Homemade Red Sauce for Pasta
An easy, homemade red sauce recipe for pasta using canned tomatoes, garlic, and onion. Super flavorful and freezes great! It is a must-make for anywhere you like marinara sauce.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup red wine for deglazing*
- 1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
- 1 28 ounce can tomato sauce**
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stock pan over medium heat. Add the onion and green bell pepper and cook until the onion is translucent and the bell pepper is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the dried oregano, crushed red pepper, bay leaf, and garlic, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the spices are fragrant and the garlic has almost melted into the onion/pepper mixture.
- Add in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to gently scrape up the browned bits of onion. Let simmer for 5 minutes until some red wine evaporates and is cooked down.
- Add in the whole tomatoes, crushing them with your hands to break them down, and all of the juices from the can. Add in the can of red sauce and a big pinch of salt and pepper-- I usually start with 1/2-1 teaspoon of salt and go from there, depending on the brand of tomatoes you use.
- Reduce heat to low. Cover, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes. Season to taste as needed-- depending on the tomatoes you use, you may need to add more salt or even a splash of vinegar/sugar to balance.
Notes
*The acidity in red wine helps to balance the sweetness of the tomatoes. This balance is crucial for preventing the sauce from tasting too heavy. If you omit, I recommend adding a splash of red wine vinegar, about 1 tablespoon or so to taste.
**Not to be confused with jarred marinara sauce. My go-to brands are Hunt's, Muir Glend and San Marzano and I DO think that the brand makes a big difference here.
This sauce freezes very well! I use these Souper Cubes to freeze leftovers and then just defrost as needed. You can make a double or even triple batch if you need!
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 181kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 7gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 1228mgPotassium: 1642mgFiber: 9gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1048IUVitamin C: 87mgCalcium: 269mgIron: 8mg