Homemade Tomato Sauce

So, you've got some ricotta and a bunch of pasta. You could make baked ziti, ravioli, tortellini, stuffed shells, manicotti.... Whatever variation of hearty Italian meal you choose, you will surely need some tomato sauce to pour on top of it, or between the layers of pasta and cheese. Chunky, smooth, deep dark red, or quickly put together, whether it is from a jar or your grandmother's recipe, I think everyone has their own favorite sauce.

If you do have a favorite, why do you think its the best?

I wanted to share my recipe to go along with the ricotta and pasta I recently shared. Tomorrow we'll put it all together into a very homemade lasagna.

Homemade Pasta Sauce
This recipe makes plenty of sauce for 3-4 servings of pasta. I found that for a full pan of lasagna I wanted to double this recipe. 

Olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups crushed tomatoes (I used 2 cups of crushed tomatoes and one cup of slow roasted tomatoes) 
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and Pepper to taste


Place a heavy bottomed pot (at least 2-3 quart size) over medium heat. When the pot is heated, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil and the onions. Let the onions cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned (about 10 minutes). Stir in the garlic and let cook a couple minutes more. Pour in the tomatoes, stir to combine with the onions and garlic. Bring it all to a simmer and reduce heat to keep simmering for about 30 minutes, or to the desired thickness. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a smooth sauce, you can puree it using and immersion or regular blender.