How to make Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe

Learn How to Make Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe that is so good you will want to put it on everything. It’s very delicious and made with onions, garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, bay leaves, and seasonings. 

I originally shared this Basic Tomato Sauce recipe back in 2014, and it has since become one of the most popular recipes on the blog. In fact, this was one of the first recipes I posted, so I decided to update it by adding more information to the recipe, including new photos too.

This is a very easy and tasty homemade tomato sauce recipe that you can keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s always great to have a homemade tomato sauce on hand since it is the foundation for so many wonderful dishes. Also, you can easily add ground meat, if you want, to make a meat sauce instead.

What kind of tomatoes should I use to make this homemade tomato sauce even better?

You can use whole canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes to make this recipe. However, in my opinion, the best tomatoes to make homemade tomato sauce are the San Marzano tomatoes, which grow in the rich volcanic soil of the Sarno River valley in Italy. Well, it’s not only me who thinks San Marzano tomatoes are the best to make tomato sauce. I always hear top chefs talking about these tomatoes as the high standard for taste.

I’ve made this recipe many and many times using all different types of tomatoes and the best results came from San Marzano tomatoes. But what’s so great about these tomatoes? Well, they have a sweet flavor with low acidity and are meatier than other tomatoes. Also, it’s easier to remove the skin, and they have a low seed count, which are all good qualities for making a good and juicy sauce.

It’s good that you can find these tomatoes everywhere from local grocery stores to Amazon. I actually like to buy from Amazon because you can find a variety of San Marzano tomato cans from different brands and prices. My favourite is this one from La San Marzano. The tomatoes are peeled already and come with a basil leaf. But there are lots of other brands to choose from.

What are the ingredients to make this basic tomato sauce?

• Onions
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Tomatoes
• Bay leaves
• Seasonings

These are all ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, right? You will be very pleased with how this sauce will end up. Let the sauce simmer for about 20-30 minutes. But if you have more time to prepare your dish, let the sauce simmer for over an hour because the more you cook it the more flavourful it will become. However, it will be great cooking only for 20 minutes as well. Of course, I don’t think I even need to mention the juicier the tomatoes the better the sauce will be.

How to use this Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe:  

You will want to put this basic tomato sauce on almost everything. But my favourite ways to use it are with an Eggplant Lasagna, Zucchini Lasagna, Vegetable Lasagna Roll-ups, Lasagna Rolls, Slow Cooker Zucchini Lasagna, Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna Skillet, Spaghetti, Meatballs, Zucchini Noodles, Cauliflower Pizza, Pizza, and the list goes on and on.

Recipes to make with tomato sauce:

• Italian Sausage Tomato Sauce: It is loaded with tomatoes, spices, and fresh sausages. It’s great over zucchini noodles, pasta, mashed cauliflower, lasagna, and even on its own.

• 4-ingredient Chicken Zucchini Rolls: It is amazing because it’s healthy, gluten-free, and low-carb. And last but not least, it’s so D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.

• Spinach and Zucchini Lasagna: This lasagna is vegetarian, low-carb, and gluten-free. It is made with tomato sauce, skinny ricotta, mozzarella, and zucchini noodles.

See below for how to make Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe Video:

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3.78 from 59 votes

How to make Basic Tomato Sauce

Learn How to Make a Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe that is so good you will want to put it on everything. It's very delicious and made with onions, garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, bay leaves, and seasonings. 

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Total: 40 minutes

Servings: 6 Small Mason Jars

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ half medium onion finely chopped
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves crushed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sugar-free tomato paste
• ▢ 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with the juice or 1¾ pound of fresh tomatoes peeled, seeded, and diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or natural sweetener)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 2 dried bay leaves
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

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Instructions

• In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add onions and cook 4-5 minutes until they are soft and golden.
• Add garlic and sauté, being careful not to burn.
• Add tomato paste, and stir well. Add crushed tomatoes, including the juice in case you are using canned tomatoes.
• Add brown sugar, dried oregano, dried bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
• Cover and bring to a low simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Finally, remove from the heat, add fresh basil, and stir well. Remove the bay leaves.
• Adjust the seasoning if you think it is necessary. You can use this delicious sauce in your favorite recipes, or you can pour the sauce into a mason jar and keep it in the fridge for about 3 or 4 days, or you can freeze for months.

Tips

• This sauce is perfect for lots of dishes, but my favourites are 5-Ingredient Chicken Zucchini Boats, saucy Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna Skillet, and low-carb Ground Turkey Skillet with Green Beans. Mm... All these dishes will make everyone around the table smile 😉
• If the tomato sauce is bitter, add a pinch of baking soda to help neutralize the acidity. 
• Another alternative to the diced tomatoes is peeled plum tomatoes or passata sauce.
• To store: Store the tomato sauce in an airtight container for 3 days in the fridge.
• To reheat: Reheat the sauce in the microwave or stovetop until hot.
• To freeze: Once cooled, you can freeze the tomato sauce for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag. 

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/6 Calories: 91kcal (5%) Carbohydrates: 12g (4%) Protein: 2.4g (5%) Fat: 4g (6%) Sugar: 8.8g (10%)

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.

© Author: Olivia Ribas

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As a memory, I kept the original photo from 2014!