Description
This fresh tomato sauce recipe uses vine ripe or plum tomatoes cooked down with garlic, tomato paste, basil, and a few seasonings to create a flavorful and vibrant sauce perfect for pastas, pizzas, or any Italian dish. The sauce is simmered slowly to develop rich taste, balancing acidity with light brown sugar and crushed red pepper flakes for a subtle kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 lbs vine ripe or plum tomatoes (about 8 tomatoes)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 basil sprigs (stems and leaves separated)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed)
Instructions
- Boil Water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to prepare for blanching the tomatoes.
- Score Tomatoes: Use a paring knife to cut 1-inch X’s on the bottoms of all the tomatoes; this helps loosen their skins during blanching.
- Blanch Tomatoes: Add the prepped tomatoes to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the skins begin to split, making peeling easier.
- Strain and Peel: Strain the tomatoes in a colander, transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, peel off and discard the skins carefully.
- Prepare Tomatoes: Cut the peeled tomatoes into chunks, discarding the cores to avoid bitterness in the sauce.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over low heat. Add garlic paste, tomato paste, basil sprigs (stems only), sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently until garlic browns and becomes fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Tomatoes and Sugar: Add chopped tomatoes along with any juices and the brown sugar; stir to combine, then increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Simmer Sauce: Lower heat to medium and let the sauce simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes until thickened, stirring often to prevent sticking.
- Finish Sauce: Remove saucepan from heat, discard basil stems, and stir in the chopped basil leaves to infuse fresh herb flavor.
- Season and Store: Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately or allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use.
Notes
- Use ripe, high-quality tomatoes such as vine ripe or plum for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
- The blanching step helps peel tomatoes easily without losing flesh or flavor.
- The brown sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes for a smoother taste.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
- Store leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer preservation.
- This sauce can be used immediately on pasta, pizza, or as a base for other dishes.
