Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce

An easy, homemade tomato sauce simmered with simple ingredients, like canned tomatoes and basil! Make a big batch for delicious pastas, chicken bakes and veggie stews!

I had this vision of making my own tomato sauce. My dad always talked about how he could taste the love and care my Italian great grandmother put into her cooking. She never left her stove until her masterpiece was finito.

I wish I could say I had the same patience, but I thrive on spontaneous cooking. I'm also notorious for my messes in the kitchen—but isn't this a sign of a good chef ;-) Today's homemade tomato sauce recipe is one that will have you in-and-out of the kitchen. Instead of grabbing a pre-made jar that's higher in sodium and sugar, make your own batch under 30 minutes!

As I plan my meal prep for the week, homemade tomato sauce is a must! One batch gives a Mediterranean twist to pastas, chicken, lentil stews and sautéed vegetables. One of my favorites uses is to top Roasted Spaghetti Squash for a low-carb dinner!

Homemade Sauce vs. the Jar

Cooking your own tomato sauce let's you control the amount of sodium and sugar, and ingredients you are sensitive to, like onion and garlic for low-FODMAP dieters. Just because it's made from scratch, doesn't mean it has to be hard. Pop some tomato cans open, plop in some other ingredients and simmer for just 25 min. You're going to love how satisfying this savory and hearty sauce is, while also being way lower in sodium and sugar than the average jar.

A cast iron pan is perfect for making sauce because it enhances the flavors, it's easy to clean, and did you know it adds a little extra iron to your food?! Ever since I learned this from a San Francisco holistic doctor, I'm always pulling out my pan. All the ingredients are simple and thoughtfully added to make a balanced sauce.

Key ingredients:

• Canned tomatoes (no salt) because their fast

• Bone broth for extra protein

• Nutritional yeast for robust cheesy flavor

• Molasses for a earthy balance

• Coconut sugar for healthy sweetness

Why low sodium?

There's nothing I love more than Himalayan pink salt...ok, maybe salted dark chocolate! Besides wanting to loose excess water retention from the holidays, reducing salt is good for blood pressure and heart health. Eating whole foods and cooking at home is a way to consume way less salt than when eating out or pre-made foods. Read more about sodium here.

I'll leave you to your kitchen to get cooking! Here are a few recipes and ideas to make with this tomato sauce. Enjoy!

• Roasted Spaghetti Squash (by Off the Beeten Plate)

• Vegan Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni (by It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken)

• Paleo Pizza (by The Big Man's World)

• Top on chicken and bake

• Add to veggies and sauce to a pan for a veggie, tomato stew

Print here: Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce

Prep time: 00:05 Cook time: 00:25 Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 tomatoes, canned and diced, no salt 1/2 c bone broth 1/4 c olive oil 1 - 2 tsp garlic oil 1 tsp molasses 2 bay leaves 1 tsp coconut sugar 2 tsp nutritional yeast 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 c oregano, fresh, chopped 1/3 c basil, fresh, chopped

Optional

red chili flakes or cayenne spinach mushrooms

Recipe Steps

1. Wash and chop fresh oregano and basil. Set aside.

2. Pour first 5 ingredients into cast iron pan or saucepan and heat on medium-high.

3. Stir in the bay leaves, sugar, nutritional yeast and salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered, and stir every 5 minutes or so.

4. Then stir in the fresh herbs and cook for another 5 minutes.

5. Take off heat; juices should be reduced and sauce thickened.

6. Top sauce on pastas or vegetable noodles, or add to chicken and bake.

7. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze.