The tomato sauce problem - and its solution

I used to over-complicate my tomato sauces and they never tasted "right". It always tasted like a sour amalgamation of spices. Then, I learned how to make a simple tomato sauce from a crazy Italian man. And then, I found inner p

If you follow this recipe, you'll realize how simple making your own tomato sauce can be with JUST FIVE INGREDIENTS!!! YES!!

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Why would I make my own tomato sauce when I can buy it at the store?

Because it's fun to do, it tastes better and is fresher. Make the sauce when you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with.

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Can I add other ingredients into the sauce?

Yes - this is just a base recipe that can be remixed into other dishes. For me, less ingredients = less planning = more cooking. So i just keep it simple.

Tomatoes
I'm a lucky gal who gets tomatoes fresh from her mom's garden every summer. They taste better than store bought!!!!!

Ingrdients (1 jar of tomato sauce??? ish?)

8-15 juicy red tomatoes - Beefsteak tomatoes are great
- ROMA TOMATOES GO HOME
Olive Oil
Salt
Sugar
Fresh or Dried Basil - I add 10-ish leaves of fresh basil, courtesy of my mother.

Step 1
Warm up some olive oil in a large stove pot. Don't let it get too hot or the tomatoes will start spraying water!

Step 2
Cut tomatoes into rough quarter sized pieces and throw into the pot. Let them cook for a few minutes before covering mostly with water.

Step 3
After some time, the skins will naturally start separating from the "meat". You can pick them out if you want, or leave them in if you don't care for rules or the establishment

Step 4
After removing the skins, keep cooking down the tomato water until it reduces down to a rich, thick broth (see 2nd photo)

Step 5
Add your basil - dried or fresh.

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Fresh basil will taste bitter if you cook it for too long in the sauce. Put it in last

Step 6
Season your tomato sauce!
Start off with small pinches of salt and keep tasting the sauce until it tastes just a tiny bit too salty.
Do the same with the sugar - add in a little bit until the sweetness counteracts the saltiness. Don't make it too sweet!

Step 7
Take the pot off the stove and transfer to a blender. Add one more glug of olive oil, then blend for 20-30 seconds.