Keto Spaghetti Sauce Italian Style

Need more keto sauce recipes? Try my keto teriyaki sauce, keto cheese sauce, or keto stir fry sauce next. I’ve been making spaghetti sauce from scratch for years, ever since my mom shared her recipe with me. Since going keto, I’ve had to give my favorite recipes a low-carb makeover. Que, my keto pasta sauce. Made with a shortlist of wholesome ingredients, it doesn’t taste keto—it just tastes homemade.

Why I love this recipe

Better than store-bought. There’s something about homemade sauces that just tastes better, and my spaghetti sauce is no exception. Use it with my keto spaghetti, and you’ll think you’re in Italy! Naturally sugar-free. Since when did tomato sauce start needing sugar? So long as your tomatoes are ripe, they should be sweet enough. Versatile. It’s perfect over pasta, as pizza sauce, or atop vegetables. There are no wrong options. Freezer-friendly. If I’m making spaghetti sauce, you better believe I’m making extra to freeze for later.

Ingredients needed

Onion. Adds a lovely flavor to the sauce, especially when paired with garlic. Celery. Thickens the sauce. Garlic. A must for any good tomato sauce. Extra virgin olive oil. To sauté the veggies. Crushed tomatoes. Most grocery stores stock Italian-style crushed tomatoes, which are ideal, but plain tomatoes will also work. Just make sure there is no added sugar. Allulose (or keto sweetener of choice). You may or may not need this, depending on how sweet the tomatoes are. I find just a pinch brings out their natural sweetness. Basil. Fresh basil is preferred, but dried can also work. Salt and black pepper. To taste.

How to make keto spaghetti sauce

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. While there’s nothing inherently non-keto about spaghetti sauce, many brands sneak in excessive amounts of sugar, making them not keto-friendly. That’s why I started making my sauces from scratch (hello, keto pizza sauce!). Step 1- Combine ingredients. Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the veggies and cook until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Step 2- Simmer. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. Step 3- Serve. Remove the sauce from the heat and serve.

Arman’s recipe tips

Make a smooth sauce. Once it’s done simmering, add everything to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth. Make a meat sauce. Add one pound of ground beef, chicken, or your preferred protein and cook fully before adding the tomatoes. Or make a pink sauce! Right before serving, stir in heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Prefer a thicker sauce? Simmer it for up to an hour. Add spices. Like Italian seasoning, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, or red pepper flakes for a little heat.

Storage instructions

To store: Pasta sauce should be stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can serve this low carb pasta sauce with just about anything! Here are some ideas:

Baked into zucchini boats or spaghetti squash Over zucchini noodles, keto pasta, almond flour pasta, shirataki noodles, or keto gnocchi Layered in keto lasagna, on a keto pizza, or in a keto pizza casserole

To freeze: Place leftover sauce in a shallow container and freeze it for up to 6 months. Reheating: Simmer in a pan over medium heat or microwave until warm.