store-bought and it’s just about as easy as opening a jar.
Italian sausage and plenty of herbs spice up the good tomato flavor. It’s fantastic over any type of pasta.
Here’s what you’ll need:
I automatically grabbed the olive oil, but it isn’t necessary for this Italian sausage version. If I’m making the sauce without meat, then I use olive oil to cook the onion and garlic.
Quick and Easy Homemade Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1-2 cloves garlic crushed
- 28 oz can Red Gold crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp. basil
- 1.5 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. thyme leaves
- 1 tsp. parsley
- pinch of sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown sausage in skillet with onion and garlic.
- Drain fat from meat, if needed.
- Add remaining ingredients to the sausage in the skillet.
- Heat over medium heat while pasta cooks.
This recipe is also good with hamburger instead of sausage. Or make it vegetarian and leave out the meat. Add mushrooms, bell peppers…use your imagination and the contents of your pantry. You can’t mess it up!
Disclosure: This recipe was created for Red Gold. I have been compensated for my time, however all opinions are my own.
I love the simplicity of Italian cuisine. And its extensive use of tomatoes! Amount of lycopene you get with them increases during ripening and cooking process – which means the more tomato sauce you eat, the younger and healthier you look, YEY! 🙂