Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce: Great for the Freezer

This is the homemade spaghetti sauce recipe I grew up with, included in my book, Instant Bargains: 600+ Ways to Shrink Your Grocery Bills and Eat Well for Less, and the one I still make all the time.  I simply haven’t found another one I like better.  Plus, it freezes well.  I try to make a double batch so I have enough for two meals.

Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. fresh parsley, chopped (don’t substitute parsley flakes.  Fresh parsley makes a big difference)
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
16 drops Tabasco sauce
1/3 C. olive oil
1 1/2 C. water
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet.  Drain.  Add remaining ingredients to onion-beef mixture and simmer for an hour before serving, until sauce thickens.  Serve over spaghetti noodles.

If I have fresh basil and oregano, I include that as well – but it’s not necessary.  You can definitely tweak the spices to your own taste.