MY BEST TOMATO SAUCE

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this tomato sauce. It’s a staple in my kitchen for so many reasons. Not only is it so flavorful, but it’s so simple to make and incredibly versatile. The trick to this sauce is to use an immersion blender to aerate the sauce and then finish it with a knob of butter for richness. Of course if you’re on dairy-free diet you can simply leave out the butter. I use this sauce for all types of pastas, lasagnas, and have even stirred it into soups and risottos. It’s just that good! 

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

1 cup diced onions

1 1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoons kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

1 28-ounce can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1 1/2 cups water 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the olive oil is warm, add the onions and sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions have turned translucent. If they begin to brown, turn the heat down and continue to cook.

When the onions are translucent, add the garlic, basil, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes then add the crushed tomatoes and water. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has reduced. Turn off the heat and allow to slightly cool. 

Once the mixture has slightly cooled, use an immersion blender to puree into a smooth sauce. If it seems a little watery you can put it back on the heat to reduce further. If not, add the butter to the warm sauce and stir until silky smooth. Use right away or allow to further cool. To reheat, cover and slightly warm over a medium-low heat until bubbling, stirring occasionally so that the sauce doesn’t stick to the pan. If it’s too thick you can add a tablespoon of water to thin.