Homemade Tomato Sauce — from a Tin, Better Than Shop-Bought
Yvonne Ammann VeganSoften onion and garlic in plenty of olive oil, crush two tins of whole plum tomatoes by hand, add them, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes with salt, a pinch of sugar and a sprig of basil. Whole tinned tomatoes beat chopped, and the time takes the acidity away.
A good tomato sauce is the most useful recipe in the kitchen: it is the base for pasta, pizza, lasagne, bakes, shakshuka and ratatouille. It is four ingredients and half an hour, and it beats any jar on the shelf — those usually contain sugar and starch because they were not cooked long enough. Tinned tomatoes are no compromise: picked ripe, they are better than fresh outside summer.
Ingredients
- 2 tins Whole plum tomatoes (400 g each)
- 1 piece Onion
- 3 pieces Garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 sprig Basil
- Pepper
Method
- 1
Soften the onion
Finely chop the onion, slice the garlic. Soften in the olive oil over medium heat for 8 minutes without colouring. The oil is flavour — do not skimp.
- 2
Crush the tomatoes
Tip the tomatoes and their juice into a bowl and crush by hand. This gives a better texture than a blender — small pieces, not purée.
- 3
Simmer
Add the tomatoes to the onion with the salt, sugar and basil sprig. Bring to the boil and simmer uncovered over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and the oil glistens on the surface.
- 4
Season
Remove the basil, pepper, taste. Too sharp? Another pinch of sugar or a knob of butter. Too thick? A splash of pasta water.
Tips
- Make double. The sauce keeps a week in the fridge and six months in the freezer — in portions for one pizza or one pasta for four.
- Variations: 1 tsp chilli flakes for arrabbiata, 100 g diced bacon for amatriciana, 1 dl cream for a creamy tomato sauce, 200 g mince for a quick bolognese. All the same start.
- Look for 'San Marzano' or 'pelati' on the tin. Chopped tinned tomatoes are often firmer and more watery because they are treated with calcium chloride — whole ones break down better.
What can I substitute?
Only in summer with Swiss tomatoes. Cook 15 minutes longer, because they hold more water.
Soften the carrot with the onion — it sweetens naturally. Butter at the end rounds off the acidity.
Oregano makes it pizza-ready, bay more neutral for bakes.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my tomato sauce sour?
Cooked too short or too little fat. The tomatoes' acidity breaks down over 30 minutes, and olive oil rounds it off. If that is not enough: a pinch of sugar, a knob of butter or a pinch of bicarbonate of soda — which neutralises the acidity at once.
Fresh or tinned tomatoes for sauce?
Tinned, except in summer. They are picked fully ripe and processed at once; supermarket tomatoes in winter are picked unripe and watery. A tin costs about 1 CHF at Migros and Coop — sauce for four comes to under 2 CHF.
How long does homemade tomato sauce keep?
A week in the fridge in a sealed jar, six months in the freezer. Filled hot into sterilised jars and sealed at once, it keeps unopened for months in a cool cupboard.
How much tomato sauce per person?
About 1 dl per portion of pasta — pasta should be coated, not swimming. The recipe makes about 6 dl, so six portions of pasta or two pizzas.
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