Description
Grandma’s secret Homemade Spaghetti Sauce simmers with rich Italian heritage, blending ripe tomatoes and aromatic herbs. Hearty flavors dance on your palate, inviting memories of family dinners and comforting warmth from Mediterranean kitchens.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomato Base:
- 28 ounces (794 grams) crushed tomatoes
- 14 ounces (397 grams) diced tomatoes
Aromatics and Herbs:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
Seasonings and Optional Toppings:
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for added heat)
- Grated parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Pour olive oil into a spacious pot, warming it over medium flame until it shimmers with potential culinary magic.
- Introduce finely diced onions to the heated oil, allowing them to soften and become translucent, releasing their sweet aromatics for approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle minced garlic into the pot, stirring quickly to prevent burning and creating a fragrant base that will infuse the entire sauce with robust flavor.
- Cascade crushed and diced tomatoes into the aromatic mixture, followed by a whisper of sugar to counterbalance the tomatoes’ natural acidity.
- Enliven the sauce with a harmonious blend of dried basil, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, stirring thoroughly to distribute the spices evenly throughout the liquid.
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, allowing the sauce to bubble softly and develop depth, uncovered, for approximately 25 minutes. Stir periodically to prevent sticking and promote even flavor integration.
- Taste and calibrate the seasoning, adding additional sugar or herbs as needed to achieve a perfectly balanced sauce.
- Ladle the vibrant, herb-infused sauce over freshly cooked pasta, crowning the dish with delicate fresh basil leaves and a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Customize the sauce’s heat level by adjusting the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your spice preference.
- Fresh garlic and onions are key to developing a rich, deep flavor profile that elevates the entire sauce.
- Simmering allows the herbs and spices to meld together, creating a more complex and authentic taste.
- Sugar helps balance the natural acidity of tomatoes, resulting in a smoother, more rounded sauce.
- For best results, use high-quality canned tomatoes and let the sauce cook slowly to develop maximum flavor.
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for future meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg