Description
This Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe offers a vibrant and flavorful homemade sauce using vine ripe or plum tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, and a blend of spices. Perfect to enhance pasta dishes, pizzas, or as a base for various Italian meals, this sauce is simmered slowly to develop a rich, balanced taste with just the right hint of sweetness and heat.
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 Water for Blanching: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to prepare for peeling the tomatoes.
- Score Tomatoes: Use a paring knife to cut 1-inch X’s on the bottoms of all the tomatoes to allow easy peeling later.
- Blanch Tomatoes: Add the prepped tomatoes to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the skins begin to split.
- Peel Tomatoes: Strain the tomatoes in a colander, transfer them to a baking sheet, then peel off and discard the skins.
- Chop Tomatoes: Cut the peeled tomatoes into chunks, removing and discarding the cores.
- Cook Flavor Base: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over low heat and add garlic paste, tomato paste, basil stems, sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until garlic is fragrant and slightly browned.
- Add Tomatoes and Sugar: Add the chopped tomatoes and any juices along with the light brown sugar to the saucepan, stirring to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Simmer Sauce: Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens to a rich consistency.
- Finish Sauce: Remove the pot from heat, discard the basil stems, and stir in the finely chopped basil leaves.
- Season and Store: Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Using fresh, ripe tomatoes will greatly enhance the flavor of the sauce.
- Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes based on your spice preference.
- For a smoother sauce, blend after simmering.
- This sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to one week or can be frozen for longer storage.
- Use garlic paste for convenience, or substitute with freshly minced garlic if preferred.
