Simple Tomato Sauce ( 3 ingredient)
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Looking for an easy to make tomato sauce? My Simple Tomato Sauce has just three ingredients but it has a ton of flavor and tastes great on pasta!
Years ago there was a recipe going around for 3 ingredient tomato sauce. As someone who likes to add a lot of herbs and spices to my marinara and tomato sauces I laughed when I first saw it.
I wondered how a sauce with just three ingredients would have much flavor. I also wondered how it would taste on a big pile of spaghetti.
My favorite tomato sauce is a Basic Tomato sauce with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, seasonings, and herbs. I also make an Italian Tomato Sauce which I can so that I can enjoy it all year round even though it uses fresh tomatoes.
Other times I like to make marinara sauce. The easiest sauce I make is Slow Cooker Marinara Magnifica which simmers in the slow cooker all day long. For times when I want a hearty sauce with my protein already in it I make my classic Bolognese Sauce.
Why you will love Simple Tomato Sauce:
Simple tomato sauce has just 3 ingredients so it is super easy to make. The onion gives the sauce a ton of flavor. This is also a very smooth sauce which is great for people who do not like chunks in their sauce or for kids.
This recipe uses whole peeled tomatoes in a can. San Marzano tomatoes are preferred because they truly do have the best flavor, however they can get expensive so I don’t always use them.
Can I use fresh tomatoes in this sauce?
While you could use fresh tomatoes it will no longer be a simple tomato sauce. You would need to peel the tomatoes and then the cooking time would be longer than noted below. I would stick to using whole, peeled tomatoes in a can for this recipe.
In addition to the tomatoes there is butter and onion in the tomato sauce. With the exception of salt and pepper those are the only ingredients in this sauce.
Ingredients:
- whole peeled tomatoes in a can (San Marzano are best but you can use any)
- butter (I prefer salted in this recipe but you can use unsalted)
- onion (I usually use a Vidalia onion but you can use your favorite type)
To make the sauce place the tomatoes, butter, and onion in a large pot over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer and lower heat to medium low.
Continue to simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally and crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pan.
Remove the sauce from the heat and discard the onion. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, place in a blender and blend until totally smooth.
This sauce smelled incredible as it was cooking. It wasn’t the typical garlic that I normally smell when I’m making marinara sauce. It was the rich scent of butter mixed with the tomato and onion.
Can you double this recipe?
You can certainly double or triple the recipe if you are looking to make a big batch for a party or to keep some for later. Just make sure you have a pot big enough to accommodate the ingredients for the tomato sauce.
I poured the sauce over top of spaghetti noodles, topped it with a little Parmesan and it was delicious. I was surprised but the sauce was rich in flavor and tasted great with the pasta. I’m definitely making this a staple in our household!
Can you freeze Simple Tomato Sauce?
You can freeze this sauce. I like to make a double batch of the sauce and freeze half of it for another day. To freeze the sauce let it cool down off of the heat from the stove. Once it has cooled to room temperature, pour the sauce into a freezer bag and zip it closed. The sauce will be fine in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Simple 3 Ingredient Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cans 28 oz. each whole peeled tomatoes in a can, preferably San Marzano
- 8 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes, butter, and onion quarters in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and lower heat to medium low. Continue to simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally and crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pan.
- Remove the sauce from heat and discard the onion. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
- If desired, place the sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve the sauce over top of spaghetti or your favorite pasta shape.
Tonight is Eggplant Rollatini with marina
This is one of my all-time favorites!!! Glad you liked it. So simple, but so good! 🙂
Simple and yet delicious! Blessings, Catherine