Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
93 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
Italian
Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce
Description
The Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce is built with whole canned plum tomatoes stripped of seeds and juice, then roughly chopped to provide texture. The base starts by gently cooking finely minced onion and optional garlic in extra-virgin olive oil until tender and fragrant, ensuring a delicate flavor foundation. Adding fresh basil leaves and bay leaf infuses herbal notes, while seasoning with sea salt and black pepper rounds out the taste. A pinch of sugar or bay leaf helps balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes.
Simmering the sauce covered for about 15 minutes allows flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly while maintaining a creamy yet chunky consistency. The reserved tomato juices and water added back into the pan adjust the thickness and integrate all the components. This sauce is suitable for pasta dishes, pizzas, or any recipe that calls for a robust yet simple tomato sauce.
This sauce can be stored in airtight sterilized glass jars in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen in portions for up to six weeks, making it convenient to prepare ahead and use as needed.
Ingredients
- 2 cans plum tomato 400gr each, organic, whole
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion finely minced, medium-small
- 1 garlic gently crushed (optional, clove
- 4 basil fresh leaves
- 1 bay leaf or a pinch of sugar
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut each whole canned tomato in half, remove seeds and juice, roughly chop into chunks, and set aside. Set aside any remaining sauce in the cans.
- Heat a medium pan with the extra-virgin olive oil and the garlic (if using) over medium-low heat.
- Add in the onion, and gently stir-fry it together with the garlic for about 5 minutes. Cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic golden, then add in the tomatoes. Depending on your taste, discard the clove at this stage or when the sauce is cooked.
- Add in a couple of basil leaves and a bay leaf (or a pinch of sugar), season with sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste, and gently cook all the ingredients for a further 5 minutes.
- Pour in the reserved juices from the cans. Add ⅓ cup (80 ml) of water in one of the cans, and pour it over the sauce.
- Cover the pan with a lid, and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The sauce is ready when it reaches a nice creamy but still chunky texture, and has just the right balance of sweetness and savoury when you taste it.
- Remove the sauce from the heat, add in the remaining fresh basil leaves, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve with your favourite pasta.
Notes
- Store tomato sauce in airtight sterilized glass jars in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze in portions for up to 6 weeks.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 93 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 93kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 182mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 428mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 309IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 51mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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