What says comfort food more than homemade Italian Tomato Sauce? With pasta, meatballs, chicken Parmesan or eggplant Parmesan…yumm-o!!!
My mom, dad and grandmother each made it a little differently. My recipe is a combination of all three with a few of my own twists. There are many ways to make a tasty tomato sauce. See different options in Ingredients and Substitutions below.
I typically make a big vat of sauce for Sunday dinner with plenty of leftovers for the week. I prefer an herb-y sauce that is not too sweet so you will see lots of fresh herbs but you can certainly substitute dried. Ready to get your sauce on??
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tomatoes – High quality whole peeled plum tomatoes (crushed by hand or mashed with a potato masher). Bianco DiNapoli Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. For thinner sauce, use 3 cans of whole tomatoes and skipped the crushed.
- Sauce base – Yellow onion and minced garlic. For a hint of natural sweetness, use a Vidalia onion instead.
- Wine – Red or white. I usually use white which adds slight fruitiness. Red wine will add richness. Both will help enhance the flavors in the sauce. Use a wine that you you would want to drink. It doesn’t have to be anything expensive but don’t skimp! The wine cooks off but if you prefer no alcohol, just skip it or use a little chicken, beef or vegetable broth to deglaze the pan.
- Herbs – Bay leaf, fresh basil, oregano and thyme. If you are substituting dried, basil 2 parts fresh to 1 part dry. For oregano and thyme, 3 parts fresh to 1 part dried. This is all based on you personal preference so adjust as you like.
Notes:
- If you prefer a sweeter sauce, there are several options: 1. use a Vidalia onion instead of yellow or 2. Add a whole carrot or puree a carrot and mix in the puree. These are two natural ways to increase the sweet. 3. Add a pinch of sugar.
- Looking for a super rich sauce? Use red wine and/or add a tablespoon of unsalted butter.
- If you have the rind from Parmesan or Romano cheese handy, toss that in to add some savory umami flavor. It should disintegrate but if not, remove it when you remove the Bay leaf.
Preparation
- Heat the oil in a Dutch Over/Le Creuset or large heavy bottomed pot. Saute the onion and garlic in the oil on medium-low for 2-3 minutes, being careful to not burn the garlic!
2. Add the wine, stirring to deglaze the pan. When the wine is reduced down, add the tomatoes, tomato paste and 1/2 can of water. Stir to combine. Add the Bay leaf, half of the herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 2-3 hours.
3. Add the other half of the herbs 10-15 minutes before serving. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
What to Serve with Italian Tomato Sauce
Serve with your favorite pasta and a crusty bread, add meatballs to the sauce (recipe coming soon); Use the sauce in chicken or eggplant Parmesan (stay tuned for my recopies). Use it for homemade pizzas or just about anything that calls for tomato sauce. You can also separate and freeze in several containers for future use.
Equipment
Le Creuset/Dutch Oven or Large heavy bottomed pot.
PrintItalian Tomato Sauce
- Total Time: 3 hours 2 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 1x
Description
What says comfort food more than Italian Tomato Sauce? Whole plum tomatoes, onion and herbs simmered to perfection!
Ingredients
- 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 28 ounce cans whole peeled plum tomatoes, crushed by hand or mashed with a potato masher
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped and divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped and divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped and divided
- 1/2–3/5 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch Over/Le Creusset or large heavy bottomed pot. Add the onion and garlic and saute on medium-low for 2-3 minutes, being careful to not burn the garlic! Turn the heat down a bit if needed.
- Add the wine, stirring to deglaze the pan. When the wine has reduced down to nearly gone, add the plum and crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and 1/2 can of water. Stir to combine. Add the Bay leaf, half of the herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 2-3 hours.
- 10-15 minutes before serving, stir in the other half of the herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
Equipment
Notes
**See Key Ingredients and Substitutions for different variations to customize to your liking.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Weekend Meals
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Tomato Sauce, Italian Tomato Sauce, Pasta Sauce, Sunday Sauce
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