Easy Gordon Ramsay Spaghetti Sauce

Finding a truly great spaghetti sauce recipe that doesn’t take all day can feel impossible. Most homemade sauces either require hours of simmering or end up tasting bland and boring, and when you’re trying to get dinner on the table for hungry family members, you need something that actually works.

That’s where this Gordon Ramsay spaghetti sauce comes in: it’s packed with flavor, comes together in under an hour, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For this spaghetti sauce, you’ll want to pick ground beef with the right fat content to get that rich, flavorful sauce. I’d recommend using 80/20 ground beef, which means it’s 80% lean meat and 20% fat – this gives you enough fat to keep the sauce from being dry, but not so much that you’re left with a greasy mess. If you prefer a leaner option, 85/15 will work too, though your sauce might be a bit less rich. The recipe also gives you the option to mix in some ground Italian sausage with your beef, which adds extra flavor and spice if you’re looking to kick things up a notch. Just brown your meat well and drain off any excess fat before adding your other ingredients.

Options for Substitutions

This sauce is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Ground beef: You can use ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner option. Ground pork also works great if you want something a bit richer. The recipe already suggests mixing in Italian sausage, which adds nice flavor.
• Tomato sauce and paste: If you’re out of tomato sauce, use a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes instead. You’ll still want to keep the tomato paste though – it’s what gives the sauce its thick, rich texture.
• Italian seasoning: Don’t have Italian seasoning? Mix together equal parts dried basil, oregano, and thyme. About ½ teaspoon total will do the trick.
• Fresh basil: While fresh basil adds a nice touch at the end, you can skip it or use an extra teaspoon of dried basil stirred in during cooking instead.
• Worcestershire sauce: Soy sauce or balsamic vinegar can work in place of Worcestershire. Use a bit less though – start with 2 teaspoons and adjust to taste.
• Sugar: Honey or a grated carrot can replace the sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. If using honey, add it at the end of cooking.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making meat sauce is not browning the ground beef properly – you want to break it into small pieces and let it develop a nice brown crust instead of stirring it constantly, which creates gray, steamed meat that lacks flavor.

Another common error is adding the tomato paste directly without cooking it first, so take a minute to sauté it with your onions for 2-3 minutes to remove the raw, metallic taste and bring out its natural sweetness.

Don’t skip the simmering time either, as rushing this sauce will leave you with a watery, separated texture – let it bubble gently for at least 20-30 minutes so the flavors can blend together and the sauce thickens naturally.

If your sauce tastes too acidic, that tablespoon of sugar isn’t just for sweetness – it balances the tomatoes’ acidity, so adjust it to your taste rather than leaving it out completely.

What to Serve With Spaghetti Sauce?

This hearty meat sauce is perfect over your favorite pasta, but I always make sure to have some garlic bread on the side for soaking up the extra sauce. A simple Caesar salad or mixed green salad with Italian dressing balances out the richness of the meat sauce and adds a nice crunch to your meal. If you’re feeding a crowd, consider adding some meatballs to the sauce and serving it with a side of roasted vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers. Don’t forget to have extra parmesan cheese on hand for sprinkling on top – it really brings everything together!

Storage Instructions

Store: This sauce actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to mingle. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to store the sauce separately from the noodles so the pasta doesn’t get mushy.

Freeze: This is one of those recipes that’s perfect for freezing in batches. Let the sauce cool completely, then portion it into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 3 months. I usually freeze it in 2-cup portions so I can thaw just what I need for dinner.

Reheat: Warm the sauce on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You might need to add a splash of water if it’s gotten too thick. For frozen sauce, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, or you can reheat it straight from frozen on the stove with a little extra water.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 75-90 g
• Fat: 75-90 g
• Carbohydrates: 190-210 g

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

• 1 lb ground beef or 1/2 lb ground italian sausage plus 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 15 oz canned tomato sauce
• 6 oz canned tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp italian herb blend
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup water
• Salt and black pepper as needed

For serving:

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)
• Spaghetti pasta, cooked

Step 1: Brown the Meat and Onion

• 1 lb ground beef or 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage plus 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the ground beef (or a combination of ground Italian sausage and ground beef) along with the diced yellow onion.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned and the onion is soft, about 6-8 minutes.

Drain off any excess grease before proceeding.

Step 2: Add Sauce Ingredients and Seasonings

• 15 oz canned tomato sauce
• 6 oz canned tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp Italian herb blend
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar

Stir in the canned tomato sauce, tomato paste, dried parsley, Italian herb blend, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes (to taste), Worcestershire sauce, and sugar.

Mix everything thoroughly to combine the meat and sauce components.

Step 3: Simmer the Sauce

• 1 cup water
• salt and black pepper as needed

Add 1 cup of water to the skillet and stir well.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.

Cover and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and black pepper as needed.

I like to simmer the sauce a little longer if I have time—this lets the flavors really meld together.

Step 4: Finish the Sauce

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)

Once the sauce has finished simmering, stir in the chopped fresh basil if using.

This adds a burst of freshness to the sauce just before serving.

Step 5: Serve Over Cooked Spaghetti

• spaghetti pasta, cooked
• sauce from Step 4

Serve the finished sauce hot over cooked spaghetti pasta.

Enjoy your hearty homemade pasta dish!

Easy Gordon Ramsay Spaghetti Sauce

Delicious Easy Gordon Ramsay Spaghetti Sauce recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 32 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1900 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the meat sauce:

• 1 lb ground beef or 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage plus 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 15 oz canned tomato sauce
• 6 oz canned tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp Italian herb blend
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup water
• salt and black pepper as needed

For serving:

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)
• spaghetti pasta, cooked

Instructions

 

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef (or a combination of ground Italian sausage and ground beef) along with the diced yellow onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned and the onion is soft, about 6-8 minutes. Drain off any excess grease before proceeding.
• Stir in the canned tomato sauce, tomato paste, dried parsley, Italian herb blend, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes (to taste), Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Mix everything thoroughly to combine the meat and sauce components.
• Add 1 cup of water to the skillet and stir well. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper as needed. I like to simmer the sauce a little longer if I have time—this lets the flavors really meld together.
• Once the sauce has finished simmering, stir in the chopped fresh basil if using. This adds a burst of freshness to the sauce just before serving.
• Serve the finished sauce hot over cooked spaghetti pasta. Enjoy your hearty homemade pasta dish!