So once upon a time, my husband and I lived close to my awesome brother-in-law Peter and his equally cool wife Stephanie. Peter lived in Italy for a couple of years and while he was there, he learned to make fabulous lasagna. Like real Italian lasagna. Now granted, I’ve been about as far out of the country as Disney Cruise Line takes you on a four-night journey, so I’m taking Peter’s word for it here. But I can say that it tastes just like the lasagna I’ve had in little, homey Italian cafes–you know, those ones where you feel like you’re sitting in your Grandma’s kitchen. So take that for what it’s worth. Peter’s Pasta and Lasagna Sauce is a great all around Italian tomato sauce for all of your pasta needs, but it shines brightest in Peter’s Genuine Italian Lasagna!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Ground beef or Italian sausage – I recommend Italian sausage for the best flavor here.
- Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Canned Italian style diced tomatoes
- Canned tomato sauce
- Zucchini
- Carrots
- Celery
- Sugar – Helps with acidity.
- Baking soda – This also helps neutralize the acidity.
How to Make Peter’s Pasta and Lasagna Sauce
- Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
- In a large saucepan or skillet with a lid, you’ll brown some ground beef or Italian sausage with chopped onions and minced garlic until the meat is cooked through.
- To that you’ll add all of your veggies (zucchini, carrots, and celery), a couple of cans of diced tomatoes, and a can of tomato sauce. Sprinkle in a little sugar and baking soda, and salt and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and allow to simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. After an hour, remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and use as desired.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy in 4-5 days for best results.
- Freeze this sauce in individual portions for up to 2-3 months.
- If you have picky eaters, feel free to toss your veggies in the food processor before adding to the pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure. Mushrooms or peppers would be great additions.
Absolutely! Because of the long simmer time, it’s especially useful to make this ahead if you are making lasagna. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use as needed, within 4-5 days. You can freeze it for up to 2-3 months if needed as well.
Absolutely. Feel free to add Italian seasoning or any Italian herbs as desired!
Peter’s Pasta and Lasagna Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced or pressed, more if desired
- 2 15- ounce cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
- 1 15- ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 zucchini chopped or grated
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped into small pieces
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda this neutralizes the acid
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or skillet with a lid, brown ground beef (or sausage), onions, and garlic until meat is cooked and onions are tender.
- Add the diced tomatoes (don't drain), tomato sauce, the remaining veggies, sugar, and baking soda and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. After an hour, remove from heat, and use as desired.
Questions & Reviews
My daughter and her cousins got into quite a debate about whether my spaghetti or my lasagna was best. I did not have the heart to tell them it’s the same sauce (and technically it’s Peter’s). Needless to say, we love this recipe!
5 stars! So yummy! I like that it is thick and not overly spiced and very easy to make. I made the lasagna and had extra sauce leftover (was I supposed to?) and just wanted to drink it all but instead I sat with a spoon and ate too much of it. Can’t wait to eat the lasagna. Thanks for another great recipe.
I love LOVE this lasagna and wanted to cook this deliciousness for Christmas dinner. However, with the hustle and bustle of Christmas I was hoping there was a trick to “make ahead” the night before and bake in the oven minutes before my guests arrive. Any tips?
We love this recipe and make it all the time. Do you think I could can this recipe? I’d love to be able to go to the pantry and just open up a bottle.
I’m SURE you could, but I am definitely not a canning expert, especially when it comes to meats. Do you know someone who might know? If not, I can see if I can track someone down for you. :)I
I made this with pasta and the ooey gooey peanut better brownies for dessert for a family dinner the other night and both went over extremely well…especially considering I have two very picky eaters for uncles! Topping it all off I sent them home with your peppermint bark popcorn. It was a win, win, win!
I’m going to be try to be really adventurous and make my noodles from scratch!
This is the best sauce ever! I’m obsessed with it!
We are going to the beach in a couple of weeks. And I want to bring lasagna as dinner one night and I don’t want to be stuck cooking something as time consuming as lasagna the days I am also trying to pack 3 kids and 2 adults (because apparently, as my husband has proven time and again, he is a terrible packer!). Short question, longer…can I make either the whole thing and freeze it or make the sauce ahead of time and freeze it? I love lasagna and have been on a diet so I’m craving carbs- diet will go on hiatus at the beach!
Yep, lasagna freezes really well. The sauce does too- enjoy the beach!
mmmm…mmmm…mmmm! It’s in the oven right now! I had a scoop of sauce left over after putting it together…um…and I ate it all up right then and there, all by its self! Can’t wait to eat more!!!
This is the BEST lasagna sauce I have ever made. We ate at an amazing little family owned Italian restaurant in San Francisco years ago. We were a bit lost when we went there, and we’ve never found it again. This fulfilled my craving to go back! 🙂