Homemade Tomato Sauce
Out of everything I make, my most frequently requested recipe is my homemade tomato sauce. The reason for this? Well, let's be honest, pasta with fresh, luscious tomato sauce is pretty much the most comforting of all comfort foods. Kids love it, adults love it, its an overall WIN! And I'm gonna tell you a little secret. This sauce is so damn good, I'll straight up put it in a bowl and eat it with a spoon. Tomato soup anyone?! I've also drizzled it on top of roasted veggies and woah, that combo is to die for!
So, what makes this sauce so special? I'll tell ya! Like everything I make on the regular, this recipe is simple. But like, I'm serious, this one is reeeeally simple. We're talking 3 ingredients (not including olive oil & salt). Yep, you heard me, THREE INGREDIENTS! And since it's so simple & fresh, I feel so good about eating it and feeding it to my family. Jarred tomato sauce (or soup) is almost always packed with sugar and sodium. Eeeeeew, who wants all that?! Not me! Gimme fresh & healthy please!!
For this recipe, I use cherry tomatoes, which is what makes the sauce so darn sweet. Garlic and lemon round it out, and plenty of salt and olive oil enhance it all. And while I love to blend the sauce, you can totally toss the sauce with pasta before blending, and it's still super amazing.
And one of my fave things about this sauce is that it's a building block. Yes, it is totally to-die for as is, but is also a perfect base for tons of herbs and veggies. I have even used it as a pizza sauce! So try it in it's pure form, and then go crazy and try putting your own spin on it!
Shown here, I blended the sauce and mixed it with my favorite gluten-free pasta from Trader Joe's. Side note, if you haven't tried the quinoa pasta from Trader Joe's, run, don't walk, and get yourself some asap! Once my pasta was all nice and saucy, I stirred in some fresh basil and topped with raw pine nuts (one of the loves of my life!). I served a simple arugula salad (dressed with lemon, olive oil, salt) alongside, and I love to throw of a heap of arugula on top of my pasta for a punch of greens. Ugh, my mouth is watering. Excuse me, I need to go make some more!!
I could eat this every night.
Ingredients
2 pints cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 lemon
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup water
Salt
So, here's how it goes!
In a sauté pan, over medium high heat, drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil and add 2 pints cherry tomatoes. Let tomatoes sizzle & burst for about 5 mins. Season with plenty of salt. Add 3 cloves garlic and 1 cup water. Cover and let simmer 5 mins. Remove lid and crush tomatoes with the back of a spoon and let simmer another 2 mins. Add the juice of 1 lemon. At this point, you can toss a bunch of fresh basil in there and leave the sauce as it's chunky, beautiful self, or you can throw it all in a blender and blend, if desired. Finish with another drizzle of olive oil. Top with fresh basil, and extra salt if needed. *Take note: tomatoes are acidic and may turn your garlic blue (!), but don't be afraid, it's totally normal and not harmful!
Pro tip: Cover your pasta with fresh greens to up the nutrients & fiber, and to give extra crunch!
