... Print

The Ultimate Homemade Tomato Sauce: Quick Weeknight Version

Close-up of rich, chunky homemade tomato sauce in a small white bowl on a wooden surface.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

I am glad you are here. This recipe shows you how to make a rich, flavorful homemade tomato sauce using simple canned tomatoes. It is budget-friendly, tastes better than store-bought, and works for pasta, pizza, or chicken parmesan.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano preferred)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

  1. Drain the whole peeled tomatoes, reserving the liquid. Crush the tomatoes by hand in a bowl until they are broken down into small pieces.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  3. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn pale gold. Do not let the garlic brown.
  4. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar (if using) to the pot. Stir well to combine.
  5. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and let the sauce simmer for at least 20 minutes. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved tomato liquid or water.
  6. After simmering, stir in the fresh basil leaves. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  7. Remove from heat and stir one final time before serving over your favorite pasta or using as a pizza sauce base.

Notes

  • For a smoother sauce, you can use an immersion blender to briefly pulse the sauce a few times after simmering.
  • If you want a richer flavor base, sauté 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion with the garlic until soft before adding the tomatoes.
  • This sauce freezes well. Cool it completely before transferring it to airtight containers for storage.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.purecookingjoy.com/easy-tomato-sauce-recipe-from-scratch/

0 Shares
Tweet
Pin
Share