All-Purpose Tomato Sauce

(43)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Yield:
6 cups

For this six-ingredient sauce, puréed tomatoes are simmered with sweet onion, zippy red pepper flakes, and plenty of garlic. A nub of butter stirred in at the end gives the sauce a silky texture that's perfect for spooning over a wide range of Italian favorites.

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high. When it shimmers, add onion; season with 1 tablespoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden in places, 8 to 10 minutes (if onion colors too quickly, reduce heat to medium). Stir in garlic and red-pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  2. Add puréed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened slightly and reduced to 6 cups, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted and sauce is uniform in color. If not using it immediately, let the sauce cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to five days, or freeze for up to three months.

    Master Red Sauce recipe
    Credit: Chris Simpson

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