Pasta Sauce with Tomato PUree

This is my family's favorite tomato sauce, hands down. They love it because it's tangy and rich, and I love it because it comes together in minutes. I start by sauteeing a few cloves of garlic in olive oil, then add lots of pure tomato puree or strained tomatoes.

Then, I stir in a pinch each of sugar and salt plus a little dried oregano. The recipe may look basic, but the taste is anything but. Use this simple tomato sauce on everything from spaghetti to baked ziti to lasagna.

Homemade Tomato Sauce Highlights

Choose pure tomatoes without any extras so that their taste comes through, and you can adjust any added herbs to suit your family's taste. If you have fresh herbs, go ahead and swap them in for the dried if you like. But just know that this is one of the best and quickest sauces you can make. Why I love it?

• It's so quick. Weeknights are often such a rush. I try to meal plan but if it's an especially busy night or I know we'll be home later I fall back on pasta (invariably spaghetti) and tomato sauce. This sauce feels like such a win.
• Fresh flavors. I love using tomato puree because it's packed with intense tomato flavor, and it creates a beautifully smooth sauce that adheres well to whatever pasta I drape it on.
• Pantry ingredients. Keep a bottle or two of tomato puree in the pantry so you can throw this sauce together on the fly.

Ingredients Needed

Here's a quick look at what you'll need to make super simple tomato sauce. The full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are in the printable recipe card lower down.

• Olive oil - I use extra virgin olive oil in all of my cooking recipes, but really, you could use whatever you have on hand. Vegetable oil or butter would work too - you just need enough to cook the garlic for a bit.
• Garlic - I can get away with about 2 cloves of garlic in my tomato sauce - any more and my kids protest. BUT if you are able to, I recommend adding as much garlic as you can/like.
• Tomato puree - My favorite type of pureed tomatoes is Bionature organic strained tomatoes. My local grocery store also has Italian pureed tomatoes, and I'll switch in those depending on what's on sale. But you can use your preferred type of pureed or strained tomatoes.
• Salt - A little sea salt or table salt.
• Sugar - A small amount of sugar offsets the acidity of the tomatoes. Honey is also nice.
• Dried herbs - Add as much or as little as you like of dried oregano, basil, or Italian seasoning. Swap fresh herbs if you prefer.

Tips

• Add more garlic - I advise doing this if you are a garlic-lover (I aim low because my kids don't love super spicy sauce). Garlic in sauces and stews because it infuses them with so much extra flavor - yum.
• Don't skip the sugar - It might sound weird to add sugar to tomato sauce, but just a pinch offsets the acidity of the tomatoes. A little honey instead of sugar, for a more mellow, natural sweetness, is also great.
• Add a bay leaf - I'll often stir a backyard bay leaf into a pot of sauce or soup for a pop of earthy flavor. Remember to remove the leaf before serving the sauce.
• Choose good-quality tomato puree - My preference is for Bionature because it's an organic brand, plus it's delicious, but you can use any brand you like.

Serving Suggestions

• With pasta - Add this tomato sauce to all sorts of pasta shapes, and serve it with plenty of Parmesan cheese on the side plus a big salad. Or, tuck it into a pasta bake for extra flavor.
• As a dipping sauce - Dip in slices of easy dutch oven bread!
• On pizza - Try this sauce on a homemade pizza - it's so easy and good.
• Make it into soup - This sauce can easily be transformed into a vegetarian cream of tomato soup! Make the tomato sauce as written, then add about ½-1 cup of whole milk or cream. You may need more or less depending on how creamy you like it.

Proper Storage

• Fridge - Cool the sauce, then transfer it to an airtight container (I like a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid) and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer - Place the cooled sauce in a freezer-safe, sealable bag and store it in the fridge for up to 3 months. Thaw the sauce in the fridge before reheating it.
• To Reheat - Warm the sauce in a pot over medium-low heat until hot. Or, place it in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it (important!), and heat in 1-minute increments in the microwave until hot.