Tomato sauce for pasta (using tinned tomatoes)

Make your own tomato sauce for pasta dishes using tinned tomatoes plus a few other common ingredients in a few easy steps.

This recipe is so quick and easy that once you've made your own pasta sauce the chances are you won't go back to using shop bought sauce.

It can be used for a variety of recipes including spaghetti bolognaise, cannelloni and lasagne. You can also use it in other dishes such as ratatouille.

One of the good things about this tomato sauce recipe is that it uses ingredients which many people already have in their kitchen. Of course if you have a good supply of fresh tomatoes then you can use these to make a fresh tomato sauce, but failing that, this homemade pasta sauce made using canned tomatoes is likely to be better than any shop bought equivalent.

Another thing I like about this recipe is that it can be prepared ahead of time. It will keep in the fridge for a number of days or can be frozen.

For a hotter sauce you may like to try this spicy arrabbiata sauce made using tomatoes and chilli.

Ingredients

• 1 red onion - chopped
• 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
• One 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• Herbs - use either fresh or dried herbs such as basil, oregano, rosemary, Italian seasoning, herbs de Provence or you can use this recipe for pasta sauce seasoning. Use about 2 teaspoons of dried herbs or 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs.
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• A dash of olive oil
• A dash of red wine (optional)

How to prepare

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft.

Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs, tomato purée and red wine (if you are using it) and simmer without a lid for around 15 minutes.

Blend the cooked sauce using a hand blender.

Your homemade sauce is now ready to use.

The quantities in this recipe will make around 500 ml of tomato sauce.

Serving instructions

• Use in place of a fresh tomato sauce or a shop bought tomato sauce in recipes such as lasagne, spaghetti bolognaise or with homemade cannelloni.
• Your homemade tomato sauce can be used to make recipes including this ratatouille with beans.
• Or it can be served with homemade gnocchi.

Storage instructions

• Store in the fridge where it will keep for several days.
• Your homemade pasta sauce can also be frozen. Defrost at room temperature and use within one month.

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