Frankly, I’m surprised it took me this long to write a post for this! Ever since college, I’ve abandoned the too easy and too tempting jared tomato sauce for my own “homemade” version. Consensus says that sauce in a jar is just fine, but, call me a control freak, I found that I like to be in charge of the flavors of my sauce and it’s now a distinct part of all of my pasta dishes.
The greatest thing about tomato sauce is how versatile it is. It can be savory or on the sweet side; tart or fragrant; flavored with mushrooms or creamy and cheesy. The options are virtually endless. My typical sauce is a bit sweet and also rich with basil and parsley. I like my onions chopped small to medium in size because I prefer a chunkier sauce. If you’d rather a smooth sauce, I’d suggest chopping the onions and garlic very fine or pureeing the sauce in a food processor.
Another common additive for me is grounds meat, effectively making it a “meat sauce”. Growing up, my mom would always mix cooked ground turkey in her sauce which we would eat with spaghetti, baked ziti, lasagna, etc. Following in this tradition, I almost always make a meat sauce, but I use Italian sausage or a combo of Italian sausage and ground turkey. From time to time, I may go for a more random meat, like lamb, and combine it with Italian sausage for a different flavor combination, though ground turkey is a much healthier option!
This tomato sauce serves as a great base for any Italian dish and the best part is how easy it is to make! I’m not at all averse to using canned tomatoes to cut down on time and work. Be sure to purchase organic or at least “no salt added” canned tomatoes or tomato sauce for the best quality sauce. Use fresh herbs, always making sure to rinse them before adding to your sauce.
I can’t say this enough, I use this base sauce for every red sauce pasta dish I make! I hope you all find it to be as much of a staple recipe as it is for me!
- 29 oz can unsalted tomato sauce (or crushed canned tomatoes for chunkier sauce)
- 2 tbsp robust extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped small
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
Instructions- Heat olive oil in a medium pot. Add onions and cook for one minute. Add in garlic, parsley, basil, oregano and thyme. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Pour in unsalted canned tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a boil, adjusting seasoning to your liking. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, up to two hours.
- Serve over your favorite pasta or cool and refrigerate in a jar for up to two weeks.
DetailsPrep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 32 ounces
Skill Level: Easy - 2 tbsp robust extra virgin olive oil