Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce
This homemade pasta sauce is made completely from scratch with pantry staples — two steps, 25 minutes, and better than anything from a jar. Use it on spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, stuffed shells, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 28 oz.can whole peeled or diced tomatoes San Marzano recommended
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor in the order listed. Blend on medium or high speed for 10–30 seconds until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a light simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and turns a deeper red. If preferred, simmer longer for a richer, deeper flavor (see notes below). Taste and adjust salt before serving.
Notes
- San Marzano tomatoes are strongly recommended for the best flavor — look for "D.O.P." on the label.
- Simmer longer for deeper flavor: 45 minutes gives a richer sauce; 1 hour+ gives Sunday sauce depth. Add a splash of water every 20 minutes if simmering that long.
- No blender: Add all ingredients to the pot, use an immersion blender to blend smooth, then simmer as directed. Or skip blending entirely and mash by hand for a chunky sauce.
- For pizza sauce: Simmer an extra 5–10 minutes to thicken.
- Meaty version: Brown 1 lb ground beef, sausage, or turkey first, drain, then add blended sauce and simmer together 20–25 minutes.
- Vinegar swap: Balsamic vinegar can replace red wine vinegar for a deeper, sweeter note.
- Storage: Refrigerate covered for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 71kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 510mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g
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