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tomato sauce — Mediterranean Diet Hub

tomato sauce

Tomato sauce made with simple pantry ingredients in 28 minutes. Real, chunky texture—no blender needed. Brings pasta to life without extra fuss.
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Total Time 29 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 110
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 unit onion small, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 700 grams canned peeled tomatoes crushed by hand or with a fork
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon sugar
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 0.25 teaspoon chili flakes optional
  • 5 leaves fresh basil torn by hand

Method
 

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot enough that a piece of onion sizzles on contact, add the finely chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, for 5–6 minutes until soft but not browned.
  2. Add the minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. You want to smell it, not brown it.
  3. Pour in the crushed canned tomatoes with all their juices. Use a spatula to scrape up any onion stuck to the bottom. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and chili flakes if using. Stir well.
  4. Bring to a bare simmer. Lower the heat so it just bubbles here and there. Cook 15–18 minutes uncovered, stirring every few minutes and scraping the sides of the pan so nothing sticks.
  5. At the end, taste for salt. I always add half the salt first, then more if my tomatoes need it. If it’s too acidic, a pinch more sugar helps.
  6. Stir in torn fresh basil just before serving. Turn off the heat and let the flavors settle for a minute before spooning onto pasta or grains.

Notes

I grew up watching my aunt crush canned tomatoes right in the pot with her hands—no fancy gadgets, and honestly, that tiny step is still why I do it. It gives the sauce a texture you just can’t get from a blender or store-bought jar.

Technique notes

If you want that sweet, rich flavor without babysitting for an hour, don’t skip the simmer. The little splatters on your stove are worth it. I find that using a wide skillet, not a saucepan, speeds up reducing and thickening the sauce, so you get a rich finish in under 20 minutes.
Here’s one more: cooking the onions until soft but not brown makes the flavor meld quietly into the background. If you rush this, everything tastes sharper and a bit one-note. Patience pays off here.
If your sauce ever seems too thin, just let it simmer uncovered another 2–3 minutes. Resist adding tomato paste—it overwhelms the fresh taste quickly.

Substitutions and variations

Only have diced canned tomatoes? That works. Just crush them between your fingers or with a potato masher in the pan. Crushed tomatoes from the can are okay but tend to be more watery—so plan on simmering a little longer.
I’ve tried swapping fresh basil for parsley when basil is gone, and it’s passable—but you’ll miss the real hit of brightness that basil gives. Dried basil just gets lost in the sauce, so I leave it out rather than use it here.
If you want to add more body, a handful of grated carrot early on will sweeten and thicken the sauce without more sugar.

Storage and prep ahead

This sauce keeps up to 4 days in the fridge, and it actually tastes better on day two. It freezes well too. If you notice a watery layer after thawing, just stir while reheating or simmer a few extra minutes for it to come back together.