Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic, peeled and smashed
Tomato & Seasoning
- 800 g canned whole peeled tomatoes, with juices
- 15 g fresh basil, whole sprigs
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 84 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 459 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 232 mg
- Calcium
- 12 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 4 mg
- Phosphorus
- 9 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 19 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and add the extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced yellow onion and saute until softened and translucent.
Add the smashed garlic cloves to the saucepan. Saute, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the garlic is intensely fragrant and just starting to turn lightly golden.
Carefully crush the canned whole peeled tomatoes by hand one by one over the pot, letting the pieces fall in. Pour in all the remaining tomato juices from the cans.
Stir in the whole fresh basil sprigs, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer at around 90 degrees Celsius (195 degrees Fahrenheit). Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the saucepan, and let it simmer gently to meld the flavors and thicken.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fish out and discard the basil sprigs and garlic cloves if a smoother, milder flavor is desired. For a completely uniform texture, puree the sauce directly in the pot using an immersion blender.
Chef's Notes
- Crushing whole canned tomatoes by hand provides a superior, rustic texture compared to buying pre-crushed or pureed tomatoes, which often contain firming agents.
- Leaving the garlic cloves whole and smashed allows you to extract their sweet, mellow flavor without overpowering the sauce. Removing them at the end ensures a perfectly balanced profile.
- Do not chop the basil before cooking. Simmering whole sprigs infuses the sauce deeply without turning the delicate herb bitter or black from extended heat exposure.
- This recipe intentionally omits dried herbs like oregano to serve as a pure, versatile canvas. Adjust the seasoning profile later depending on whether you are using it for a delicate fish dish or a robust meat ragu.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight glass or non-reactive container.
Freezer: 6 months — Leave at least 2cm of headspace in the container to allow for expansion.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbling.
Troubleshooting
Sauce tastes overly metallic or acidic
Cause: Tomatoes were picked underripe or have high natural acidity, or the sauce was undercooked.
Fix: Stir in a pinch of baking soda (about 2g) to neutralize the acid, or add 5g of granulated sugar to balance the flavor.
Prevention: Use high-quality whole canned tomatoes and ensure the sauce simmers for the full 45 minutes to caramelize the natural sugars.
Sauce is too watery
Cause: The saucepan was fully covered during cooking, trapping steam.
Fix: Remove the lid completely and increase heat slightly to a vigorous simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced.
Prevention: Only partially cover the pot while simmering to allow moisture to evaporate.
Cultural Context
Known in Italy as salsa di pomodoro, this foundational recipe is the absolute lifeblood of Italian home cooking. The method relies heavily on the philosophy of cucina povera, transforming a few high-quality, humble ingredients into something extraordinary. Its inherent simplicity allows it to be enjoyed on its own with fresh pasta, or seamlessly adapted into more complex regional dishes.
