Roni’s Homemade Sauce Made with Meat
By: Roni | Posted in: 1 WWP, Dinner Ideas, Food Photos, Pasta Ideas | 34 Comments
I posted this way back when on the weight loss blog but wanted to archive it here.
Originally, I was hesitant to post this idea being the kind of person who makes it a little different each time. If I have fresh ingredients I use them if not, dried works, I don’t really measure anything and I cook it all day on a Saturday or Sunday.
The husband has come to terms with that fact I have published “the family secret”. By far this is his absolute favorite dish of mine. Seriously, he can eat pasta with this sauce every day of his life and be happy.
Note: You can skip the meat but I think it adds a lot of flavor to the sauce. 
- Package of your favorite turkey sausage and/or meatballs
- 1 – 28oz large can of crushed tomatoes (I use furmanos)
- 2 – 15oz cans of petite diced tomatoes
- 2 – 6oz cans of tomato paste
- About 1-2 tbsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, dried parsley
- About 1 tbsp of dried oregano
- 1-3 crushed bay leaves (or you can leave them whole and fish them out later)
- A dash of crushed red and black pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
In a large pot, brown the sausage with the olive oil over medium heat to get a nice crust.
Add the crushed tomatoes and a full can of water (using the crushed tomato can), 2 cans of diced tomatoes and the 2 cans of paste with 2 paste cans of water.
Add in any meatballs frozen or homemade.
Turn up the heat to high and add all the spices.
Stir and bring to a boil, you should see pinkish red bubbles forming.
Once the bubbles form, lower the temperature to simmer and place the lid on the pot.
Cook all day (about 4-5 hours)! Make sure to stir occasionally!
Note: About halfway through cooking, take the lid off and the sauce will thicken a bit.
I am basing the nutritional information on the approximate number of servings we get out of one pot of sauce. I’ve never weighed the whole batch and sometimes I dilute leftovers with water to “stretch it”. Normally we serve around 15 plates of pasta.
| Servings | Calories | Fat | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 82 | 1g | 2g |
Other ideas you may enjoy... |
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[...] normally only make these meatballs when I make my homemade sauce but I thought they warranted their own post on the new food [...]
[...] sauce for dipping (or your favorite jarred [...]
[...] 2 cups Homemade sauce (or your favorite red [...]
[...] had leftover Turkey Meatballs from a batch of Homemade Sauce I made a few days ago. The husband is more of a sausage guy when he have pasta (weird, I know) so [...]
[...] something I hardly ever do. But, I do love it when it happens. I cleaned out closets, cooked Roni’s Spaghetti and meatballs, took down all the Christmas decorations, and just got a lot accomplished around the house. I [...]
Love the sauce – packaged it in sandwich bags, laid them flat on a jelly roll pan and froze them – then packaged the individual sandwich bags into a larger freezer bag.
Since the sandwich bags are flat and thin they thaw quickly.
Packaged meatballs separately so I can use them with this sauce, or in wraps, or whatever.
Love your site.
I first saw this recipe when you posted it before the crash and it has taken me this long to make it!
I cooked it for half a day on Monday (Pres. Holiday)and it is great. While I was making it and smelling it simmer, it brought back a memory of going to a friends house in high school. Her Italian mom always had homemade sauce simmering away and I loved the smell of it and it always tasted so good!
I made the meatballs too and they turned out excellent too. I didn’t add any turkey sausage to the sauce itself, just did the meatballs but I will in the future – I think it will give the sauce a little more something.
I too froze mine in “flat” ziploc packets. I am hoping they will help me in a pinch when there is nothing in the house!
Thanks Roni, I love your sites and your recipes, and now videos! :)
[...] topped mine with leftover Homemade Sauce, 4 oz of finely shredded cheese, tons of veggies (on half of course) and turkey [...]
Could this be made without the meat so that I could can it? Maybe ading your Turkey Meatballs after it’s reheated?? Sounds like a great recipe..and I love to do canning!
Sure it can! I’ve done it when I have vegetarians over for dinner. The flavors a little different but still good!
You could always through soy meatballs in too, I love the ones from Trader Joes!
[...] cup tomato sauce (like my Homemade Sauce) [...]
