No-Fuss Tomato Sauce
I so often find myself in need of tomato-based sauces that I have taken to hoarding a full batch of frozen tomato sauce in the freezer, several large cans of crushed tomatoes in my pantry, and our CSA fresh canned tomatoes in the refrigerator at ALL times.
My family’s tomato sauce recipe is the one I use for pizzas, pastas, bakes, and many other Italian dishes. Having it in the freezer is a handy way of ensuring that I will be able to easily put together many other dishes, but the initial cooking process, which requires hours of stovetop stirring, although wondrous in its old-world charm, is not so easy to accomplish with two kiddos running around. This sauce is unique in that it doesn’t require any of the trappings of a typical recipe. There is no chopping, there is no measuring, and there are no rules.
The more I cook and the more I assist my toddler in cooking, the more I’ve learned that recipes, while great for inspiration, are often stiflers of culinary creativity. Sometimes a recipe is a great jumping off point for a trip to the store, new ingredients, new ideas, and loads of imaginative cooking. Sometimes you’ve got less than an hour to have dinner on the table before your toddler completely loses it, the baby falls asleep, and the adults become hangry.
You’ve got to wing it with some dried pasta and the sad, wrinkly, countertop tomatoes you bought for that salad you never made. If you’re feeling fancy (i.e. trying to get something green into your kid) you might just sacrifice the basil plant on the windowsill.
Whether you’re a calm and collected cook, taking your time procuring ingredients and seasoning your dish with the majestic moves of Salt Bae, or a woman on the brink trying her hardest to boycott the drive-thru, this “recipe” is for you. Use whatever ingredients you’ve got on hand, or go to the store and look for inspiring vegetables. Serve on pizza or in a pasta dish or as a dip for bread.
No-Fuss Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- tomatoes [we used heriloom cherry tomatoes]
- garlic
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- basil
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425F.
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Lay whole tomatoes and garlic cloves out on a baking pan covered with parchment paper. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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Bake for 35 minutes.
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Put tomatoes into a large bowl along with fresh basil and blend with an immersion blender.
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Refrigerate in sealed jar until needed.
Recipe Notes
This recipe is very flexible. I recommend using whatever ratios look good to you and not worrying about measuring things out. However, I do have a few tips.
-Additional dried spices should be added along with salt and pepper. Try to stay in the Mediterranean family (oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary).
-If switching up vegetables, ensure there will be enough water content to support the sauce. Keep some tomatoes, but try to stick to Mediterranean veggies if possible (think eggplant, zucchini, onion).
-Simple can be tasty too, if you use good ingredients.
Enjoy!