Description
This Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe is a simple, flavorful homemade sauce made from ripe vine or plum tomatoes, infused with garlic, basil, and a touch of brown sugar for balance. Perfect as a base for pasta dishes or as a versatile condiment, this sauce is simmered to a rich, thick consistency, capturing the essence of fresh tomatoes in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomatoes
- 3 lbs vine ripe or plum tomatoes (about 8)
sauce base
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 basil sprigs (stems and leaves separated)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed)
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Using a paring knife, cut 1-inch X’s on the bottoms of all the tomatoes to help with peeling.
- Blanch the tomatoes: Add the prepared tomatoes to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the skins start to split, then immediately strain them in a colander and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
- Peel and core: Peel the tomatoes by removing the skins and discard them. Cut the peeled tomatoes into chunks, discarding the cores to ensure smoothness in the sauce.
- Cook aromatics: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic paste, tomato paste, basil stems, sea salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook while stirring frequently for about 2 to 3 minutes until the garlic browns slightly and becomes fragrant.
- Add tomatoes and sugar: Add the chopped tomatoes with their juices and the light brown sugar to the saucepan. Stir thoroughly and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer sauce: Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency.
- Finish with basil: Remove the saucepan from the heat, discard the basil stems, and stir in the finely chopped basil leaves for fresh herb flavor.
- Season and store: Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or allow the sauce to cool before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
- Using ripe vine or plum tomatoes enhances the natural sweetness and flavor.
- Garlic paste browning is essential for a deep, rich garlic flavor without bitterness.
- Simmering the sauce helps develop its thickness and concentrates flavors.
- Brown sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes for a smoother taste.
- The sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for longer storage.
- For a smoother sauce, blend briefly after simmering if desired.
