Description
This fresh tomato sauce recipe captures the vibrant flavors of ripe tomatoes combined with fragrant garlic, basil, and a touch of sweetness. Perfect for pasta, pizzas, or as a base for various Italian dishes, this sauce is easy to prepare and cooks slowly to develop a rich, thickened texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 3 lbs vine ripe or plum tomatoes (about 8)
- 2 basil sprigs (stems and leaves separated)
Pantry
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed)
Instructions
- Prepare boiling water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
- Score tomatoes: Using a paring knife, cut 1-inch X’s on the bottoms of all the tomatoes to help with peeling later.
- Blanch tomatoes: Add the prepped tomatoes to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the skins start to split.
- Peel tomatoes: Strain the tomatoes in a colander and transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet. Peel the skins off and discard them.
- Chop tomatoes: Cut the peeled tomatoes into chunks, discarding the cores.
- Sauté aromatics: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over low heat. Add garlic paste, tomato paste, basil stems, sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook while stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes until the garlic browns and becomes fragrant.
- Add tomatoes and sugar: Stir in the chopped tomatoes and their juices along with the brown sugar. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer sauce: Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens.
- Finish with basil leaves: Remove from heat, discard basil stems, and stir in the finely chopped basil leaves.
- Season and store: Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or allow the sauce to cool before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Using ripe vine tomatoes or plum tomatoes enhances the sauce’s natural sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Tomato paste intensifies the tomato flavor and adds richness.
- Simmering the sauce slowly allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken beautifully.
- The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
