There was a time when my sisters and I basically lived on pasta with tomato sauce. My parents despaired at ever getting anything else down us. If I’m honest, it’s still a favourite even now when we’re all together. I mean, it surely has to be a truth universally acknowledged that it’s just so handy to have a tub of tomato sauce to hand!
What can I expect?
Whether it’s a quickly prepared supper or lunch on-the-go, perfecting a tangy, fragrant, and ever-so versatile tomato sauce not only provides you with a fantastic foundation for many dishes, it’s also so easy to prepare if you’re in a pinch! You can keep a couple of tubs in the freezer for the odd food emergency as this sauce freezes beautifully.
I love sharing all and any culinary lifehacks that I’ve picked up along the way! This recipe shows you how to dice onions and infuse olive oil with basil. In addition, find out how to provide a slip-free surface so you can chop anything without the hassle of a slippery chopping board!
I’m also pretty passionate about helping people reach their 5 a day as recommended by the WHO. You’ll find our 5 a day soups on our website and in High Street retailers. I even have a cookery book coming out later this year that’s full of 5 a day recipes! Our Best Ever Tomato sauce pairs well with any pasta-based dish. If you’d like to work towards your 5 a day requirement, legume-based pasta (e.g. lentil pasta) makes for a healthy, delicious dish too.
If you really want to have some fun, look up my home-made, Fresh Pasta recipe. The only downside to this is that it’s difficult to eat shop bought pasta after you’ve made your own! To stick with an Italian theme, our vegan and gluten-free 5 a day pizza recipe can also benefit from this Best Ever Tomato sauce. Use the sauce as a base and pick any pizza toppings that you like! Head over to our Instagram to see this recipe and more in video form. Do let us know how you get on by using the hashtag #soupologie and tagging us in any creations!
Best Ever Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- 2 sheets of Damp Kitchen Paper (if in need of a non-slip surface)
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Bowl
- Strainer
- Fork
- Saucepan
- Spatula, or similar
Ingredients
- 1 Large Onion
- 3-4 Cloves Garlic
- Large Bunch of Fresh Basil chopped
- 2x 400 g Tinned Tomatoes
- 4 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- To start with our first lifehack, place damp kitchen paper underneath your chopping board to prevent it from slipping and sliding during the process of chopping.
- Chop off the top of the onion, making sure you leave the root intact. Then, peel off the outer layer of the skin.
- Chop the onion in half at the root.
- To achieve tear-free, diced onions slice the onion halves into segments but do not cut all the way down into the root. Now turn the onion and chop all the way across, but stop just before you reach the root and set aside. Don’t forget to head over to our Instagram for a video guide on our tear-free onion hack!
- Chop both ends of the garlic cloves and peel off the outer skin.
- Crush the clove using the back of your knife and roughly chop into pieces. Repeat this process with the other cloves.
- Place a sieve over a large bowl. Tip in a can of tomatoes and, using a spoon, push the sauce through the sieve. If you like a smooth sauce, discard the seeds in the sieve. If you like the seeds, you can add them back into the sauce.
- Repeat with the second can of tinned tomatoes.
- Add the olive oil to a saucepan.
- Add the basil and chopped garlic to the oil. Turn the heat on low and allow the oil to infuse with the basil and garlic.
- After 1 minute, add the onions and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 4-5 minutes and stir well, allowing flavours to combine.
- Pour in the freshly strained tomato sauce and turn the heat to high for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. During this process, the oil will emulsify into the sauce to create a fragrant and smooth tomatoey sauce.
- Reduce the heat down to low and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced.
- If you plan on serving your sauce straight away, add any cooked pasta to the saucepan and mix thoroughly to ensure an even coating. Serve with some fresh herbs to taste, vegan cheese and enjoy!