- You can simmer this sauce longer if you like, but you don't need to.
- For meat sauce, I like to add Italian sausages or ground beef that has been browned with lots of onion and garlic.
- If you happen to have a rind of Parmesan cheese leftover, throw that in too (it won't really melt into the sauce, but it will add a lot of great flavor).
- For a smaller batch, use a 28oz can of tomatoes and scale the recipe down to 1/3.
This recipe would be similar to 'Old Fart's spaghetti sauce', except vegetarian. Makes about 12 cups (enough to feed a big Italian family with plenty of leftovers!)
Over med-high heat, saute onions, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in olive oil until caramelized (I save the leftover oil from jarred sun-dried tomatoes to use for things like this).
Add garlic and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds, or until very fragrant.
Add tomato paste and caramelize for 3-5 minutes; stirring constantly.
Add pureed tomatoes, bay leaves, dried oregano, dried basil (don't add the fresh basil yet), red pepper flakes, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper; stir to combine.
Simmer on low for about an hour.
Remove bay leaves.
Add fresh basil just before serving.
Ingredients
Directions
Over med-high heat, saute onions, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in olive oil until caramelized (I save the leftover oil from jarred sun-dried tomatoes to use for things like this).
Add garlic and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds, or until very fragrant.
Add tomato paste and caramelize for 3-5 minutes; stirring constantly.
Add pureed tomatoes, bay leaves, dried oregano, dried basil (don't add the fresh basil yet), red pepper flakes, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper; stir to combine.
Simmer on low for about an hour.
Remove bay leaves.
Add fresh basil just before serving.