This may come as a shock to you but there are nights when I just don’t feel like cooking. [Gasp!!!] I don’t feel like chopping or washing dishes. Boiling water seems like too much effort. But the kicker is that these same nights neither my fiancé nor I feel like making the effort to go out to dinner either. Quite the predicament isn’t it? What do I make every time the laziness hits? Pasta with meat sauce. Mmm pasta sauce.
I used to just crack open a bottle of my favorite brand of pasta sauce and dump it in a pot, but have you looked at those ingredients lately?! It’s horrifying. Is all that sugar and salt really necessary? And don’t get me started on “natural flavoring”. So several weeks ago I made it my mission to create my perfect homemade pasta sauce: a little sweet, bursting with flavor and super tomatoey!
I started with the recipe from The New York Times Cookbook (1961 Edition) that I picked up from The Strand Bookstore in NYC. If I lived in NYC, I would be broke and there would be no blog because all of my pocket money would be spent in this store. True story.
Want to know another true story? When I was younger (like last week) I used to eat pasta sauce straight from the pot. In High School my mom caught on to this penchant for pasta sauce and she would make a pot of pasta sauce with ground sirloin just for me! No noodles, just sauce. Isn’t she the greatest?!
Anyways, enough tangents Lindsey! I know you’re here for the sauce. This sauce is darn good. It even has my fiancé’s sticker of approval, which is harder to get than the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. It’s bursting with flavor and you can either can or freeze it to have on hand when those lazy days strike!
You can (and should absolutely) try this addictive lasagna or this vegetarian lasagna or pour it over homemade Italian meatballs for a hearty meal!
This homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce is everything pasta sauce should be: bursting with flavors of garlic, basil and oregano; chock full of healthy tomatoes; and just a little sweet. An easy and healthy red sauce that is way better than canned! Make a double batch and freeze the leftovers so you always have some on hand!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups chopped onion
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 3 ½ cups canned Italian-style plum tomatoes, undrained
- 2 small cans tomato paste
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth (An amazing recipe here
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
Instructions
- Gently saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until onion is clear and begins to brown, stirring often.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered about two hours, stirring occasionally.
- Add the herbs and continue cooking about 15 more minutes. Remove the bay leaf. The sauce should be thick. Add browned meat of choice, pour over pasta, use in lasagna or chicken parmesan, or just eat it with a spoon!
Notes:
Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for 3 months.
Italian…It’s what’s for dinner!
26 Comments
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
July 7, 2013 at 9:06 amMmmmm I love a good tomato sauce and this recipe looks FAAAAB
(oddly enough I’ve never bought anything from The Strand…i think I avoid it for my wallet’s sake. The key to not overspending in NYC=avoidance)
AmericanCooking22
July 8, 2013 at 12:07 amI love it – Let me know what you think if you try it!
Lol! I believe it! Part of me is super jealous that you could pop by The Strand anytime and part of me is still relieved for my wallets sake. Have you visited Kitchen Arts & Letters on Lexington & 93rd? Yeah, a bookstore devoted to cooking. Heaven on Earth.
Lelia
July 7, 2013 at 10:30 amGreat photos!I can practically taste that chunky, tomatoey (?!) sauce… must make it soon. Love it plain too! Perhaps you could provide an option using fresh tomatoes?
AmericanCooking22
July 8, 2013 at 12:04 amYes, I made that word up! Tomatoey. Just filling a gap in the English language 😉
I’d love to try it with fresh tomatoes! The tomatoes around here haven’t been looking that great…
Carole
July 8, 2013 at 10:25 pmSo glad you came by to link this saucy goodness in. Cheers
AmericanCooking22
July 9, 2013 at 12:48 pmThanks for the email! Love your Friday posts 🙂
john@kitchenriffs
July 10, 2013 at 9:46 pmI almost always have homemade tomato sauce in the freezer! So nice for a quick meal. The Strand is great – I love that book store. I could spend days there. 😉
AmericanCooking22
July 11, 2013 at 5:53 pmRight now I freeze mine too, but I would love to try my hand at canning it to free up space! My freezer is groaning as it is 🙂
Sigh – The Strand…Atlanta is so far away
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Dawn
September 19, 2013 at 11:30 pmI was wondering how much pasta sauce does this recipe make? I looked everywhere I hope I didn’t miss it that would be embarrassing.
AmericanCooking22
September 20, 2013 at 2:02 pmYou didn’t miss it! I’ll update the recipe now! It makes about 3 pints, but it will ultimately depend on how much you cook it down. I like my sauce thick!
Mindy
December 8, 2013 at 12:42 pmHow much does this recipe yield? (Approx how many jars/cans). I need to make enough sauce for meatballs and chicken both in separate crock pots. Thanks!!!
AmericanCooking22
December 8, 2013 at 4:59 pmIt makes about 3 pints but that ultimately depends on how much you cook it down. If it get too thick, you could always add more broth. Without knowing how many meatballs or chicken, I couldn’t tell you if it makes enough.
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Brenda
September 26, 2014 at 6:13 amTry using beef bouillon(or beef broth?) instead of chicken broth. It is delicious also
AmericanCooking22
September 26, 2014 at 8:23 amI will! Thanks for the suggestion, Brenda!
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Natalie Smith
September 13, 2017 at 1:31 pmHey,
This pasta recipe is amazing for dinner and family as always, but Italian pizza is what i will never try again as long as i live.
Best Regards.
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