{"slug":"simple-tomato-sauce","collection":"recipes","is_recipe":true,"visibility":"public","title":"Simple Tomato Sauce","description":"Samin Nosrat's deeply savory tomato sauce built on slowly caramelized onions, garlic, tomato paste, and basil — rich, versatile, and freezer-friendly.","body_md":"\nThis is a simple tomato sauce by Samin Nosrat via NY Times.\n\n## Equipment\n\n-   Medium Dutch oven\n-   Large bowl\n-   Hand/immersion blender, blender, food processor, or food mill\n\n## Ingredients\n\n-   6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil\n-   5 cups diced yellow onions, red onions or shallots\n-   Fine sea salt\n-   1 (784g / 28oz) can whole peeled, diced, crushed or puréed tomatoes\n-   4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced\n-   2 tablespoons tomato paste\n-   4 to 5 basil stems\n-   ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes\n\n## Preparation\n\n### Cook Onions\n\n1.  Set a medium Dutch oven or similar pot over **medium heat**, and add\n    **4 tablespoons olive oil**.\n2.  When the oil shimmers, add **onions** and a **pinch of salt**.\n3.  Reduce heat to **medium-low** and cook, stirring regularly, until\n    onions are lightly golden and tender, **16 to 18 minutes.**\n\n### While the Onions Cook\n\n1.  In the meantime, pour the **tomatoes** into a large bowl and use\n    hands to crush, if using whole tomatoes.\n2.  Pour about **360ml (1½ cups) water** into the can and swirl to rinse any\n    remaining purée off the sides.\n3.  Add the water to the tomatoes in the bowl and set aside.\n\n### Add Garlic \u0026 Tomatoes\n\n1.  Once onions are soft and golden, add **garlic** and cook, stirring\n    until it threatens to turn golden, about **90 seconds**.\n2.  Add **tomato paste** and cook until color deepens, about **3\n    minutes**.\n3.  Add **tomatoes** and season with **salt**.\n4.  Add **basil stems** and **red-pepper flakes**.\n\n### Simmer\n\n1.  Stirring regularly, allow sauce to come to a boil, then reduce heat\n    to **low**, **cover and simmer** until sauce tastes savory and all\n    raw tomato flavor is gone, about **45 minutes**.\n\n### Finish\n\n1.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and add remaining 2 tablespoons\n    **oil**.\n2.  Use a hand blender to purée, pass through a food mill or let cool,\n    then purée using a blender or food processor.\n3.  Tomato sauce can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated or frozen\n    up to 3 months.\n","draft":false,"servings":"4","prep_time":"10 minutes","cook_time":"1 hour","total_time":"1 hour 10 minutes","created_at":"2021-03-16T00:56:57Z","categories":["Condiment"],"tags":["Basil","Onions","Tomatoes"],"methods":["Stove-Top"],"themes":["Vegan"],"ingredients":[{"section":"","items":["-   6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil","-   5 cups diced yellow onions, red onions or shallots","-   Fine sea salt","-   1 (784g / 28oz) can whole peeled, diced, crushed or puréed tomatoes","-   4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced","-   2 tablespoons tomato paste","-   4 to 5 basil stems","-   ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes"],"parsed":[{"raw":"-   6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil","qty":6,"unit":"tbsp","item":"extra-virgin olive oil"},{"raw":"-   5 cups diced yellow onions, red onions or shallots","qty":5,"unit":"cup","item":"diced yellow onions, red onions or shallots"},{"raw":"-   Fine sea salt","item":"Fine sea salt"},{"raw":"-   1 (784g / 28oz) can whole peeled, diced, crushed or puréed tomatoes","qty":1,"unit":"can","item":"whole peeled, diced, crushed or puréed tomatoes"},{"raw":"-   4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced","qty":4,"item":"garlic cloves","prep":"thinly sliced"},{"raw":"-   2 tablespoons tomato paste","qty":2,"unit":"tbsp","item":"tomato paste"},{"raw":"-   4 to 5 basil stems","qty":4,"qty_max":5,"item":"basil stems"},{"raw":"-   ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes","qty":0.25,"unit":"tsp","item":"red-pepper flakes"}]}],"related_from":[{"slug":"spinach-lasagna","title":"Spinach Lasagna","relation":"component"}],"servings_int":4,"qc":{"status":"passed","last_checked_at":"2026-07-30T02:07:58.80097Z","checked_by":"robert@sigler.io","standard_version":"2026-07-29","findings_count":0,"stale":false}}