Basil Tomato Sauce
Welcome to the most fool proof tomato sauce! Its so worth it to make it from scratch, you would not believe the explosion of fresh flavors that happens. It goes great with a lot of things. I figured it was time to break this recipe down for y'all!
The trick is to use fresh herbs. My goal is to plant herbs so I don't have to keep buying them from the store. Herbs in my care do great for a few months and then they kind of just conk out. My plant woes aside, this tomato sauce is handy to have on hand and freezes really well. I really enjoy making this from scratch. Its definitely my go-to when I don't know what to eat.
Simple Tomato Sauce
Makes 7 cups of sauce
- 3 lbs of roma tomatoes
- 1 tbsp red chili flakes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 handfuls of fresh basil
- 1 handful of fresh oregano
Dice the tomatoes about mid-sized
Heat the pan with some olive oil and red chili flakes, take care not to burn the chili flakes
Stir in all the tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning
Cook down the tomatoes on medium heat
Add in the brown sugar and let it simmer some more
Take this time to chop the basil and oregano
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Stir in the fresh herbs
Cooking Notes:
If you don't like spice, skip the red chili pepper part and jump right into cooking the tomatoes
Fresh herbs are such a nice thing to have, if you are not able to access them, it is possible to use dry herbs. Its not quite a fresh and bright, but it will still make for a delicious sauce!
If the sauce ends up being too watery, stir together 1 tbsp cornstarch or flour and half cup water to create a slurry. Pour a little at a time into boiling sauce while stirring continuously until you reached the desired consistency.
