Southern Spaghetti Sauce is a thick, flavorful sauce with lots of ground beef, onion, and bell pepper. It has a hint of sweetness to it which really brings out the tomato flavor. Freezes well.
This spaghetti sauce is one of my favorite comfort foods to make and it reminds me of the sauce my grandmother used to make. It was always a treat when we got it because my grandmother only knew how to cook two things that I’m aware of- spaghetti sauce and shrimp salad. It’s very thick and full of ground beef, onions, and bell peppers. A hefty spoonful of sugar adds some sweetness and cuts any bitterness in the tomatoes. Two whole cans of tomato paste give it an extra intense flavor.
I like this sauce so much, I have been known to skip the pasta and just eat a bowl full of sauce with a spoon. With lots of Parmesan cheese on top- the kind in the green can. Usually I prefer fresh Parmesan on things, but maybe since I grew up eating spaghetti sauce like this one with grated Parmesan out of a can, it’s just what I crave.
Childhood food memories are the best aren’t they?
This sauce freezes really well and I’ll often make a double batch of it and freeze half for a second meal.
Watch the short video below to see how easy this sauce is to make.
Southern Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar, the original recipe calls for 2 tablespoons, but I just add one
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Brown beef in a large heavy bottomed pot. Drain fat.
- Add onion and green pepper and saute until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.
- Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, seasonings, and water.
- Simmer 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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Recipe Source: adapted from Paula Deen
Hi Christin
I made this for the 4th July and everybody loved it, they liked how thick it is and the flavor was spot on. I didn’t know whether to simmer the ground beef with the sauce, so I just threw it in there with the sauce. Thanks for sharing, I will be making this recipe over and over again.
So glad you enjoyed it Jackie 🙂
Sorry if I wasn’t clear about what to do with the ground beef.
This sounds fantastic! I’d love to have a batch in my freezer at all times. And yes, sometimes, you just need the canned cheese! No judgement! 🙂
This is definitely a judgement free zone when it comes to canned Parmesan 🙂
I would probably be skipping the pasta if I could eat me a bowl of this sauce!
Happy new year and thanks for sharing this mouthwatering sauce recipe
Love chunky spaghetti sauce! I’m drooling over that pic of the sauce piled high.
Yum – this sauce looks wonderful and I love how food can invoke those memories, especially of being a kid!
This sauce looks AMAZING! I’m totally with you on eating the sauce without the pasta- that’s the best part of a chunky sauce 🙂 I wish my hubby liked ground beef. I might just have to make it and eat it all myself…
Your recipe takes me back to the spaghetti sauce my mother used to make, right done to the cheese in the green can. 🙂
Looks delicious!
Thanks Matt!
This pasta dish looks fabulous, so meaty…yum!
Happy New Year and have a great week ahead Christin 😀
Thank you Juliana! Happy New Year to you too!
I could really use this right about now, it looks so good, and I am SO cold! I need something warm and hearty to slowly bring my body back to temp!
It must be hard to come back to cold weather after spending time in Mexico! Have a great week Nicole!
I just made a huge batch of spaghetti sauce after new years as there’s nothing better after ham, turkey, beef, etc. Your sauce sounds so good with all of that tomato paste and the green peppers. Looks delicious!
Thank you Marcie! I agree, after all the holiday foods, it’s nice just to have some regular old comfort foods 🙂
This sauce looks so delicious! I love how chunky it is! Pass some down!
Chunky sauces are my favorite 🙂
Have a great week Layla!
This looks delicious Christin. Spaghetti is our go-to food whenever we don’t know what else to eat. 🙂 To say we love it is an understatement! This recipe looks fabulous!
Thanks Krisit! I’ve never heard anyone complain about eating spaghetti. That’s for sure. Always a great go-to food 🙂
Wow this looks so thick and chunky and awesome! Childhood food memories are the best – I have a few things that I just won’t change even though I usually prefer other things etc… just because of the sentimental value they somehow taste better! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
I know what you mean! There’s only 1 food I can’t eat as an adult that I loved as a child and that’s beanie weanies! I think that’s how you spell it. LOL!
I still eat beanie weenies sometimes, but they don’t seem to taste as good as they did back then.
I agree. They don’t seem to taste as good anymore.
They’re many foods that don’t taste the same and this one is better!
I laughed when I read you ate the sauce and left the pasta. I would do that too. This looks remarkable!
This chunky sauce looks incredible Christin, I would totally eat a bowl full of this sauce alone too. It sounds so flavorful and tasty and I love that it reminds you of your grandmother’s version 🙂
Oh boy – this chunky, meaty sauce is calling out to me! I can see why you’d be satisfied with just the sauce itself! And how nice that it reminds you of your grandmother (even if she could only cook 2 things ; ).
Chunky spaghetti sauce is my favorite, and this one looks so so good that I’d definitely leave out the pasta ; )
Enjoy the rest of your weekend! xx
Beautiful and so delicious looking.
I love how chunky this sauce is. I can see why you eat it straight without the pasta. It’s so hearty and yummy, I’d do the same thing! Pinned. Happy New Year Christin! Looking forward to see more of your delicious recipes. 🙂