Making delicious homemade tomato sauce is easy! It takes 20 minutes to make and only 5 ingredients. The uses for homemade tomato sauce are infinite!
My favorite ways to use homemade tomato sauce is on Chicken Parmesan, with Italian Cheese Calzones, and with Sausage Lasagna – but the opportunities are endless!
Homemade Tomato Sauce Ingredients & Variations
- Can of whole peeled tomatoes – the better quality the tomatoes, the better the sauce!
- Sweet onion – I use a Vidalia onion to grate into the sauce. Yum!
- Extra virgin olive oil – extra virgin olive oil adds flavor.
- Butter – butter adds a touch of richness and an ever-so-slight creaminess.
- Parmesan cheese – parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano adds a nutty, salty, incredible flavor.
Variations
- Cream – add a touch of cream or half-and-half.
- Meat – add cooked, ground beef or chicken, or crumbled Italian sausage.
- Herbs – add fresh or dried basil, thyme, or oregano (or a blend).
- Garlic – add smashed, sliced, or minced garlic. I love the taste of this sauce without garlic (trust me, I usually advocate for garlic). This sauce is just so perfect the way it is!
Step-by-Step Instructions
There’s only 4 steps to delicious homemade tomato sauce!
- Grate onion.
Grate onion using the coarse setting of a cheese grater. Add the grated onion and its juices into a pot. Add olive oil. Sweat onion over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Crush tomatoes.
Add tomatoes and crush to desired consistency with a potato masher. Salt to taste.
- Heat.
Heat sauce for just a few minutes over medium heat, until simmering. Stir often.
- Finish.
Remove pot from heat. Add butter and swirl in until melted. Add a handful of cheese. Stir again. Serve!
How to Thicken Tomato Sauce
If you want to thicken your tomato sauce, simply simmer it, uncovered over low heat, until the deserve consistency is achieved.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Tomato sauce lasts for a week in the fridge, covered.
Absolutely! Let your tomato sauce completely cool, uncovered, in the fridge. Then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze your tomato sauce for up to 6 months.
Go ahead and blend your tomato sauce in a blender if you prefer smooth tomato sauce!
Other Delicious Sauces On Tastefully Grace!
- Perfect Chicken Penne Alla Vodka
- Classic Italian Gremolata (Gremolada) Sauce
- Creamy Italian Tonnato Sauce
- Insanely Delicious Thai-Style Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 28 ounce can good-quality whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 small sweet onion like a Vidalia onion
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Handful grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano-reggiano
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Grate onion using the coarse setting of a cheese grater. Add the grated onion and its juices into a pot. Add olive oil. Sweat onion over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and crush to desired consistency with a potato masher. Salt to taste.
- Heat sauce for just a few minutes over medium heat, until simmering. Stir often.
- Remove pot from heat. Add butter and swirl in until melted. Add a handful of cheese. Stir again. Serve!
Video
Notes
- Use the homemade sauce on: pasta, lasagna, pizza, calzones, chicken parmesan, veggie noodles, stuffed peppers, meatballs, etc.!
- You can add a handful of fresh basil to your sauce when you swirl in the butter, if desired! See the above post for more variations and additions.
