How to make the perfect tomato sauce and the common mistakes to avoid

A genius way to use up a glut of tomatoes, plus how to make a delicious chicken parmigiana for a quick and easy midweek meal 

Homemade tomato sauce is easier than you think

The base of so many family dinners, having batches of homemade tomato sauce in your freezer means that a healthy and nutritious meal is only minutes away, no matter how busy your day has been. 

It's all about the fruit

While in late summer or early autumn, it makes sense to use fresh tomatoes in your tomato sauce, they tend to taste woolly and watery as we head into winter. During the colder months, utilise good quality tinned tomatoes and passata. When choosing tins, buy ones that use the whole fruit rather than chopped and you will get a more superior product. If purchasing passata, be sure to look at the ingredients and make sure that there are no added ingredients. 

Chicken parmigiana is the ultimate comfort food.

Sweet but salty

Tomatoes need seasoning, and tasting is key when it comes to your sauce. Season with sugar and salt in equal quantities, tasting all the time to ensure that you are getting the flavour you want. If you feel your sauce needs extra body, a splash of balsamic vinegar will add weight in an instant. 

Don't shy away from the fat

Tomato sauces become silky smooth and lose any acidic edges when fat like butter or olive oil is stirred through at the end. Butter gives the sauce a rich, almost creamy feel - and remember, a little goes a long way. 

Gently does it

Simmer your sauce at a bubble. Rolling boils do nothing positive for tomato sauces. 

Perfect tomato sauce

Homemade tomato sauce can be ready in less than thirty minutes and used for pizza, pasta or to top meat and fish

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Side

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 600ml passata or 10 fully ripened tomatoes, blitzed in a food processor

• 1 onion

• 1 tsp butter

• Salt, pepper, sugar, to taste

Method

1. Add the olive oil and garlic to a cold saucepan. Turn on the heat to medium and as soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, pour in the passata.

2. Cut your onion in half and add to the sauce along with the butter. Cover, turn to low and simmer for twenty minutes.

3. Taste, check for seasoning and add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Remove the onion.

4. Store in sterilised jars in the fridge for up to three days or portion and freeze.
   
   Tip

5. If you have wine leftover, add that to the pot when the garlic starts to sizzle. Reduce by half before pouring in the pasta.