Reviewed: Aug. 26, 2009

I have made my own sauce for years, but decided to try this one day on a whim. My family really enjoyed it and so did I. The wine gives it a rich taste and aroma, but I think the most important thing is the time element. You definitely need the 3 hours + cooking time for the sauce to cook down and the flavors to meld. I used ground beef, rather than the Italian sausage because I had it on had and it worked well. I also upped the wine to a half cup.

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Crazy4Chocolate

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Reviewed: Aug. 16, 2009

We enjoyed this recipe. I used tomatoes from my garden instead of canned and only 1 can of paste. I did not have meat on hand, but I added diced zucchini because my garden is overflowing. I only had time to simmer it for a little over an hour, but it turned out really good. I think the red wine is what really gives it the restaurant style flavor. The red pepper flakes gave it a great kick!

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jbiese

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Omro, Wisconsin, USA

Living In: Sylvania, Ohio, USA

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Reviewed: Aug. 15, 2009

This was great. I used fresh oregano from my garden and bulk sausage made into meatballs. My kids & hubby loved it. Next time I'll triple the batch and freeze it for a busy night.

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patty crocker

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Living In: Soldotna, Alaska, USA

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Reviewed: Aug. 14, 2009

This was excellent! The wine and sausage add very distinct, wonderful flavor. I let it simmer all afternoon and it was fabulous!

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GourmetLisa

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Reviewed: Aug. 7, 2009

Great!! I did not have any sausage to add to the recipe, but adding the red pepper flakes made it taste like there was sausage in the sauce. My husband loved this recipe too!

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kyoung

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Thousand Oaks, California, USA

Living In: Redford, Michigan, USA

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Reviewed: Jul. 11, 2009

Sorry I didn't like it at all, thought it was too bitter, my DH thought it was OK, my DS thought it was pretty good. Would not make it again.

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Livie's Mammy

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Reviewed: Jul. 9, 2009

I used tomato puree instead of tomato paste. Turned out very good... a little on the sweet side. I might leave out the sugar next time, but this is definitely a keeper.

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MindyB

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Reviewed: Jul. 7, 2009

Delicious!!! I doubled the recipe but instead of using 4 cans of tomato paste, I only used 3.I also added 1 green & 1 red pepper that I passed through the blender prior to putting it in the sauce. I used spicy italian sausage for an extra punch. I removed the casing and made little meat balls and browned them lightly prior to adding them to the sauce. I used this sauce to make lasagna and put a meat ball on top of every serving. Let me just say that the aroma was exquisite and flavor amazing!!! 2 thumbs up.

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SweetRevenge

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Reviewed: Jun. 26, 2009

Although the noodles I used were not great, the sauce saved dinner! My husband and daughter both LOVED it!

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everydaycook

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Reviewed: Jun. 23, 2009

I did alter and used 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of tomato sauce, and 1 can of tomato paste. Also decreased the basil to 1 T. Tasty and hearty. Served with "Basic Pasta" spaghetti.

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JOSEPHINE aka SPITFIRE FOODIE

Living In: Kingwood, West Virginia, USA

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Reviewed: Jun. 19, 2009

A friend and I made this for our families today using chicken italian sweet sausage and everyone loved it. I didn't use the red pepper flakes or wine, and I cut back the basil to 1 tablespoon. Also, I had tomato puree and tomato sauce, which is what I always use to make marinara sauce, so I used those instead of paste and tomatoes. It was yummy, and we'll definitely make it again.

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JAMJMine

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Reviewed: May 5, 2009

I made this (without the sausage)to serve over chicken parmigiana and spaghetti, using diced tomatoes, but I found it to be too thick (and I normally like a thick sauce). Also, it actually had a bitter taste to it. Maybe it was the wine I used (Merlot). I'll try this again though, using a sweeter wine like Rose, use equal amounts of oregano and basil, and add a small can of tomato sauce.

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autumn267

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Orlando, Florida, USA

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Reviewed: Apr. 30, 2009

I have been trying for years without success. My family and I love this recipe!

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albryce

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Reviewed: Apr. 26, 2009

This was really really good! I used this sauce to make meatball sandwiches. I sauteed the onions and garlic, then put all the ingredients into the crock pot with the meat balls, cooked on high for 4 hours and they were great! This is definitely a keeper. I may never buy jarred sauce again!

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solamichella

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Reviewed: Apr. 10, 2009

I didn't have the red wine, so this may not be the most fair rating. Still turned out good, but a tad bit on the spicy side with the red pepper flakes in it.

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Corrina

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Kyle, Texas, USA

Living In: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

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Reviewed: Apr. 7, 2009

This was great. It's the first time I've ever rated or reviewed a recipe. It was simple easy and delicious! And now I brag about how I make make my own sauce!

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MEGMCMURRAY

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Reviewed: Mar. 29, 2009

Awesome recipie. Thanks for sharing. I made this a couple of times and each time was as good as the last. The only thing I did different was, due to not having oregano on hand, I used a seasoning for the grill called Itallian Herb and it worked very well. The other day I made 4X the recipie and used the sauce for lasagna. My family said it was the best I ever made.

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Michele Lilge

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Reviewed: Mar. 26, 2009

This is a good, solid base recipe. It allows alot of wiggle room to adjust it to meet your family's tastes. I made as written, but felt it was too sweet for my preferences. I added a can of stewed tomatoes, some more basil, and a little parsley, which helped alot. I also sliced up some carrots, celery, and mushrooms and added them. Instead of the optional Italian sausage, I browned a half pound of ground beef with more garlic and added that to the sauce. Finally, I don't have a dutch oven so after sauteeing the garlic and veggies, I threw everything in the crockpot and let it cook on low for about 4 hours. Then I added the mushrooms and ground beef and let it cook for another hour. All in all, great base recipe. The end result was the best sauce I've ever made. Thanks :)

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