Fresh Tomato Sauce
Annabelle Breakey
Total Time 45 mins

If you prefer a smooth texture for your sauce, either peel the tomatoes before chopping them or run the sauce through a food mill before stirring in the basil. You can easily double (or triple) this sauce. It freezes beautifully for up to 6 months.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

Core and halve tomatoes. Remove seeds (either scoop them out with a spoon or hold a half in your hand and squeeze out the seeds) and cut tomatoes into 1/2-in. dice. Set aside.

Step 2
2

Thinly slice garlic. In a 10- to 12-in. frying pan over low heat, cook garlic in olive oil until it is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Step 3
3

Add tomatoes and 1 tsp. salt and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until tomatoes give off their liquid and start to bubble. Reduce heat to medium-low or low, so the sauce gently simmers. Cook, uncovered and undisturbed, until oil separates from the sauce and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

Step 4
4

Meanwhile, chop basil. When sauce is done, stir in basil and add salt to taste.

Step 5
5

Variations

Step 6
6

Butter it up: Use unsalted butter in place of the olive oil and a chopped medium onion in place of the garlic.

Step 7
7

Explore the herb patch: Try 1/2 to 1 tsp. minced fresh oregano, marjoram, rosemary, or thyme instead of the basil.

Step 8
8

Add some heat: Toss in 2 or 3 dried whole arbol chiles with the garlic for a slightly spicy version. Remove chiles before serving.

Step 9
9

Pick more produce: At the beginning of step 3, add one skinned and chopped medium eggplant and cook until soft, about 10 minutes, before adding the tomatoes.

Step 10
10

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1/2 cup.

Ingredients

 2 pounds very ripe tomatoes
 2 cloves garlic
 3 tablespoons olive oil
  About 1 tsp. salt
 10 basil leaves

Directions

Step 1
1

Core and halve tomatoes. Remove seeds (either scoop them out with a spoon or hold a half in your hand and squeeze out the seeds) and cut tomatoes into 1/2-in. dice. Set aside.

Step 2
2

Thinly slice garlic. In a 10- to 12-in. frying pan over low heat, cook garlic in olive oil until it is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Step 3
3

Add tomatoes and 1 tsp. salt and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until tomatoes give off their liquid and start to bubble. Reduce heat to medium-low or low, so the sauce gently simmers. Cook, uncovered and undisturbed, until oil separates from the sauce and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

Step 4
4

Meanwhile, chop basil. When sauce is done, stir in basil and add salt to taste.

Step 5
5

Variations

Step 6
6

Butter it up: Use unsalted butter in place of the olive oil and a chopped medium onion in place of the garlic.

Step 7
7

Explore the herb patch: Try 1/2 to 1 tsp. minced fresh oregano, marjoram, rosemary, or thyme instead of the basil.

Step 8
8

Add some heat: Toss in 2 or 3 dried whole arbol chiles with the garlic for a slightly spicy version. Remove chiles before serving.

Step 9
9

Pick more produce: At the beginning of step 3, add one skinned and chopped medium eggplant and cook until soft, about 10 minutes, before adding the tomatoes.

Step 10
10

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1/2 cup.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

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