Basic Red Tomato Sauce

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Basic Red Tomato Sauce

A classic red tomato sauce, one of the five French "mother sauces". It's a freezer staple in my house.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Total Time2 15

Keyword: Staples

Servings: cups

Calories: 48kcal

Equipment

1 Heavy bottomed 4 qt pot or dutch oven

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion peeled and diced
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 med carrots peeled and diced
1 6 oz can tomato paste
2 28 oz cans whole tomatoes (San Marzano preferred)
6 cups water (I use the tomato cans to measure)
1-2 bay leaves
basil/oregano/Italian seasoning (optional)
1 cup good red wine optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a 4-qt pan over medium heat
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Cook the onions until soft and darkly translucent but do not let them brown (This step can take 20 or so mins - don't rush it)
1 large yellow onion
Add garlic and cook until just fragrant (2-3 mins)
2-3 cloves garlic
Add the tomato paste and cook until it begins to darken (3-4 mins)
1 6 oz can tomato paste
Add the cans of tomatoes and the water
2 28 oz cans whole tomatoes, 6 cups water
Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by 1/2
Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, break up the tomatoes some
Add any spices, bay leaf, and (optional) wine
1-2 bay leaves, basil/oregano/Italian seasoning, 1 cup good red wine
Continue to simmer, uncovered, until it reaches your desired sauce thickness

Notes

The secret to this sauce is SLOW cooking. Cook the onions slowly and allow their natural sweetness to come out. Simmer the tomatoes and sauce on low and let the flavors deepen and blend and meld. Don't be in a hurry and never boil the sauce to try to speed up the process.

The sauce will be chunky with bits of onion, carrot, and tomato. You can leave it chunky, mash it with a potato masher (my preference), or hit it with an immersion blender if you want completely smooth, blended sauce.

You can continue cooking to reduce the even more if you want a thicker sauce or to use it for pizza topping.

This recipe makes about 2 quarts (8 cups, 1800 ml) of sauce, depending on how much you reduce it and whether you blend it or leave it chunky.

I don't add salt to this for the same reason I don't salt stock when I make it: I prefer to salt to taste when using it in a recipe or before serving. If you do add salt, add it AFTER the sauce has reduced near the end of the cooking time. If you add it earlier, the sauce will be too salty.

Nutrition