My mom used to make this simple basic tomato sauce by the cauldron to store in the freezer. Along with my Dad, they would fill gallon-sized freezer bags, lay them flat to freeze, then stack them up. We’d sneak tastes from the simmering pot throughout the day with pieces of bread, and it always tasted better the next day. It finally came to a point that when my mom wanted to make ziti for dinner, she’d make this sauce the day before. When looking for some childhood comfort, this always seems to hit the spot.
For other sauce recipes, try one of my bolognese sauces! I have one for weekdays, and one for weekends.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time up to 2 leisurely hours
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 c minced onion
A crushed garlic clove
28-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 6-oz cans tomato paste
1 tsp each oregano, sugar, and salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Preparation
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm up your olive oil, then add the onions. Stir the onions to coat with the olive oil. Cook through until translucent, roughly 5 minutes, then add in your garlic. Once fragrant, after about 30 seconds or so, add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and approximately 2 cups of water. (Tip: I swirl the water in my empty can of crushed tomatoes to get every last drop of tomatoes from it, then add that to my sauce.) Continue to stir until the tomato paste is fully incorporated into your sauce, then add in your seasonings. Once everything begins to bubble, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook over low heat for anywhere from 30 minutes to up to 2 hours. Stir occasionally while it simmers away.
Serve this simple basic tomato sauce with your favorite pasta along with some fresh Italian bread, and a simple side salad for an easy dinner.
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