Homemade Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce is so much better when it’s homemade.

Basic Tomato Sauce
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 large sprig basil
2 sprigs oregano, optional
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes (along with their liquid), basil, and oregano, if desired, and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon, for about 2 hours, or until thickened and saucy. Let cool slightly and puree in a food mill using a fine disc. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes about 1 ¼ quarts. An all-purpose red sauce, fantastic with pasta or anything else that requires marinara. To perk up the long-cooked flavors of this sauce, you can stir in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a grated clove of raw garlic right before serving. Keeps for several days tightly sealed in the refrigerator.