tomato sauce

Making your own pasta sauce is so easy. Once you try it, you’ll wonder why you felt so dependent on jarred pasta sauces.

There are as many recipes for tomato sauce as there are cooks who make it, and customizing this sauce to your tastes is a snap. This recipe makes a stunning, full-bodied sauce to star in your pasta dish, but if you are looking for a lighter sauce to use as a backdrop in another recipe, you can cut back on the amount of garlic and herbs. The tomato paste thickens up the sauce and adds some richness, but you can leave it out if you prefer a thinner sauce.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion (finely chopped, about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon garlic (finely minced)
• 2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes (crushed, in purée)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• Optional: 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (kosher or coarse)

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and, if using, red pepper flakes. Add salt and pepper and bring sauce to a simmer.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce thickens slightly—about 20 minutes.
5. Enjoy!