This Rich 4-Ingredient Spaghetti Sauce Recipe Starts With Fresh Tomatoes (Step By Step) by Donna John

Spaghetti is always one of my go-to weekend meals. When you're in a hurry and need dinner fast, jarred spaghetti sauce is fine. I buy good-quality jarred sauces all the time. But if you have time, and fresh tomatoes, why not make your own fresh, healthy, homemade pasta sauce?

This simple tomato sauce recipe has just four ingredients and is rich with tomato flavor. Here is your short shopping list: Roma tomatoes, fresh garlic, fresh basil and olive oil. The fresh tomatoes cook down, low and slow, and turn into an intensely flavored sauce. Add garlic, basil and lots of olive oil and the taste is amazing. Try it and see.

The health benefits of tomatoes is undeniable, so I love that this low-sodium pasta sauce recipe uses fresh tomatoes (though canned are good, too!). Serve this wholesome, fresh farm-to-table tomato sauce over pasta, as a pizza sauce or use in recipes calling for spaghetti or marinara sauce.

Cuisine: Italian / American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 to 3 hours
Total Time: 2 to 3 hours plus 10 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 3 - 4 pounds Roma tomatoes
• chopped garlic
• fresh basil leaves
• olive oil

Recipe Notes

• Some like to add a touch of sugar to their spaghetti sauce. I sometimes add 1 to 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar depending on how sweet the tomatoes are. Taste and decide!

• Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.

• For some heat, add some crushed red pepper flakes.

Here's how to make it:

1. Wash the tomatoes.
   
2. Cut the tomatoes in half.
   
3. Put the tomatoes in a Dutch oven. Sprinkle them with a little salt.
   
4. Bring to a simmer and smash them with a potato masher.
   
5. Cook on low heat, stirring often, until they reduce down and form a "paste," about 2-3 hours. (Below is tomatoes after 1 hour of cooking.)
   
6. Tomatoes after 2 hours.
   
7. Tomatoes after 3 hours.
   
8. Throw in some chopped or whole garlic, fresh basil leaves and about 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, if needed. (This will depend on how sweet your tomatoes are and how you like your sauce.) Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
   
9. Add the olive oil. (I use a lot, probably around a 1/4 cup or so, but it's all to your taste.)
   
10. Stir well to combine.
    
11. Serve with your favorite pasta and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
    

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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