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Simple Tomato Sauce

This recipe crafts a versatile simple tomato sauce, starting with a fragrant soffritto of onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and bay leaves are slowly simmered for an hour to develop deep flavor. The sauce is then processed until smooth, with an optional butter addition to balance acidity. It yields 6 cups and can be easily frozen for future use.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people
Calories 973.6 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Casserole Pot
  • 1 Food Processor
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Ladle

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 32-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 4 to 6 basil leaves
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter optional

Instructions
 

  • In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
  • Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
  • If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Notes

Achieving a truly rich tomato sauce starts with a proper soffritto; ensure the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots are deeply softened and translucent, not just cooked, to build a robust flavor foundation. For optimal flavor, use high-quality canned crushed tomatoes – San Marzano are often preferred. The long, slow simmer is crucial for developing depth and melding flavors, so resist the urge to rush it. If the sauce retains a sharp, acidic edge, the optional butter is a smart trick, but a pinch of sugar can also help round it out, especially if you prefer to keep it dairy-free. For freezing, ensure the sauce is completely cool to prevent condensation and ice crystal formation, which can affect texture upon thawing. Thaw gently in the refrigerator overnight or over low heat.