The best way to make a good tomato sauce is to use good Italian tomatoes, they are sweet and have a beautiful red color which makes a big difference to the sauce. Now we are not in Italy!! So it means we probably have to use canned Italian tomatoes. Now I do use canned tomatoes when I have to but when fresh is an option!! Of course, I want to use fresh!! I do get absolutely delicious fresh tomatoes here. I make my homemade tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes and you will see I still manage to get rich red color and sweetness to my sauce. Want to know the little secret? It’s in the recipe below. The caramelize sugar!! You must try it.
My all-purpose tomato sauce
Do you prefer chunky tomato sauce or smooth tomato sauce? Honestly? They are both delicious! My kids favor the smooth sauce more than the chunky one, so we always blend it into a smooth sauce. I love a nice chunky tomato sauce, especially with a few added olives. This is often my go-to for many, many pasta dishes. Pizzas, mushrooms, bakes, etc.
If you see my recipe for Penne Lasagna – yes, I’ve used this as well. For my pizza – I thicken the sauce a little more and spread over the pizza dough. Add toppings and bake. Don’t forget to read my Secrets to delicious homemade Pizza. This sauce doesn’t really need a lot of ingredients. Fresh tomatoes and basil and the rest are pantry staples. The best part is it freezes beautifully and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to portion them in flat ziplock bags to occupy less space. For a mushroom sauce – Saute mushroom slices in one tablespoon of olive oil, add a pinch of salt so the mushrooms will release the liquid. Once the liquid has evaporated add in the tomato sauce and cook for five minutes. Serve with pasta. Meat sauce – saute the ground meat in a tablespoon of oil until brown. Add the tomato sauce and cook on low for an hour until thick and delicious. Lasagna – Layer this fresh tomato sauce with ricotta or bechamel for vegetarian lasagna. Or layer the above meat sauce with ricotta or bechamel for a meat lasagna
Ingredients and substitutes
Tomatoes – I love picking red ripe but still firm tomatoes. They cook down beautifully. You can even roast the tomatoes in the oven at 160 C for an hour to get a nice roasted/smoky flavor for the sauce. If you like cherry tomatoes you must try my recipe – Cherry Tomato Olive and Basil Pasta Garlic – I think you absolutely need garlic and its’ just a small amount but adds so much flavor. If you like roasted garlic, save a few for your tomato sauce. It adds a lovely sweet garlicky flavor. Bay leaves – add an earthy flavor but if you don’t fancy you can just leave it out. Thyme and Oregano – I do love fresh herbs but I don’t always have these fresh on hand but if you do have fresh? by all means, fresh is the way to go. Brown Sugar – The main purpose of the brown sugar here is to caramelize it so it adds a touch of brown to the red. Do you know what happens to red when you add a touch of brown? It deepens the red. We are using the same principle here. Just adding a dash of brown to the red so make sure just caramelize not burn it.
Step–by-step: Fresh tomato sauce
Sauté – Add oil and garlic into a large pot or Dutch oven. With the heat on low, let the garlic infuse into the oil for a minute, making sure not to brown or burn it. Once the garlic is nice and fragrant, add in the dried herbs. Followed by the diced onions and bay leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes more. Sugar – Gently move the onions on one side of the pan, keeping the center near the heat clear. Add in the brown sugar. Let it caramelize slowly so it browns not burn. This will add a little brown color that will intensify the color of our sauce. Tomatoes – Now mix in the onions again and continue to cook. Next, add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer – Cover the pan, lower the heat to a simmer, and let simmer gently for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, you should have a thick, dark tomato sauce. Garnish – Add in your fresh basil leaves. You can leave the sauce chunky or use a hand blender to blend it to a smooth paste. Serve over fresh pasta or use as a basic tomato sauce for making other variations.
How I get a deep red color for my fresh tomato sauce
One of the challenges with fresh tomatoes is that they don’t always have a bright red color. However, No matter what the color they do taste amazing and make a great fresh tomato sauce. Here’s a little trick I use to make sure no matter what the color of my fresh tomatoes – the sauce is always deep red not yellow, orange, or pale red. Caramelizing the sugar – The main purpose of the brown sugar here is to caramelize it so it adds a touch of brown to the red. Do you know what happens to red when you add a touch of brown? It deepens the red. We are using the same principle here. Just add a dash of brown to the red which is why we want to make sure we just caramelize it not burn it. I use this trick to deepen my red fondant in cake decorating. One day I realized this should work with my pasta sauce too. Right? Guess what it does. Now, you can get a deep red color for your fresh tomato sauce every single time.
Tips for success
Use the best quality tomatoes you can find, preferably San Marzano. They’re sweeter and less acidic than many other types. Use a deep Dutch oven or heavy bottom sauté pan to prevent sticking and splattering. The primary purpose of the brown sugar here is to caramelize it so it adds a touch of brown to the red. Do you know what happens to red when adding a brown touch? It deepens the red. We are using the same principle here. Just add a dash of brown to the red, which is why we want to make sure we just caramelize it not burn it. A splash of red wine can deepen the flavor. Add it after the onions have sautéed and let it reduce a bit before adding the tomatoes. While basil is a classic, you can also use other herbs like oregano, thyme, or parsley. Garlic burns easily, so be sure to watch it closely during the sautéing step. Burned garlic can impart a bitter taste. Always taste your sauce and adjust the seasoning as it cooks. Remember, the sauce will reduce, and flavors will concentrate. If you want a chunkier tomato sauce, keep whole plum tomatoes chunky. If the tomato sauce is too thick – add a little water to bring it back to consistency. Tomato sauce freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. This way, you can always have homemade sauce on hand!
What can you do with fresh tomato sauce?
There is so much you can do with this red sauce. Use it as is over boiled pasta for a simple tomato pasta or baked ziti, Italian meatballs, or veggies. You can thicken this sauce to make a delicious pizza sauce Brown some ground beef with a marinara sauce for a quick meat or spaghetti sauce or try my bolognese sauce and serve it with spaghetti to make spaghetti bolognese. Add some mushrooms to make a quick mushroom pasta. You can drop a few meatballs in this sauce to make a quick meatballs pasta. Use it over breaded chicken and top it with cheese to make a delicious chicken parmesan or over-grilled eggplant to make eggplant parmesan. Quick Pasta sauce – Simmer 2 cups tomato sauce; add 1/4 cup cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan sauce, and fresh basil – serve over boiled pasta. Pizza sauce – If you thicken the tomato sauce it works perfectly as a pizza sauce. Add some topping and some cheese before baking. See all my pizza recipes here. Mushroom Pasta – Saute 1 lb mushrooms, then add 2 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and some fresh basil. Add 1 lb boiled pasta. Spaghetti bolognese – brown 1 lbs ground beef, add 2 cups tomato sauce, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup fresh cream, and fresh basil. Serve over boiled spaghetti pasta.
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Frequently asked questions
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