A quick tomato sauce taught to me by my uncle from Italy that takes about 30 minutes. Perfect for a quick meal - you will never need to buy jarred sauce ever again.
I never understood why people made such a big deal about making spaghetti sauce. If you need to make something quick for dinner that takes less than 30 minutes, then this is the sauce to make. Although this is a quick sauce, it is very versatile because it can be used for chicken, veal, or eggplant parmigiana, stuffed peppers, stuffed shells, and manicotti, just to name a few. Making a delicious tomato sauce doesn't have to be a daunting task.
I usually make this on Wednesdays probably because it was ingrained in my head that Wednesdays are spaghetti days. Now that I have a family of my own, everyday is busy, making this a perfect choice for a meal.
Sautéing the onions over medium heat for about 10 minutes is key. The onions turn sweet and start to melt. This is what takes the longest to do in this recipe, but it's important. You don't want the onions crunchy or noticeable in this sauce. Next, add in the minced garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. You should start to smell that awesome aroma that garlic emits when it is being cooked. It is far different from the aroma released when garlic gets burned, so be careful here. When you start to smell the garlic, stir in the salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic powder.
Add in the crushed peeled tomatoes to the onion mixture. Stir it carefully because it can splatter. Simmer the sauce for about ten minutes.
Now you can either chop those basil leaves or just tear them and throw them in. Let it simmer for about another 10 minutes and you're done. You have a quick tomato sauce ready to serve with pasta or used for whatever dish you have in mind. This sauce can be doubled and also freezes well.
For more delicious sauces try:
- The Most Delicious Mustard Sauce Ever
- Simple Authentic Chimichurri
- Perfect Italian Pesto
- Peruvian Pesto
- Spinach Pesto
- Quick BBQ Sauce
- Alabama White BBQ Sauce
- The Most Delicious Italian Meat Sauce
Life is too short for mediocre food.
Have you seen these?
Quick Tomato Sauce
PRINT PINIngredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion (I use sweet onions) finely chopped ~ ½ cup
- 3 medium garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt Diamond Crystal is recommended
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 (28 ounce) can ground peeled tomatoes
- 6 to 8 basil leaves
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil for about 10 minutes. The onions should be soft and just golden.
- Add in the garlic and cook for a minute or two being careful not to brown.
- Stir in the salt, garlic powder, sugar, and pepper.
- Then slowly add in the crushed tomatoes.
- Cook for about ten minutes stirring occasionally.
- Tear up the basil leaves and add to sauce. Stir it up and simmer for another ten minutes.
- Serve with pasta or as a sauce topping for parmigiana.
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Penny
Natalie, thank you for this simple tomato sauce. So handy to have made up & I like that you can freeze the sauce.
Natalie
You are very welcome Penny. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.