Recipe: Homemade Tomato Sauce (2024)

By: Francesca Montillo,The Lazy Italian

A few ingredients are all you need for a delicious and versatile sauce. I didn’t have fresh basil, so I used some frozen leaves from the summer batch.

For the past few years, my mother has become my (unofficial, and unpaid!) proofreader for all my recipes for my cooking classes and my blog posts on this site. I do this for a number of reasons, which ultimately helps me, but also helps the students in my cooking classes and also you, my dear readers.

For one thing, she has what I call “beady little eyes.” I swear she will spot a typo a mile away! It’s not unlike her to snoop around this website, find a typo in a 2-year old post and call me out on it! Now, I know better and send her everything before it’s posted here or printed for the students!

Secondly, well, since she has always been my culinary educator, instructor and teacher, and many of the recipes I use in my cooking classes and what you see here are hers, I find it only fair that I let her read and review them, just to make sure I have everything just right and approved by her!

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Recently, I handed her a batch of recipes to proofread before photocopying for the students in a cooking class, and this was her reaction:

“Sauce? You’re teaching them how to make sauce? But it’s so easy and quick, doesn’t everybody already know how to make sauce?” Oh, the things we take for granted living in an Italian household. I had to break it to her slowly, that no, unlike our household, not everyone prepares several batches of sauce a week! She was saddened to learn of this.

She is right though, as she always tends to be, and a simple, basic and straightforward tomato sauce is perhaps the easiest thing you can cook, and it’s by far the most versatile recipe you will ever use. The ingredients are few, and the prep takes five minutes at most, the cooking anywhere from 20 – 25 minutes. And the use? Well, this sauce can be used in hundreds, if not thousands of dishes.

To give you an idea, at its most basic form, this sauce is used for preparation of basic “pasta al pomodoro,” or just pasta with tomato sauce. Add some parmigiano and peperoncino from my native Calabria, and you have a delicious first course. But it obviously does not stop there. I use this as pizza sauce over the dough, as opposed to uncooked (thus unflavored) sauce. This is the base for pasta fagiola (pasta and beans), and this is the sauce used to cook my meatballs. This sauce is used for the base of stuffed shells, parmigiana (both the chicken and eggplant type), and I don’t prep any soup without adding a ¼ of a cup of this sauce. This sauce is used foreggs in purgatory, as a dipping sauce to fried foods such as cutlets or fried meatballs and also goes great over steamed green beans and other veggies, especially the bland cauliflower. Pasta and ceci, or pasta with chickpeas is also made using this sauce. Add a few tablespoons of this to your chicken soup, and you have a delicious soup, with a broth that takes on a much more appealing color. And braciole? Those beloved beef bundles are also cooked in this sauce.

You get the picture, right? Master this and open the door to hundreds of dishes!

A batch of this sauce is always in my fridge. Because it’s meatless and simple, it refrigerates well for up to 4 – 5 days. The non-negotiable ingredients are garlic, onion, parsley, basil, olive oil, salt and good quality canned crushed tomatoes. A few add-ons that you can include are finely diced carrot, celery or sweet bell pepper. Personally, I rarely add those, as I tend to find that the fewer the ingredients, the more versatile it is.

As for the brand of crushed tomatoes? You’re going to want to taste a few on your own and find a favorite. San Marzano are obviously delicious, but costly if you make this as often as I do. Other tested brands that I enjoy include Muir Glen Organic, Whole Foods brand, Cento and my everyday go-to: Pastene.

Homemade Tomato Sauce
Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
½ small onion, diced (3 – 4 chopped scallions can be used as an alternative)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, stems removed
2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz can of crushed peeled tomatoes
Salt to taste – about 1 teaspoon
1 ¼ cup of water
3 – 4 basil leaves

Directions

1) In a medium saucepan, take the first four ingredients and bring them to a simmer over medium heat, mixing them around with a wooden spoon so they don’t burn.
2)Add the can of tomatoes. This will splatter about a bit as it hits the hot oil, mix everything with a wooden spoon. Add the salt, the water and basil leaves. (Basil burns quickly so I add it with the sauce and not before, in the oil. You can also add the basil in the middle of the cooking process.)
4) Reduce the heat to low, cover with lid and let that simmer for 20 – 22 minutes, mixing a few times during the cooking time. The longer it simmers, the thicker and darker the sauce will become.
5) Remove from the heat and use to dress your pasta or to complete any other dish you had in mind.
*Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 – 5 days. This actually freezes really well. Freeze any unused portion (or make one pot on purpose to just freeze) in a glass container with a lid and defrost overnight in the fridge.

