At the end of August, without fail, I get this crazy urge to organize, declutter, and donate things. The rest of the year I’m usually content to overlook my own chaos and disorganization, but once the back to school season hits, I turn into that domestic goddess I always wanted to be. I can do anything! Even if it doesn’t last very long, it feels good to start a new season with a clean slate.
Eric has always been the tidy, organizer in our relationship, so whenever he sees me tearing stuff apart he follows suit creating an equally large mess on the floor beside me. A natural born organizer can never pass up the chance to organize, you know? So this past weekend we spent a full day giving our office an overhaul, which led to furniture reorganization, which led to an Ikea trip to buy a cabinet. Why does organization always seem to lead to an Ikea trip? And more importantly, why do we insist on going the busiest weekend of the year? We are suckers.
Feeling on top of the world after our office clean-up, we went through the bedroom closet and donated a bag of clothing and then we semi-solved my kitchen storage issues. Total organizer’s high. I can see why some people become addicted to organizing. If only it would rub off on me a bit longer.
This is the year I change for the better and stay organized. I say this every September. Oh well.
In food related news, I don’t know why it took me so long to make my own tomato sauce from scratch. Shame on me! I don’t want to jinx it, but I feel like my kitchen mojo is back now that I’m only creating recipes for the blog again. It’s such a great feeling not to be zapped of creativity. I just have all this renewed energy to create, create, create.
The secret to this sauce? Sun-dried tomatoes. Gosh, I love them so. They turn a run of the mill fresh tomato sauce into a rich and creamy concentrated sauce with so much depth of flavour. I really couldn’t believe the difference in taste before and after adding them in. Instead of just stirring the chopped sundried tomatoes into the sauce, I decided to puree them and emulsify their flavour throughout. Oh my lanta. Once I stirred the sun-dried mixture back into the sauce it was transformed into something only dreams are made of. You really have to try this!
Thick & Chunky Tomato Sauce from Scratch
Yield
1 large or 2 small servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A few simple ingredients can create the most delightful homemade tomato sauce! The secret to this recipe is blending sun-dried tomatoes with a scoop of sauce and then stirring it back into the pot. The result is a thick and creamy tomato sauce with a ton of flavour unlike any other tomato sauce. There's no need to skin the tomatoes for this recipe, but I like to quickly discard the seeds before using. Chop the tomato into 4-5 large wedges and then push the seeds out from both sides and discard. Proceed with dicing as usual. If you don't have oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, feel free to use dried - but be sure to soak them in water until soft and drain before use. You might want to bump up the olive oil to 1.5 tablespoons to make up for the reduction in oil. Lastly, this batch only makes 1 & 1/4 cups - I would suggest doubling it because it doesn't last long!
Ingredients
For the sauce (makes 1 + 1/4 cups):
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large sweet onion or 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 3 cups diced)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, minced
- 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 6)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
For the noodles:
- 1 medium zucchini, spiralized or julienned or 1 serving cooked pasta or 1/2 cooked spaghetti squash
Directions
- Add the oil, onion, and garlic into a medium pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and increase heat to high-medium to bring to a low boil. When the mixture boils, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, uncovered, until most of the water cooks off. Watch closely, reducing heat if necessary and stirring often.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes into a food processor along with a ladle of the tomato sauce. Process until mostly smooth. Stir this mixture back into the tomato sauce in the pot.
- Stir in the minced basil, oregano, salt, and pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to taste. Continue cooking until thickened to your liking and then remove from heat.
- Serve sauce over a bed of pasta noodles, zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash noodles.
Tip:
Note: For how to julienne or spiralize zucchini (and the tools I use for the job), see this post.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
This is a genuine and flavorful tomato sauce. I like to cook my sauce this way! Thanks for sharing it.
