Chunky Tomato Sauce
A chunky tomato sauce that simmers on the stove with aromatics, canned tomatoes, and herbs. A delicious option for pasta, pizza, or breads!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 106kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 medium carrot finely diced
- 1 medium celery stalk finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 56 ounces canned whole-peeled tomatoes preferably high-quality DOP San Marzano tomatoes or Bianco diNapoli tomatoes
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ¼ cup fresh basil chiffonade | divided
Instructions
- Saute: Set a large dutch oven over medium heat with ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil. Add ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes; once sizzling, stir in 1 medium onion (finely diced), 1 medium carrot (finely diced), 1 medium celery stalk (finely diced), 4 garlic cloves (minced), and a big pinch of salt.Saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden brown, about 12 - 15 minutes.
- Squish the tomatoes: While the vegetables cook, transfer 56 ounces canned whole-peeled tomatoes to a medium bowl, squishing the whole tomatoes with your hands until the mixture is nicely crushed and slightly chunky but no large pieces remain.
- Simmer: Add the tomatoes to the pan along with ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 dried bay leaf, and half the basil. Bring to a vigorous simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add another big pinch of salt, and simmer until the sauce has thickened, the flavors have melded nicely, and the tomatoes no longer taste overly acidic, about 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf. Add the remaining basil, season once more, and serve as desired.
Notes
Storage: Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 - 5 days. You can also freeze it for longer-term storage. To do so, divide sauce amongst airtight freezer bags, squeezing out any excess air.
Freeze for up to 6 months before thawing in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Note: Frozen and thawed marinara will suffer from a slight loss in flavor, but the better you seal things, the less likely this will occur!
Recipe adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis' Everyday Italian
Nutrition
Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 442mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1590IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg
