Simple Tomato Pasta Sauce
A basic tomato sauce that’s ready in under 15 mins. I’s a great one to make if you are a novice in the kitchen, as there is very little to go wrong. Add a generous pinch of chilli for an arrabbiata-style sauce. Serve with freshly cooked pasta or as a sauce for grilled meats, fish or vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive or sunflower oil
- 1 × 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp dried oregano or Italian herbs
- ¼-½ tsp dried chilli flakes optional
Instructions
- Mix the onion, garlic and oil in a large microwaveable bowl or dish.
- Season with salt and ground black pepper and toss together well. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 mins (1000W), 6 mins 10 secs (800W), or until softened, stirring halfway.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar, oregano or Italian herbs and chilli flakes, if using. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 mins (1000W) or 5 mins (800W), stirring halfway.
- Check the seasoning before serving
Notes
Micro-tips — For a smoother sauce, blitz with a stick blender,
Stir in roughly 3 tbsp finely shredded basil at the end of the cooking time, if you like, or add a handful of sliced pitted olives and some capers with the tomatoes for a puttanesca-style sauce.
Stir in roughly 3 tbsp finely shredded basil at the end of the cooking time, if you like, or add a handful of sliced pitted olives and some capers with the tomatoes for a puttanesca-style sauce.
