Easy Homemade San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Why Make Your Own Tomato Sauce?

I get the appeal of using store-bought tomato sauce and I use it just as much as the next person. It's a huge timesaver and is the base of several of my favorite recipes, such as this gourmet tomato and black lentil soup and this creamy no-boil pasta bake.

But if you look at the labels of most tomato sauces, you'll find some ingredients that are less than ideal - like preservatives and natural flavors. Some jars contain just tomato paste without even using any real tomatoes.

However, there are other brands of tomato sauce, such as Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce (not sponsored), that don't contain preservatives or natural flavors and that I truly love. These jars can be expensive though at grocery stores costing more than $8/jar!

Homemade tomato sauce ensures you'll be using the best quality ingredients while also getting more bang for your buck. And most importantly, the taste is out of this world. It's definitely worth the effort!

Why Use San Marzano Tomatoes?

San Marzano tomatoes originated from the San Marzano region in southern Italy (near Naples). They are widely popular because they are not as acidic as other tomatoes and have a strong, sweet flavor.

Their superior flavor is due to the fact that their flesh is thicker than other types of tomatoes such as plum tomatoes or Roma tomatoes. Combined with their thinner, elongated shape, the result is less water content and more concentrated flavor. They have fewer seeds too!

To ensure you are buying true San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, look for cans that have a DOP certification (Italian for Denominazione d'Origine Protetta) on the label. This is a protected designation of origin certification regulated by the European Union. There are many companies that sell San Marzano tomatoes that are not actually grown in Italy!

Ingredients

This San Marzano sauce is made easily using just a handful of simple ingredients. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

• San Marzano whole tomatoes: I use canned San Marzano tomatoes and absolutely love it. They are easy to store in the pantry and consist of just tomatoes, tomato purée, salt and basil.
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Fresh garlic
• Spices: red pepper flakes, dried basil and oregano.
• Salt
• Tomato paste
• Pure maple syrup
• Optional garnishes: fresh basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper, vegan parmesan cheese and/or vegan heavy cream.

How to Make this Easy San Marzano Tomato Sauce

1. Sauté the onions and garlic. Add olive oil, diced onion, minced garlic, salt and seasonings to a saucepan and sauté for 10 minutes over low to medium heat. Make sure to keep the heat low enough so that the onion and garlic do not burn. It is important to cook the garlic long enough so that it mellows out. If you have time to allow the onions to slightly caramelize the final sauce will taste extra sweet and flavorful.

2. Add the San Marzano tomatoes. Empty the entire can (juices included) into the pan and add the tomato paste and maple syrup. Cook over low to medium heat for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.

3. Blend. Transfer everything from the saucepan to a blender and blend. You can choose to pulse a few times to keep it chunky or purée into a smooth sauce. An immersion blender can be used instead if desired.

4. Simmer to thicken the sauce (optional). After blending, you can thicken the sauce and intensify the flavor even further by putting it back on the stove in a nonstick saucepan and simmering on low heat for an hour (or longer). As it cooks down, the water from the tomatoes evaporates and the sauce will concentrate in flavor. This is by no means necessary but packs more flavor if you have extra time.

5. Serve. Pour the flavorful sauce overtop your pasta of choice and garnish with fresh basil, vegan parmesan cheese, red pepper chili flakes and/or a drizzle of vegan heavy cream, if desired.

Recipe Tips

Caramelize the onions. If you have time, allow the onions to caramelize by keeping the heat on a low simmer before adding the tomatoes for an additional 30-45 minutes. This will make the sauce more flavorful and naturally sweeter.

The longer it cooks, the thicker the sauce. This recipe yields about 3 cups of sauce. However, it will vary slightly depending on how long you let it simmer.

Serving Suggestions

This delicious tomato sauce recipe can be served as a pasta sauce with any Italian dish - think spaghetti arrabbiata, easy one-pot pasta, creamy black lentil marinara sauce, red lentil veggie pasta and vegan baked ziti. I also love it over spaghetti squash!

You can also thicken it enough to serve as a pizza sauce. Try it with this vegan and gluten-free cheese pizza!