Keto Spaghetti Sauce

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5 from 214 votes
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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

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. 

low carb spaghetti 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. 

keto pasta sauce

What to serve keto spaghetti sauce with

keto spaghetti sauce

Keto Spaghetti Sauce

5 from 214 votes
This keto spaghetti sauce is thick, rich, and perfect over low carb pasta! Simple ingredients and freezes beautifully!
Servings: 12 servings
Prep: 1 minute
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 41 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes 1.6 kg
  • 1/4 cup basil roughly chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan, add the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat the low, cover, and reduce to low heat. Let the sauce simmer for 40 minutes.
  • Remove the sauce from the heat and serve immediately, or let it cool completely.

Notes

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 72kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSodium: 103mgPotassium: 31mgFiber: 3gVitamin A: 57IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 2g
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Italian
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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  1. 5 stars
    We started a keto diet last week and I was craving spaghetti. This sauce is perfect!!!!! Made exact as the recipe and my husband and I both love it. Thanks for sharing. This is going to be a staple!

  2. 5 stars
    I made this tonight and it was awesome!
    Thanks for posting this. It is going to be a regular at my house. Game changer!!!!

  3. 5 stars
    Made this yesterday to go with the Eggplant Lasagna. We loved it but…..I ended up using more spices for us. (2T Italian Seasoning, 1T Garlic powder, 1T crushed red pepper and 1T dried parsley). Still a great and fast recipe to make. 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    Delish! Thank you so much for this recipe! ❤️ Love the fact you can take it low carb veggie all the way, or add burger if you want. A very versatile recipe for sure 😊