Keto Spaghetti Sauce

This keto spaghetti sauce is a thick, rich, and versatile sauce that is perfect over pasta, proteins, or even vegetables! Made with simple ingredients, you won’t believe it is low carb! 2 grams net carbs per serving. 

Keto Spaghetti Sauce

When it comes to versatile keto sauces, my favorite recipes to make are alfredo sauce, cheese sauce, and this keto spaghetti sauce.

Growing up, my mom would always have a batch of her homemade spaghetti sauce in the refrigerator or freezer. Pasta and spaghetti were one of my childhood staple dinners, and we’d have some form of it on a weekly basis. When I first moved out of home, my mom gave me her recipe and I started making it myself.

Since going keto, I was worried I would miss out on my favorite versatile sauce. See, traditional spaghetti sauces are loaded with sugar, and use high carb vegetables like carrots to add flavor. Luckily, it’s a simple enough recipe to adapt and give a keto makeover to, without sacrificing taste!

I’ve been meaning to share a keto spaghetti sauce recipe for quite some time. As someone who enjoys pasta at least twice a week, I’ve always got a batch of this sauce in my fridge or freezer on hand. Now, this spaghetti sauce may look incredibly fancy, but I promise you, it is so easy and needs just one pot to make.

No sugar and no fancy herbs are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is thick, yet smooth, with a hefty dose of hidden vegetables. It’s rich in flavor and full of Italian flavors, and is easily customizable!

One of my friends recently went keto so I invited him around for a keto Italian dinner and served this sauce over some keto pasta and he could NOT believe that it was low carb- He thought it tasted like any good pasta sauce!

How do you make a keto pasta sauce?

The Ingredients

• Onion– Adds a lovely flavor to the sauce, especially when paired with garlic.
• Celery– Thickens the sauce and adds some green.
• Garlic– A must for any good tomato-based sauce.
• Olive oil– Use garlic or chili-infused oil for some added punch.
• Crushed tomatoes– Most grocery stores stock Italian-style crushed tomatoes, which are preferred. If you can only find the standard kind, that works well too. Just be sure there is no added sugar in the canned tomatoes.
• Granulated sweetener of choice– Just a dash to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes.
• Basil– Fresh is preferred, but dried can also be used.
• Salt and pepper– To taste.

The Instructions

Start by finely chopping the onion, celery, and garlic. In a medium pot, add the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped vegetables and sauteed until soft and tender. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce to low heat and let the sauce simmer for 40 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and serve over pasta, spaghetti, or any dish that works with a tomato based sauce.

Tips to make the best low carb spaghetti sauce

• If you’d like to make a bolognese sauce (Italian meat sauce), add 1 pound of ground beef or pork before adding the tomato.
• For a thinner sauce, add the cooled sauce to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
• If you’d like an extra thick sauce, simmer it for up to an hour.

Storing and freezing low carb pasta sauce

• To store: Pasta sauce should be stored in the refrigerator, covered. It will keep well for up to 2 weeks.
• To freeze: Place leftover sauce in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.