Spaghetti is one of those family friendly dinners that you can’t go wrong with. It’s comforting, simple to make, quick, and an easy cleanup. If you’re lucky you will have leftover pasta sauce, but what do you do with it? Spaghetti sauce is incredibly versatile and I’ve put together 40+ delicious recipes so that you don’t waste any of your leftover spaghetti sauce! With my collection of classic ideas as well as healthier options, you’ll be sure to find something that will work!
If you need a tried and true spaghetti sauce recipe, this crock pot spaghetti sauce requires just 10 minutes of prep and is going to be your new favorite. It doesn’t get much easier than this recipe. Minimal effort is needed for a meal that will satisfy everyone in your family.
Leftover spaghetti sauce also saves and reheats well and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- in the freezer up 3 months.
Favorite Recipes with Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
Here are some of my favorite ways to transform leftover spaghetti sauce into something new and delicious.
- Million Dollar Leftover Spaghetti Casserole – Toss spaghetti sauce in with the remaining ingredients and bake into a cheesy dinner baked to perfection.
- Tomato Basil Pasta
- Skillet Lasagna – Layer the sauce in a skillet with ricotta and cheese and bake until melty. Serve over pasta, rice, or potatoes.
- Meatball Sliders – Toss in meatballs, top with parmesan or mozzarella cheese and serve on slider rolls for a quick lunch or dinner using leftover spaghetti sauce.
- Italian Sausage Tortellini – Substitute your spaghetti sauce in place of the jar of marinara
- Pull- Apart Pizza Bread – use spaghetti sauce in place of the marinara
- Spinach Ravioli Bake
- Creamy Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells
Healthy Recipes with Leftover Pasta Sauce
These recipes not only make the most of having leftover spaghetti sauce, but also ensure you’re enjoying wholesome, balanced meals. Try one of these healthy options for a lower-calorie, low-carb alternative.
- Spaghetti Zucchini Boats – give these Zucchini Boats an italian spin with leftover spaghetti sauce, ricotta, mozzerella, and parmesan cheeses.
- Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
- Stuffed Peppers – Fill the peppers with the meat mixture, a spoonful of pasta sauce, and bake with cheese until bubbly.
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Ratatouille – simmer the sauce with diced zucchini, eggplant, peppers and onions, then serve over quinoa or brown rice.
- Pan-fry eggs topped with warmed spaghetti sauce sprinkled with parmesan. Pairs well with crusty bread.
Quick and Easy Recipes With Spaghetti Sauce
These quick and easy recipes with spaghetti sauce are a lifesaver for busy weeknights and wanna use up leftovers creatively.
- Easy Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Classic Spaghetti – serve over noodles of your choice or leftover spaghetti noodles
- Pizza – spread sauce over pre-made crust with your favorite toppings
- Chicken Parmesan Quesadillas – prepare on tortillas using cooked cubed or shredded chicken and spinach with cheddar and parmesan cheese. Dip in heated spaghetti sauce.
- Meatloaf
- Sloppy Joes – brown ground beef and cook with choppped onion and bell pepper, then stir in leftover spaghetti sauce with Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, and brown sugar. Serve on buns.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich – add a spread of leftover meat sauce on garlic bread with parmesan cheese
- Spaghetti Sauce Panini – Spread leftover sauce on one side of ciabatta or focaccia bread, layer with deli meats and cheese, and top with another slice of bread. Brush sandwich with olive oil and grill in a panini press or skillet.
- Shakshuka
- Vodka Cream Sauce – heat butter or oil in a skillet and add chopped onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and vodka and then stir in your leftover spaghetti sauce and heavy cream. Serve over your favorite pasta.
Hearty Casserole Recipes Using Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
Create a hearty, satisfying meal with one of these recipes. So many ways to repurpose that leftover spaghetti sauce into a filling family dinner that’s easy to prepare.
- Baked Tortellini Casserole – just 4 ingredients!
