Greek tomato sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
97 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Greek
Greek tomato sauce
Description
This Greek tomato sauce starts by sautéing diced red onion and garlic with a pinch of dried oregano and whole spices including cloves, a bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick. These aromatic elements infuse the olive oil base during sweating. Fresh or canned ripe tomatoes are then added with a bit of water to form the sauce, which simmers gently for 45 minutes to an hour to concentrate flavors and reduce acidity.
The resulting sauce balances the sweetness and acidity of the tomatoes with warm, slightly spicy notes from the cinnamon and cloves. The herbs, particularly if fresh basil or oregano is used, bring a fresh brightness that complements the rich sauce. The texture becomes thick and rich from prolonged simmering, suitable for coating pasta well.
The sauce is typically served over cooked pasta topped with grated Greek cheeses like Kefalotiri or Pecorino Romano, or traditional Parmigiano Reggiano, and optionally fresh herbs or chili flakes for heat. It offers a Mediterranean twist on tomato sauce with distinctive spice notes.
Practical tips include using canned San Marzano tomatoes to avoid adding sugar, choosing dried herbs if fresh are unavailable, refrigerating leftovers for up to 3-4 days, and freezing for up to six months. Reheating advice suggests gentle warming with added water if the sauce has thickened during storage.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion diced, medium
- 2-3 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 pinch oregano dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cloves
- cinnamon stick
- 2 lbs tomato or 3½ cups canned San Marzano D.O.P. tomatoes, ripe, grated
- 5-6 Herb Like chopped fresh basil, thyme leaves or oregano leaves, optional, fresh, leaves
- salt sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- brown sugar optional, see recipe notes
for serving
- pasta cooked
- cheese Greek kefalotiri or pecorrino romao, parmigiano regiano, grated
- Herb like basil, oregano or thyme, fresh, leaves
Instructions
- Add 2-3 tablespoon olive oil in a sauce pan. Add the diced red onion. Season with a pinch of salt. Sauté in medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, a generous pinch of oregano, 3-4 cloves, the bay leaf, the cinnamon stick some freshly ground pepper and stir. Sauté for another 2 min.
- Add the tomatoes and half a cup of water. Stir well. Add the chopped herb leaves(optional). Stir and bring to a boil for one minute.
- Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 45 min to an hour. Adjust sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Serving
- Serve the tomato sauce over your favorite pasta, with lots of grated cheese, such as Kefalotiri, Pecorino Romano, or Parmigiano, a pinch of chili flakes, and some chopped fresh herbs.
Notes
- Use canned San Marzano tomatoes if available; then adding sugar is typically unnecessary.
- If fresh herbs aren’t on hand, dried oregano or basil suffices to maintain flavor.
- Homemade sauce stores well refrigerated for 3-4 days and freezes for up to six months in airtight containers.
- Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce if thickened after storage.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 97 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 97kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 218mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 311mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 194IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 53mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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