Make This Easy Pasta Sauce in 15 Minutes or Less!

Let’s be real. Jarred spaghetti sauce — even the expensive ones — just don’t hit the way they should. Some are watery or weirdly sweet. And all of them somehow need extra help once you get them home. I got tired of paying $6–$10 for something that I still had to fix. So I stopped buying jarred sauces altogether. Now? I build my own — starting with a simple can of plain tomato sauce, perfect for a delicious pasta meal. And the flavor? It absolutely blows jarred sauces out of the water.

This pasta sauce is ready in 15 minutes or less, made with ingredients I already have in my pantry, and tastes like it simmered all day. My toddler loved it. My husband scraped his plate. And, I felt like a superhero for getting dinner on the table so fast.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Pasta Sauce Recipe

This isn’t one of those homemade pasta sauce recipes that will have you peeling fresh tomatoes or simmering for hours. This is real-life comfort food — done fast.

Here’s why this works:

Plain canned tomato sauce is your blank canvas — smooth and easy to build flavor on. Ground beef, cooked and seasoned well, adds depth and body. Garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan create a savory, bold base. A touch of sugar balances the acidity without turning it sweet. Optional but delicious: a spoonful of Barilla’s Creamy Genovese pesto and semi-dry basil to finish it off like something from a restaurant.

The best part? You can do all of this while the pasta boils. This entire dinner comes together in about 15–20 minutes from start to finish.

How to Make This Pasta Sauce

Start by browning ground beef in a skillet. I don’t play about bland meat — mine is seasoned from the start with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Once the beef is cooked, pour in your plain canned tomato sauce to start building a flavorful pasta dish.

Add a tablespoon of sugar (or less — taste it!), a little white pepper, a dash more garlic powder, some Parmesan cheese, and let everything simmer together. This step only takes about 10 minutes but makes all the difference. Near the end, stir in a tablespoon of creamy pesto and a few teaspoons of semi-dry basil.

While that’s happening, boil your spaghetti (or whatever pasta you like) in salty water. Once drained, toss it with butter, olive oil, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning. That’s the key to pasta that doesn’t just taste like boiled noodles — it tastes seasoned and buttery before the sauce even touches it.

What to Serve This With

You can make it a full meal in no time. Try these ideas:

• A Simple bed of buttered noodles
• Easy Garlic Knots – Soft, buttery, and ready in 10 minutes.
• Broccoli and Cheddar Casserole – A kid-friendly favorite: melty and cheesy!
• Cranberry Apple Walnut Salad – A bright, tangy side that balances all that tomato richness.
• Chocolate Chip Cookies – Because after spaghetti, dessert is mandatory.

My toddler — the real boss of our house — had sauce on her cheeks, her chin, and the tip of her nose. Not one drop on her clothes, and that, my friends, is a rare miracle. She tapped her plate and said, “won summore,” and I nearly cried with laughter. Dinner was quiet for a few minutes because everyone was just eating.

That’s how you know it’s good.

In my house, we love our Italian-inspired nights. If you share this love as well, then my recipe for Lasagna is just for you and your family. You simply must try it with the layer of Bechamel. Bechamel is a French cheese sauce that elevates lasagna (I know, I’m cheating). If you are in an Alfredo-type mood, then definitely serve up this satisfying Garlic and Parmesan Chicken Pasta.

Make It Work for You

You can absolutely tweak this recipe, especially the pasta sauce, based on what you’ve got:

If you don’t have white pepper, use black pepper, and if you don’t have pesto, you can skip it—the sauce is still amazing without it. This sauce is outstanding, meatless, and holds up with some sautéed mushrooms or lentils.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days — they reheat beautifully for lunch or pasta night round two.

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With love from my stovetop to yours,

— Camille

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