[...] I remember putting on a cooking show for him sitting in the bouncer on the island while I made my homemade sauce one Sunday morning. He has always been in the kitchen with me, involved in the meal preparation not [...]
I’ve always used Ragu and the thought of making sauce from scratch had never entered my mind. I decided to take the plunge and made your sauce last night. It was WONDERFUL!! My family of picky eaters loved it too! I’ve made several of your recipes and none of them have been a disappointment. Please, please keep posting them, I really think that this website is responsible for me losing weight and staying motivated. Thanks so much Roni – you are the best!
[...] worked on the site a bit. A little experimentation and I have the sauce recipe up. Please let me know if you have any problems. I have a billion things to do and work on today [...]
[...] had some friends over for a playdate/dinner tonight and made them my Roni’s Homemade sauce with Meat. I love cooking for other people. The funny thing is I never realize how “overly [...]
[...] back when I mentioned the husband’s love of my homemade spaghetti sauce. I mean he really loves this stuff. Between the months of October and April if it’s the only [...]
[...] with not buying sauce is that I have to make sauce, but (here’s another quirk) I rarely make my homemade spaghetti sauce in the summer. Why? I’m not quite sure but I probably won’t cook up my first fall batch [...]
I finally tried this sauce with your meatballs over the weekend, and my picky husband and I both LOVED it. It’s just chunky enough — I threw in some fresh garden tomatoes for my husband and so flavorful. When I portioned it out my husband was doubtful that it would be enough for him b/c he likes a ton of sauce, but he ended up with leftovers in his bowl for garlic bread, so it really stretches a long way. I just wanted to thank you for sharing!!
I made this on Monday, your recipe to a tee – well minus the meat, and I used frozen meatballs; however my entire family raved about how amazing it was and it simmered fo about 4 1/2 hrs and it was delish! I love your recipes!
I have an off the wall question. I printed this recipie off before the “big crash”, so about 2 years ago. You reference a line from a movie “Tell Michael not to let the sauce stick.
Henry says don’t let the sauce stick
I’m stirring it.”
What movie is that from?! This has been driving me bats**t. I can’t find it! I made a batch today. I love making it on cold, crappy days. Its a terrific air fragarancer!
Ahhhh Goodfellas!
One of my all time favs! :)
Roni, didn’t you have a red sauce that incorporated green vegetables and red food color for camouflage as well or am I losing my mind?
I’m here to let you know you aren’t losing your mind! :)
http://greenlitebites.com/2007/11/15/roni%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cthey-don%E2%80%99t-know-what%E2%80%99s-in-there%E2%80%9D-pizza-sauce/
I just use it more for pizza. :)
Do you ever make this w/o the meat? We usually do not put any meat in our spaghetti sauce. TIA, Kristen
I have but the husbands not a fan of pasta without sausage! LOL Make it the same just without the meat. It will be fine. :)
Looks great! Most of the time, when I cook meatballs, I usually have it on a meatball sub the next few meals after the original spaghetti one. Topped with some cheese and on a slightly toasted bun they are so much better than any restaurants!
Sounds great but definitely needs some onion and garlic!
I add them now when I have them but this recipe was made up at a time I barely ever kept anything fresh on had (ahhh college days. :) Nowadays I don’t think I cook a meal without fresh onion or garlic or both!
[...] red sauce recipe I chose was this one. I’ve tried a couple one of Roni’s other recipes and loved them. I was sure she [...]
My husband asks me all the time to make this sauce. It is one of our favorites. Just one question though, What is the nutritional values for the new WW program?
Dawni – I’m not sure but on the new plan I’m thinking it’s only 1 if not 0! It’s only made with tomatoes that are free after all!
NI has always been hard for me to calculate on this as I do add varying amounts of water based on thickness and length of time it’s cooking. Even on the old points I only counted it as 1.
could this be done is a crock pot? sorry if its a silly question. Im a beginner at cooking! loooooove your site!
Not silly! I dont’ see why not, I just never did it. Mom made sauce in a pot. I make sauce in a pot. I do it out of tradition I guess.
Give it a shot and let us know!
i will for sure! Been planning on making this and the pizza!