5 from 105 votes
Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce
This authentic Italian tomato sauce uses canned organic plum tomatoes cooked with olive oil, minced onion, and optional garlic, gently simmered with fresh basil and bay leaf or a pinch of sugar. The sauce achieves a balance of smooth and chunky textures, seasoned simply with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, making it a versatile base for many dishes.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings:
6
Calories:
93 kcal
Course:
Condiments
Cuisine:
Italian
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.
Cup of Yum
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
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%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 93
% 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.