Simple Tomato Sauce

Amazing Tomato Sauce

Yesterday I posted a recipe for Eggplant Parmigiana by Chef Mark Vogel that would be served with a quick, homemade tomato sauce. Here is Mark’s personal favorite quick and easy tomato sauce that works with his eggplant Parmesan but as a base for lots of recipes.

We all have our favorite formulas for making “gravy” and I would love to hear about how you make yours but this is a good one to start with if you are just learning how to cook.

Feel free to make additions and/or substitutions to adjust the flavor to your own preference. I have one of my favorites from my friend Chef Ricco DeLuca at Basic Tomato Sauce.  I also wrote a post about a few celebrity chef’s favorite tomato sauces and how they differ slightly.

Print Recipe

Simple Tomato Sauce Recipe

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients

• 1 35-oz. can whole plum tomatoes
• 1 carrot - small dice
• 1 celery stick - small dice
• 1 small onion - diced
• Olive oil - as needed
• Salt and pepper - to taste
• 3 garlic cloves - chopped
• 4 oz. red or white wine
• 8 oz. beef/veal stock
• Handful fresh parsley - chopped

Instructions

• Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Split open each tomato over the strainer and remove the seeds, as they can add a bitterness to the sauce.
• Place the seeded tomatoes in another bowl. Reserve both the juice in the first bowl from seeding the tomatoes and the juice left in the can.
• Sweat the carrot, celery and onion in olive oil with some salt and pepper on low/medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook one more minute.
• Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
• Add all of the reserved tomato juices and the stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce by at least half. A little more won't hurt.
• Add the reserved tomatoes and cook only 5-10 minutes on low heat. With an immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth.
• Finish with the parsley and additional salt and pepper if needed.