Description
This tomato sauce is elevated by garlic, butter, and fresh basil, offering an irresistible flavor that’s perfect for pasta nights or healthy meals. Simple to prepare, it’s your go-to sauce for comfort food or quick dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8–10 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and halved lengthwise through the root
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed san marzano tomatoes
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole san marzano tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1–2 ounces fresh basil, stems and leaves
- 2–3 parmigiano-reggiano cheese rinds
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, optional
- pinch dried red pepper flakes
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Sauté garlic cloves for 8–10 minutes until golden, then add onion halves cut-side down and cook for an additional 1–2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add both cans of tomatoes, rinsing with a splash of water to get all the juice into the pot. Stir in butter, Parmigiano rinds, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Crush basil stems before adding them to the sauce.
- Bring to a low boil and then to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat as needed and watch for the butter to melt and tomatoes to break down.
- Remove onion halves, cheese rinds, and bulky basil stems. Mash garlic cloves into the sauce and break up large tomato chunks. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Toss sauce with pasta, adding starchy water as needed to coat. Finish with fresh basil, a drizzle of high-quality olive oil, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Notes
You can customize the sauce by adding ground meat or additional vegetables.
To make it spicier, increase the amount of red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 5mg