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Simple Tomato Sauce

By Samin Nosrat

Y I E L D 4 1/2 cups

TIME 1 1/4 hours

This simple, savory sauce is rich with tomato flavor. A few basil stems — or whatever herbs you’ve got on hand — add
a welcome aromatic note, and a little zip with a blender or food mill leave it with a smooth, silky texture. Use in
lasagna (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021031-the-big-lasagna), pasta, pizza, or anywhere else you’d use a
jar of store-bought marinara.

INGREDIENTS PREPARATION

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Step 1

5 cups diced yellow onions, red
onions or shallots
Fine sea salt
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled,
diced, crushed or puréed tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
(optional)
4 to 5 basil stems (optional)
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
(optional)
Set a medium Dutch oven or similar pot over medium heat, and add 4
tablespoons olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add onions and a pinch
of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring regularly, until
onions are lightly golden and tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
Step 2
In the meantime, pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and use hands
to crush, if using whole tomatoes. Pour about 1 1/2 cups water into the
can and swirl to rinse any remaining purée off the sides. Add the water
to tomatoes in bowl and set aside.
Step 3
Once onions are soft and golden, add garlic and cook, stirring, until it
threatens to turn golden, about 90 seconds. Add tomato paste, if
using, and cook until color deepens, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes
and season with salt. If using, add basil stems and red-pepper flakes.
Stirring regularly, allow sauce to come to a boil, then reduce heat to
low, cover and simmer until sauce tastes savory and all raw tomato
flavor is gone, about 45 minutes.

Step 4
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and add remaining 2 tablespoons
oil. Use a hand blender to purée, pass through a food mill or let cool,
then purée using a blender or food processor. Tomato sauce can be
made 1 day in advance and refrigerated or frozen up to 3 months.
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