Simple Tomato Sauce Recipe (2024)

If you'd like elevate a bit little without over-complicating, I would add any of the following : saute some diced onion and a diced red bell pepper, a cup (give or take) of red wine (maybe cab sav or Chianti if you want to keep it Italian) (reduced before you add the tomatoes), a table spoon or two of sugar, and/or a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar. I usually blend with an immersion blender for a smooth sauce, just make sure you remove the bay leaf beforehand. Deliciouso!

Even tastier and simpler throw all the ingredients into a roasting pan drizzle the olive oil and salt/pepper over the top and put in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Just use an immersion blender to create the consistency of the sauce you desire.

This recipe should be the definition of "simple". I added both basil AND bay leaf... call me crazy. I used canned crushed tomatoes as opposed to whole/diced as I find the consistency to be hardier + more flavorful..

Great sauce! Big surprise was the amount of oil in the recipe. Flows better, doesn't burn easy, coats the pasta well. I'll never make "dry" pasta sauce again.

I've been making a "simple" sauce for years that is just as easy as this. Start with onion (small red or white) saute in olive oil, butter combo. After translucent, add the 4 cloves of diced garlic. Salt liberally and then add in the tomatoes. I use crushed/canned because I like the consistency. Add about 3/4 tablespoon of sugar, a tablespoon balsamic vinegar, a sprig of basil and a sprig of thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for about 45. Salt and pepper to taste. Amazing.

Are you supposed to simmer covered or uncovered?

Bitter? As in acidic from the tomatoes? A tablespoon of sugar will go a long way to reduce the acid, but a tried and true method I use is adding a whole, peeled carrot into the sauce. The natural sweetness of the carrot cuts the acid, and imparts flavor. On top of that, try adding salt to your aromatics (onions and garlic) while they are sauteing. A nice dry, white wine will also impart sweetness and not make the sauce heavy. And most importantly: you gotta let it simmer. That's critical.

Most excellent sauce and so easy. I use Muir Glen fire-roasted diced tomatoes to give it a stronger flavor.

If I'm using whole canned tomatoes I'll drain any liquid into the skillet first, then either maul the tomatoes individually by hand, dropping them into the pan as I go, or give them all a few strokes with the masher right in the can. I like the brighter, 'fresh' taste you get with the shorter cooking time this can give you; lacking a masher which fits into your can, get in there for a few good slashes with your kitchen shears.

During late summer tomato harvest, I use this recipe or a similar one by David Tanis as the basis of tomato sauce to be put up for the next 9 months. The beauty of these recipes is that they are simple and you can dress them up as you want or need later on. The key is to use the best and freshest ingredients. By the way, this sauce is great just as it is.

Nice and simple-bright and tart taste. My wife suggests adding some sugar to tamp down the tartness. what do you think, sugar or honey?

Half a carrot grated is another option.

Very hard to go wrong here. However, would highly recommend ADDING 1 (even 2) small-medium sized shallots to give the sauce even more life.

Yeah, but better. I always add onions, wine, and a splash of Lambrusco vinegar. Try a few drops Red Boat fish sauce.

This is a little band for my taste but I love the simplicity of it. Next time I'll add a Parm rind to add some complexity

Followed advice to add other veggies: Sautéed onions, mushrooms, carrots, and lots of whole smashed garlic. Deglazed with wine. Added tbsp sugar. Used immersion blender. Wonderful

I make a soffrito, celery, onions, carrots with the quarter cup of olive oil. Blitz it to a paste, sauté before adding cans of tomato, add tomato juice for bit of sweetness as it simmers/reduces for a couple of hours

Oh just go ahead and add a nice knob of good butter ala Marcella Hazan! It makes it go to 11 (or in this case, 6 stars!)

So simple and so good. Made exactly as written except omitted salt for hubby with high blood pressure. Used as a topping for chicken parm and homemade pasta. Perfect.

I added 1/2 cup of chopped onions. It adds a nice twang to the sauce.. Also I understand it says simple sauce so simply add a teaspoon of each, dried basil, oregano.

This has become my go-to (non meat) red sauce. I love how easy it is and am constantly impressed by the excellent, bright flavor with so few ingredients! I just made it for eggplant Parmesan tonight and am freezing half the sauce that I’ll have with meatballs another night. I use cans (or my fave cartons of Pomi chopped tomatoes) and it comes out great!

I subbed shallots for garlic, omitted the chilies and added a couple anchovies. Yum!

Strange to me to have whole or diced tomatoes in the recipe. Texture is totally different. Good whole tomatoes should have no citric acid added (which makes them too firm and less likely to break down) while diced almost always has citric acid (to help them maintain their shape). Sauces made without acidulated tomatoes are always smoother and better. Would suggest hand crushing (or blending, or pot crushing) good whole (San Marzano ideally) tomatoes for the best results.

This is pretty much the same recipe I learned when I took cooking classes in Italy years ago.Simple quality ingredients don't need much.

Just as the title implies, a great simple tomato sauce. Quick and easy. It'll be as good as the quality of ingredients you use. As many of the comments suggest, there's plenty of room for improvisation. I might suggest starting with a soffritto and 2-4 finely diced anchovies.

I am not a cook, and I have no intuition about flavors to add, but I do follow Melissa Clark's recipes and (so far) always successful, as long as I don't tamper with them. Thanks.

This was delicious. Wowed my guests and it was so simple. Caveat: I used D.O.P. San Marzanos, and this needed way more salt than this called for. Diamond Crystal kosher, and it took between 2 and 3 tsp before the balance was right.

Every time I think "I'll just throw a can of tomatoes, some garlic and herbs in a pan and call it sauce," THIS is the end result I'm envisioning. Used one can of whole plum tomatoes and one can diced, teaspoon of dried basil, followed the rest as written. Made for Melissa Clark's Chicken Parm and I thought this sauce recipe was perfect as written. Tangy, but rich at the same time.

I made this sauce as-written and wasn’t impressed. Made a second batch that turned out much better with changes: • used diced tomatoes rather than whole peeled (might sub for crushed or 1 can diced and 1 can crushed next time), • added 6 filets of anchovies while cooking the garlic - helps reduce the acidic taste and adds a wonderfully subtle umami taste, • added 1 tbsp sugar to help cut the acidity.Next time will add diced yellow onion. Much prefer Alison Roman’s lasagna sauce.

This is the basis of my standard marinara, except that I add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste and sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, which also makes up part of the scant quarter cup of oil. These two ingredients give the sauce a depth of flavor that cannot be achieved with canned tomatoes alone.