pasta with tomato sauce

Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce

If you like a quick, budget-friendly tomato sauce for your pasta but don’t like the added ingredients you get in the jars, this recipe is for you. With only a few ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, you can make a tasty and easy pasta sauce that tastes fresh and will be much better for you.

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What is up with the Store-bought Tomato Sauce?

Unfortunately, when you check the ingredients of a jar of pasta sauce – even the expensive ones – you’ll see added sugar, citric acid, canola oil, and my least favorite two words on the planet, “natural flavors.

Sure, the tomato sauce of our youth tasted nice and sweet, but that sugar kept you coming back for more (addicted to sugar) and was simply a cheap ingredient for the company to add. Why not ditch those harmful ingredients and create a quick homemade tomato sauce you can simmer while you prep the rest of the meal?

As good as the friend who gave this to me

It was the most excellent day…I was getting together with two friends who had kids for a little family date, and my bestie said, “Let us cook the main dish for you at your house.” Well, why yes, please! She brought a few ingredients and wrote down the recipe as a parting gift.

I have done this recipe dozens of times since, and I feel great making something healthy that both the kids and I can love. It tastes as fresh as the sauce at a restaurant, but it came from my two hands.

It’s a Tomato Sauce that is adaptable.

Consider it like a foundation for your meal, and let your creative juices fly. Add some fresh ground sausage or meatballs. Puree the tomatoes beforehand for a smoother consistency. Add fresh basil for a topping. Make this a pasta primavera with some added zucchini, squash, or mushrooms.

You can lower or eliminate the oil and use my oil-free tips to make it healthier. Make it gluten-free with gluten-free pasta! Add some parmesan if you can do dairy, or try my Cashew “Cheese” Sauce for a dairy-free option that makes it taste like a tomato alfredo. It’s truly up to you!

Are you new to cooking?

Check out my 10 Easy and Healthy Cooking Tips for Beginners and get cooking!

Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce

Recipe by Jenn G
Course: MainDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

35

minutes

If you like a quick, budget-friendly tomato sauce for your pasta but don’t like the added ingredients you get in the jars, this recipe is for you. With only a few ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, you can make a tasty and easy pasta sauce that tastes fresh and will be much better for you. Be sure to read the notes below for suggestions.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, finely diced

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • Chili pepper flakes, pinch or more

  • 3-6 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 2 14oz or 1 28 oz can of tomatoes (can be crushed or diced)

  • 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning

  • Pasta of your choice

  • Optional: 1/4 lemon for juicing and/or 1 tablespoon of butter

Directions

  • If you don’t like a chunky sauce, puree tomatoes in a blender and set aside.
  • Add oil to a large skillet and heat on low; add onions and cook for 10-12 minutes. Don’t let onions burn.
  • Stir in chili flakes and heat for 1 min. Stir in garlic and heat for 3 minutes. Watch for burning.
  • Add the tomatoes and increase to medium heat. Stir in Italian seasoning and bring to a simmer.
  • Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer for 25 minutes, occasionally stirring.
  • While cooking, prepare pasta to your liking. Save 1/2 cup water from pasta before draining.
  • Add pasta water to the sauce and increase the heat to medium until the sauce thickens.
  • Mix in pasta. Add in a squeeze of lemon juice for more flavor, if desired. If you are not dairy-free, add one tablespoon of butter and stir until melted. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If adding other veggies or meat, cook them separately and add them to the pasta. It is great for chicken parmesan. You can make this oil-free by using water or broth instead of oil to cook the onions. Look for a salt-free and other additive-free Italian Seasoning. Chop up some fresh basil, and you go pro-level!

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