- Baked Italian Sausage and Peppers – use your leftover spaghetti sauce in place of the tomato sauce mixture
- Meatball Pasta Bake – sub the marinara sauce for your leftover spaghetti sauce
- Stuffed Shells – Follow instructions and arrange the shells in a baking dish, cover with your leftover spaghetti sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella, and bake in oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Lasagna Chicken Bake
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
- Meatball Parmesan Bake
- Mexican Lasagna – Layer tortillas with your leftover spaghetti sauce mixed with taco seasoning, cooked ground beef, black beans, corn, and shredded cheese. Repeat layers and bake in a casserole dish until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Spaghetti Pie – mix cooked spaghetti noodles, ricotta, 2 eggs, and parmesan cheese and spread into a greased pie dish. Top with leftover spaghetti sauce and bake until bubbly.
Comforting Soups & Stews with Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
These soups and stews are perfect for making the most of your leftover spaghetti sauce, turning it into hearty and comforting meals.
- Tomato Basil Soup – Combine leftover spaghetti sauce with vegetable or chicken broth, add fresh basil, and simmer until flavors meld. Blend until smooth and serve with crusty bread.
- Lasagna Soup
- Southwest Chicken Soup – replace to can of tomato sauce in this recipe with our leftover spaghetti sauce
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup – Combine your leftover sauce with beef broth, cooked ground beef, diced bell peppers, and cooked rice. Simmer until the peppers are tender and the flavors are melded.
- Minestrone Soup – Add your leftover spaghetti sauce to a pot with broth, diced veggies (carrots, celery, zucchini), canned beans, and pasta. Simmer until vegetables and pasta are tender.
- Meatball Soup – Combine spaghetti sauce with broth, frozen mini meatballs, diced veggies (tomatoes, carrots, onion) and cook until heated through. Stir in pasta and cook until al dente. Serve with sprinkled Parmesan on top.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this easy weeknight spaghetti with meat sauce recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below, and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container: gallon ziptop bags, mason jars, or containers with lids. Then, spoon the sauce into the container.
- If freezing in a zip-top bag, place the bag flat on a baking sheet and in the freezer. Once frozen, you can stack them more easily. Be sure to label the sauce with a name and date.
If you’re looking for recipes using leftover pasta sauce, this list will be a keeper. If you need more pasta recipes, check out this list.
If you have a tried and true recipe that uses leftover pasta sauce, make sure and let me know in the comments!
Does spaghetti sauce go bad?
Homemade spaghetti sauce generally lasts up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Like store-bought, it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Can spaghetti sauce be used for pizza?
Certainly. The flavor profile is very similar so it makes for a good substitute.
Can I freeze spaghetti sauce?
Yes! Freezer meal instructions are listed above.
Crock Pot Classic Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 can tomato sauce, (15 ounce)
- 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, (14.5 ounce)
- 1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes, (14.5 ounce)
- 1 can tomato paste, (6 ounce)
Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, Italian sausage and onion and cook until browned. Once done, drain any excess fat or liquid.
- Carefully transfer the meat mixture to the crock pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the sugar to the pot and mix to combine.
- Cook on low for 3-8 hours. Before serving, stir in the sugar, then serve over spaghetti or other pasta.
Recipe Notes
- Ground Beef – You can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken if you want to lighten it up a bit.
- Italian sausage – You can use ground Italian sausage or links and bust out the meat from the casing. For a little extra bite, use spicy sausage.
- Onion – Yellow or white onions will both work.
- Dried herbs – If you want to swap out any of the dry herbs for fresh herbs, multiply the amount of dry by 3. So ¼ teaspoon dried thyme would amount to ¾ teaspoon fresh chopped thyme.
- Garlic powder – You could substitute 2 tablespoons fresh grated or minced garlic instead, but garlic powder is the quickest and easiest option.
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
- Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container: gallon ziptop bags, mason jars, or containers with lids. Then, spoon the sauce into the container.
- If freezing in a zip-top bag, place the bag flat on a baking sheet and in the freezer. Once frozen, you can stack them more easily. Be sure to label the sauce with a name and date.
- In the microwave on 30 second increments, stir and continue until heated through.
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