How to prepare a good tomato and basil sauce? Is onion sauté necessary? And should the tomatoes be peeled or not? How long does this sauce cook? These are just a few of the many questions that fresh tomato sauce brings with it. This easy and quick seasonal recipe is made in all kitchens because tomatoes are at their peak of ripeness during this period, and the garden produces plenty. It can be preserved for the winter by following my tips. In my opinion, there is no perfect tomato variety for the sauce: all can be suitable, the important thing is that they are well-ripened and fragrant. However, the usual practice is to use plum tomatoes for making the sauce because they are meaty, economical, and low in water. We will therefore hypothesize using those, although often cherry or round, soft, and ripe red tomatoes give us a sweeter and tastier sauce.
I certainly don’t claim to provide the perfect recipe for tomato and basil sauce. I simply offer mine, which might serve some young beginner cooks. If grandma or mom doesn’t teach their little tricks, how do young people learn them? This is why this very simple basic recipe makes a good plate of spaghetti special: the tomato and basil ones that represent Italy worldwide.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8 or more
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 114.93 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 26.85 (g) of which sugars 5.97 (g)
- Proteins 2.19 (g)
- Fat 0.10 (g) of which saturated 0.03 (g)of which unsaturated 0.04 (g)
- Fibers 4.15 (g)
- Sodium 317.44 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 75 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
We can substitute the plum tomatoes with round, ribbed, or cherry tomatoes, or we can mix different varieties. Just consider that cooking times will vary: the more watery the tomatoes, the longer they will need to cook.
- 2.2 lbs plum tomatoes (red, soft and ripe)
- 1 clove garlic (small (optional))
- 1 onion (of any kind but not too large)
- 1 carrot (not too large)
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1 bunch basil (fresh, leaves only)
Tools
To make the tomato sauce, a food mill is needed. Usually, there is one in every kitchen. However, sometimes the discs get lost, those from the old food mill, and we can’t find them anymore. Other times, we simply need to buy a new one. This is my advice.
How to prepare tomato and basil sauce
In a pot of the right size, even an earthenware one if you like, put all the washed and chopped ingredients: plum tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrot, and a pinch of coarse salt. Then turn on the heat, not too high (be sure to use a heat diffuser if using an earthenware pot), stir and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it cook for about thirty minutes with the lid on.
After half an hour, check our sauce. If the mixture is dense and homogeneous and doesn’t need to reduce, lower the heat to a minimum and let it cook covered for another fifteen minutes. If there is a lot of liquid in the pot, then we will need to raise the heat a bit and remove the lid to allow the sauce to evaporate the excess water. But be careful, stir often without getting distracted because if the sauce sticks to the bottom, it would be irreparably ruined.
After about 45 minutes, turn off the heat and add the basil leaves, washed and dried; stir and cover again for at least ten minutes. Finally, pass through the food mill with medium holes, to recover everything, both the pulp and the basil, discarding only the tough skins.
If we want to preserve the tomato sauce for the winter, I recommend two different methods.
In the first case, like with jam, the tomato sauce should be placed in clean, dry glass jars, even used ones, but with perfectly intact lids. Once closed, we can put them upside down in the oven tray, ensuring a little water at the bottom to keep the necks of the jars submerged. Then turn on the oven to 212°F and let it bake for two hours. Once turned off, let the jars cool slowly in the oven without opening the door. The proper time is overnight. If they have gone perfectly under vacuum, they can be stored for the winter.The second option, much faster but suitable for moderate quantities, is to freeze the sauce in single-serving freezer bags. There are also reusable ones with a zipper, like these.
We can then extract the right amount when needed, and it will be wonderful to eat tomato and basil spaghetti in December.
Secrets and Tips
Always remember not to overdo it with the salt: you can always adjust if needed. Also, do not cook the basil, but add it after turning off the heat. In the meantime, it’s good to give a few minutes of cooling with the lid on so that the precious basil aroma is not lost.
For newcomers to the food mill: don’t tire too easily. The tomato pulp must be fully salvaged.
Finally, I apologize to the experienced cooks who can certainly make a better sauce than mine, to those who consider sauté mandatory (I don’t do it), and even to celery lovers, which can certainly be added but, in my opinion, has too strong a flavor.
To conclude: did you know that by returning to the HOME you can find a section called Secrets in the Kitchen? It is dedicated to basic recipes but not only: there are useful tips and secrets for cooking easily and quickly, all those accumulated over the years by an old cook like me. You will also find many other recipes, sweet and savory. Follow me on Facebook and on Instagram, and you will never be without dinner ideas again.
Note: this recipe contains affiliate links.
Why is there no oil during cooking?
The oil is not included because it is not needed. If you decide to prepare a sauce with this puree – a mushroom, artichoke sauce, or a ragù – you will certainly add it. If instead, you use pure tomato, for instance, to dress spaghetti, add raw oil along with two fresh basil leaves. It is much healthier.
