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A basic tomato sauce
Beginner Sauces and stocks
A basic tomato sauce is a simple sauce of tomatoes simmered with oil or butter, aromatics and salt until thick and sweet.
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How do you do it?
- Gently cook 2 sliced garlic cloves or a chopped onion in 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low until soft, not brown.
- Add a 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes, crushed by hand, plus a pinch of salt.
- Simmer uncovered 20 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens and the oil starts to pool on top.
- Taste and adjust with salt, a pinch of sugar if it's sharp, and torn basil at the end.
Why does it work?
Simmering evaporates water, concentrating the tomatoes' sugars, acids and savory glutamates. Fat matters too: many tomato flavor compounds dissolve in fat rather than water, so oil or butter carries them. Long cooking softens the acid's bite, while a short cook keeps a fresher taste. Good canned tomatoes are picked ripe, so they often beat out-of-season fresh ones.
What are the common mistakes?
- Burning the garlic — it turns bitter and flavors the whole pot.
- Covering the pot — the water can't escape, so the sauce stays thin.
- Adding fresh basil early — its aroma cooks away; add it at the end.
Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.
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