I love making home made tomatoe sauce with slow roasted Roma tomatoes. I just slice them lengthwise, remove the seeds, drizzle them with olive oil and sometimes a little bit of very very good (read expensive but worth it!) balsamic vinegar. Put them cut side up in a single layer. I have been known to add onions and red pepper to this oven adventure also. When it’s all done, you can mash it a bit, blend some, or purée as you like depending on use. So delicious. Slow roasting your tomatoes makes them super sweet. No sugar ever required. Adding red peppers also boosts sweetness. Sometimes I slow sautée them separately till they are total mush and add them to the tomatoes after. When I make sauce for raw zucchini pasta, I put lots of raw basil, sundried tomatoes and olive oil in the food processor separately. I toss the noodles with this pesto sauce first and even keep leftovers in the fridge for extra meals. Cooked sauces can be warmed and added when you’re ready to eat so you can change up the experience. I personally prefer raw basil with my marinara so I rarely add basil until after. Plus, chopped basil on top looks gorgeous.
PS. If your sauce is bitter, it might be a couple of things. 1. Your tomatoes. Some varieties cook up sweeter than others. Field grown Roma tomatoes are the best (in my opinion). 2. Try cooking it more slowly. Cooking tomatoes on high heat and/or quickly brings out their bitterness. The best sauces ever are the simplest ones (onions, tomatoes) that simmer super slowly all day long. Buon apetito!
I don’t know why, but making my own tomato sauce always seems to daunting to me, but I really should just get over it and try it! Sun dried tomatoes sounds like an amazing addition!
I totally agree on the sundried tomatoes. I’ve been putting them in my lasagna for years to intensify the tomato flavour, but never thought to put them in my spaghetti sauce (duh!) Thanks for a beautiful fresh recipe and for so many posts lately!
This looks lovely! I love how its on zucchini pasta! Need to try this out! Thank You!
xoxo,
berrybloomxo.blogspot.com
I just made this sauce and it is delicious! The sundried tomatoes really make it special. I added a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end. Luckily, I tripled the recipe for leftovers :)
I have so many fresh tomatoes from my garden right now, so I need to give this a try! Thank you for sharing!
xx
youngmildandfree.wordpress.com
Mmmm this looks awesome, especially on the zucchini noodles :)
Huh. I wish my hubby would feel compelled to help organize when I get to spring cleaning ;p
This sauce looks super tasty! I’m actually going to make this tonight for dinner =)
What a tasty summer pasta dish!
This tomato sauce is fantastic! Thank you for sharing. I have made tomato sauce from scratch many times but never got so much flavour with so little effort. :)
Hey Asa, Wonderful news – I’m so glad you loved it too!
This was my very first attempt at making my own sauce. Ever. I had a ton of tomatoes, onions and basil from my latest CSA pickup and decided what the heck. Go for it! I did and it was 2 die 4. I put it on top of spaghetti squash and I was in food ecstasy.
Hey Karen, So happy you enjoyed it!!
Keep em coming. If your goal is to post 20 recipes in Sept, then mine will be to make them all. Had this for supper and it was delicious. Made your apple jam and served it over cooked oats for breakfast.
hah I love that goal!! :)
Had the pink detox smoothie for a snack today. The first few sips took a bit of adjusting but after that it was ok. Have to admit that it wasn’t a favourite but given how good it is for you I can see myself drinking it once in a while.
Hi Angela!
I came across your blog through Vegan Mofo listing and I am enjoying every bit of it! I am so inspired by your Thick & Chunky Tomato Sauce from Scratch:) Thank you for posting those beautiful recipes I am dying to be able to try them out when I am back from my voyages.
Welcome! So happy to hear you found the blog :) Thanks so much for your lovely note! Off to check out your blog now
Looks delicious…will definitely be giving it a try! Did you boil or steam your spiral zucchini noodles?
Nope I just prefer them raw :) nice and crisp!
Thank you, Angela. I will try them raw. :)
Consistency of this sauce looks good, i will write down this recipe or print it.
**reporting back**
:0)
MADE THIS WEEKEND AND IT ROCKED.
I have the packaged sun-dried tomatoes, not in oil. Do you see a way this recipe could work with those instead?
I made this last night and it was a winner, even with my 6-year-old. The sun-dried tomatoes really make the sauce! Thanks for the recipe.
Looks delish. Sounds like a great recipe to try with the last zucchinis from the summer!