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This simple spaghetti sauce recipe was created while on vacation in Costa Rica. All you need is four fresh ingredients and the time it takes to boil pasta. Such an easy recipe and a great way to save money! Pairs wonderfully with 15-minute Italian meatballs and garlic cheese bread.
Have you ever been totally out of your element – have no clue what to do, where to go, or even how to ask for help – yetstill had to function like a normal person?
That’s how I felt one year when my family and I went on a vacation we had spent SIX years saving for. We went to Costa Rica where my four years of Spanish (10+ years rusty) were put to the ultimate reality test. They don’t teach you how to grocery shop in Spanish class!
Grocery shopping (and converting currency!) was half the battle. Knowing how to cook it was another. There were no cookbooks, no recipes, no nothing showing me how to cook the food we just bought.
My typical kitchen appliances were also limited. No mixer, no rolling pin, no high-powered blender. Everything we made was from memory, or made up on the spot, withthe spoons and spatulas we had on hand.
You can’t just reach for a jar of spaghetti sauce and call it a day, you have to make your own homemade spaghetti sauce…. from scratch!
I was VERY fortunate that myrecipe for homemade tortillas is burnedin my brain, as is the one for roasting a whole chicken, making crispy potato wedges, and sauteing vegetables. However, making homemade spaghetti sauce from scratch (without a crockpot) isn’t something I remember so easily!
That’s how this TOTALLY EASY homemadespaghetti sauce was born.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Now, you might be wondering what makes this fresh tomato sauce so good, and yet different from all the other spaghetti sauces in the world, and why you should make this EASYspaghetti sauce instead of your typical favorite sauce.
- It’s simple (only 4 ingredients, minus salt & pepper)
- Healthy
- Perfect for a busy weeknight meal
- Fast (ready in the time it takes to make the pasta)
- It’s DELICIOUS
- No cooking skills are required
- Super frugal
- Easy to double (or triple) for company (or school lunches)
It also uses fresh tomatoes, whereas many other homemade spaghetti sauce recipes use jarred or cooked sauces. It’s perfect for the end of summer when you are picking tomatoes off your plants 50 or so at a time and they keep showing up in your CSA box too.
I kinda feel silly posting this SIMPLE recipe, but I know that many readers struggle in the kitchen and need recipes, no matter how simple they may be. So here I am, typing it up while trying to reassure you that this is quite possibly the easiest homemade sauce recipe you’ll ever make.
You just might swear off the jarred marinara sauce during the summer, it’s that good!
Ingredients for Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce
How to Make Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
The instructions are SIMPLE and QUICK! Your prep time is 5 minutes, cook time is 10 minutes, so you’re looking at a total time of less than 30 minutes!
Step 1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
Step 2. Meanwhile, using a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and allow vegetables to cook for about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3. Using a wooden spoon, squish any large pieces of tomatoes so that the sauce is slightly chunky, but without any significantly large pieces.
Note: If you want your homemade spaghetti sauce more of a paste, you can blend or crush tomatoes more.
Step 4. Drain pasta when it’s done. Add to sauce and toss with tongs until well coated.
Step 5. Serve hot, adding additional salt and pepper as desired.
FAQs for Homemade Pasta Sauce
Can you freeze fresh tomatoes for sauce?
Fresh tomatoes can be frozen. They do not need to be blanched before freezing. They are best used in recipes such as sauces and soups.
Do you have to peel tomatoes before making tomato sauce?
Tomatoes should be peeled before making fresh tomato sauce. This will create a smooth sauce.
How do you freeze tomatoes in plastic containers?
You can slice or halve or chop up the tomatoes (or leave them whole) and put them in an airtight container. Leave 1-inch headspace. Tomatoes can be left in the freezer for up to 10 months.
Recipe Tips for Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
- Since the flavor of this dish relies heavily on quality fresh tomatoes, I don’t recommend using tomatoes in the off-season or canned tomatoes unless you’ve canned them yourself. It just wouldn’t be the same.
- As for the garlic and onion, I haven’t tried using granulated versions of either. You can certainly increase the quantity of both though, if you like more onion and more garlic in your pasta.
- For meaty spaghetti sauce, brown some ground beef and add it to the sauce, and mix. Or try this classic Italian meat sauce recipe.
- If you have fresh herbs on hand, adding a handful of fresh basil really brings this spaghetti sauce over the top!
More Simple Italian Recipes
- Homemade Italian Sausage
- Giant Italian Easy Meatballs
- Easy Italian Pasta Salad
- Zesty Italian Dressing
- 15-Minute Italian Meatballs
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15-Minute Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
This simple spaghetti sauce recipe was created while on vacation in Costa Rica. All you need is four fresh ingredients and the time it takes to boil pasta. Such an easy recipe and a great way to save money! Pairs wonderfully with 15-minute Italian meatballs and garlic cheese bread.
- Author: Tiffany
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main meals
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and allow vegetables to cook for about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Using a wooden spoon, squish any large pieces of tomatoes so that the sauce is slightly chunky, but without any significantly large pieces. If you want your homemade spaghetti sauce more of a paste, you can blend or mash tomatoes more.
- Drain pasta when it’s done. Add to sauce and toss with tongs until well coated.
- Serve hot, adding additional salt and pepper as desired.
Notes
- Since the flavor of this dish relies heavily on quality fresh tomatoes, I don’t recommend using tomatoes in the off-season or canned tomatoes unless you’ve canned them yourself. It just wouldn’t be the same.
- As for the garlic and onion, I haven’t tried using granulated versions of either. You can certainly increase the quantity of both though, if you like more onion and more garlic in your pasta.
Nutrition
- Calories: 200
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