Recipe: Homemade Tomato Sauce (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good tomato sauce? ›

Starting with good quality tomatoes and crushing them by hand offers great flavor and texture later on. The combination of butter and oil releases fat-soluble aromatics and gives the sauce a creamy texture. Slowly cooking the sauce in the oven creates rich caramelization without burning.

What is the secret ingredient in tomato sauce? ›

Anchovy paste is considered a hidden ingredient in spaghetti sauce because most people have no idea it is in there. You do not need much, but even a small amount creates a rich, salty base. You'll find countless tomato sauce recipes that call for anchovy paste online, so the secret is out.

How to make fresh tomato sauce Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Cook garlic: In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Add tomatoes: Add red-pepper flakes (optional) and tomatoes, breaking them up as you go. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Simmer sauce: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer.
Aug 11, 2023

How do you add richness to tomato sauce? ›

Use wine.

Both red and white wine work extremely well for adding flavor to tomato sauce. Red wine gives the sauce added richness and robustness, while white wine imparts a fruity flavor. Incorporate the wine early in the cooking process, just after the vegetables have softened.

Are you supposed to put sugar in tomato sauce? ›

Most tomato sauce recipes are based on canned tomatoes, and canning companies carefully regulate the pH level of their products. So, the need to add sugar to tomato sauce is declining, but there may still be exceptions. It's best to make your sauce without sugar at first, then taste it and add a pinch if necessary.

Why do you add brown sugar to tomato sauce? ›

Table sugar isn't the only ingredient you can add to mellow out the taste of your tomato sauce. A pinch of brown sugar or an unrefined sweetener such as coconut sugar can add a nice layer of flavor that'll still balance the acidity.

Do you need to peel tomatoes for sauce? ›

To ensure a uniform, smooth texture. Tomato skins are tough and hard to chew, so removing them before you make sauces – especially canned sauces – is important. Avoid bitter flavor.

What are the best tomatoes for homemade tomato sauce? ›

Fresh tomatoes: Try to stick with plum tomatoes, like Roma, San Marzano, and cherry tomatoes. Be sure to peel the tomatoes (and remove the seeds, if you like, but it's not necessary). White sugar: The sugar will balance out the acidity and give the sauce a hint of sweetness.

How long should you let homemade tomato sauce simmer? ›

I give a cooking range of 30 minutes to 90 minutes (1 1/2 hours). Shorter cooking times will yield a thinner sauce with a fresher tomato flavor; longer cooking times will thicken your sauce and give it a cooked flavor. Watch your sauce as it simmers and stop cooking when it reaches a consistency and flavor you like.

How do you add depth to homemade tomato sauce? ›

Add hand-torn basil for a fresher, deeper taste.

Add the basil in the last minutes of cooking to add freshness and depth to the sauce.

Is tomato sauce just pureed tomatoes? ›

Tomato puree is the basis for the two most common types of tomato sauce: the canned and jarred tomato sauces found on your supermarket shelves. This means that in the overwhelming majority of cases, tomato sauce is also tomato puree, but tomato puree is never tomato sauce until it's seasoned and slightly thinned out.

What is classic tomato sauce called? ›

If you think about a standard, simple, smooth tomato sauce, chances are you're thinking about pomodoro (Italian for tomato) sauce. Sugo di Pomodoro typically features minced or crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, and salt.

Why use whole tomatoes for sauce? ›

Whole peeled tomatoes are ideal for making homemade tomato sauces, marinara, and tomato-based soups. Their firm texture also makes them great for chunky sauces and stews. Tips and tricks: Use kitchen shears or a knife to chop tomatoes directly in the can for less mess.

What makes tomato sauce taste better? ›

Toss in Olives or Capers. Briny ingredients like olives or capers are another way to brighten up your pasta sauce while also introducing texture and depth of flavor. Roughly chop a handful and stir them into your sauce while it's heating up on the stove.

What adds flavor to tomato sauce? ›

"I like to add roasted garlic, fresh basil, and sautéed chopped veggies like mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion into my sauce. This combination gives it a garden-variety taste and feel," Chase told Insider. Sometimes they'll also add red chili flakes or a drizzle of garlic oil to the sauce.

What gives spaghetti sauce depth of flavor? ›

Olives and capers add a punch of briny goodness and give tomato sauce some real personality. Toss in some chopped or whole, pitted olives and/or a handful of drained capers after heating the sauce for several minutes. Or, if you're adding garlic or sautéed vegetables, add to the sauté just before you pour in the sauce.

What does adding milk to tomato sauce do? ›

Add a little milk to tomato sauce for a sweeter taste to offset the acidity of the tomatoes. This is a well-kept secret amongst Italian grandmothers. In northern Italy, Bolognese sauce is never made without milk! It can be added at the beginning or end of cooking.

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