Easy homemade pasta sauce with spaghetti squash
Anytime I have store-bought pasta sauce, I’m reminded that it’s never as good as what I can make myself with about 15 mins of effort. Since jarred sauce often contains added sugar and preservatives, making my own sugar-free pasta sauce is a no-brainer.
This recipe makes enough for 4-6 servings. If you’d like to add protein to this meal, we always love it with the Organic Spinach Chicken Sausage from Whole Foods Market and a simple side salad.
This homemade pasta sauce is great on regular pasta, but I usually serve it with Instant Pot spaghetti squash. I save time and trouble by cooking the squash whole in the Instant Pot. Other healthy ways to enjoy this homemade pasta sauce: on cauliflower rice, zoodles, or as the sauce on your favorite cauliflower pizza crust. This sugar-free sauce recipe is vegetarian, gluten free, keto, & paleo compliant as long as you tolerate grass-fed butter (given that it’s very low in lactose).
Health benefits of this homemade pasta sauce with spaghetti squash
You’ll love this homemade pasta sauce because it’s easy and delicious. But here are a few health and nutritional benefits you can also feel good about:
- Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant. They release even more lycopene and other key nutrients when cooked. Tomatoes are also a good source of folate, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, beta-carotene and choline. This means they’re beneficial for heart health, blood pressure, eye health, skin, and pregnancy as well.
- Onions and garlic have been considered medicinal foods in many traditions. They contain an impressive range of vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. These fight cancer, inflammation, cell and DNA damage according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Onions and garlic are also prebiotics that promote healthy gut bacteria.
- Basil has also been appreciated as a healing food in traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. Even in small quantities, basil delivers a decent amount of vitamin K.
- Organic grass-fed butter is significantly more healthy than butter from grain-fed cows. It’s full of healthy fats, vitamins, and has a superior omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. Mark’s Daily Apple covers the many benefits in detail here.
- Spaghetti squash is a satisfying and healthy alternative to grain-based pasta. It feels like you’re eating a filling carb, but it’s a vegetable full of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin B6.
Shopping tips
- Look for jarred tomatoes, rather than canned. Even cans without BPA usually often still have a bisphenol lining or some other type of synthetic material to keep the can from corroding. Acid causes plastics to leach into the food even more, so it’s important to pick jarred over canned with something like tomatoes.
- Choose organic tomatoes. Tomatoes are always on the dirty dozen list of produce with the highest amounts of pesticide residue.
- Look for organic, grass-fed butter. This will maximize flavor, nutritional benefits, help you avoid toxins, and has a better environmental impact.
Recipe for homemade pasta sauce
Ingredient list
- 2 jars of tomatoes: whole, strained, or diced. Aim for about 40 oz combined. I like combining a jar of strained tomatoes and a jar of diced. Whole tomatoes will make a chunkier sauce.
- 1 chopped onion
- 3*+ cloves of minced garlic
- Bunch of basil,* finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon* salt
- 1/2 stick* of grass-fed butter
Instructions for easy homemade pasta sauce
- Saute onion in 1 tablespoon of the butter for a few minutes until softened are translucent.
- Reduce heat to Medium/Low, add in minced garlic and saute for another minute or two, stirring frequently to keep it from burning.
- Add remaining ingredients (basil, jarred tomatoes, remaining butter).
- Simmer for about an hour on Low, stirring occasionally.
- Taste sauce and adjust seasoning. Add more salt or butter for a richer flavor.
- Serve on pasta, spaghetti squash, or cauliflower rice. If you tolerate dairy, I love to sprinkle with parmesan cheese or stir in fresh mozzarella balls (halved) for a decadent treat while it’s nice and hot!
Instructions for Instant Pot spaghetti squash
While your pasta sauce cooks, prepare your Instant Pot spaghetti squash.
- Rinse squash.
- Place in the Instant Pot on a trivet with 1 cup of water.
- Seal lid and cook on high pressure (Manual mode) for 12 minutes. If you’re using a very small spaghetti squash, start with 8-10 minutes.*
- Quick release when cooking is complete.
- Press on the skin to check that it’s done. You should be able to easily pierce it with a fork or make a small dent with your finger. You don’t want it to be too soft or mushy.*
- Remove squash from Instant Pot so that it doesn’t continue to cook while it cools.
- Once cooled enough to handle, cut open and coop out seeds with a large spoon. Use a fork to shred the “spaghetti.”
