Homemade Pasta Sauce
By: Mike, Posted: 2/14/2024
Looking for a homemade pasta sauce that is easy to make and has tons of flavor? Look no further than our Homemade Pasta Sauce, it has all the flavor and always hits the spot.
If you’re looking for a recipe that our Homemade Pasta Sauce goes great with, try our Awesome Meatball Sliders, Turkey Pasta Bake, or Perfect Turkey Meatballs.
Our Homemade Pasta Sauce
Minda and I were recently on the hunt for a homemade pasta sauce that the whole family would enjoy. We tried just with just fresh ingredients first to see what we liked. It tasted good but felt it was missing something. We then tried a completely different way with all canned tomatoes and lots of flavor. Again, it was good but not quite right. So we put our heads together to weed out exactly what we liked from each attempt. In the end we settled on a good combination of both recipes and a sauce we love. This Homemade Pasta Sauce is creamy, flavorful, and less acidic than most and perfect for our family.
Ingredients, Substitutions, and Additions
Fresh Veggies and Herbs – We use fresh basil, carrots, onion, tomatoes, and garlic in our Homemade Pasta Sauce. Large carrots that are peeled yourself tend to taste better than baby carrots. However, baby carrots are an easy substitute in a pinch. If you are looking to add more veggies for added benefits try some chopped spinach, bell pepper, or zucchini. Parsley is another fresh herb that can be added for additional flavor.
Dry Ingredients – I love adding fennel seed but Minda doesn’t like it as much as me, so I only do a little. We also use bay leaves, oregano, kosher salt, and pepper. Don’t have fresh garlic or basil on hand? No worries. Substitute 2 tsp of powdered garlic and a tablespoon of dried basil for the fresh ingredients.
Canned Tomatoes – In our hunt for the right canned tomato we tried stewed, diced, crushed, and sauce. We decided that the best canned tomato for our Homemade Pasta Sauce was crushed. Crushed tomatoes were the best during the simmer process of combining all the ingredients.
Awesome Additions – Prefer a meat sauce? Season up your favorite ground meat with some Italian seasoning, granulated onion, and garlic. After fully cooked, pour the sauce from the blender directly into the ground meat. Simmer on low for 15 minutes and enjoy.
Our Journeys Finds – On our hunt for our Homemade Pasta Sauce we discovered two key ingredients that will help mellow the acid level in the tomatoes. Unsalted butter adds a bit of creaminess to our sauce with the added benefit of cutting some of the acidity. Carrots cut the acid while adding some sweetness as well as thicken up our sauce. – Don’t worry when your sauce turns orange. The carrots are worth it in the end…even if your sauce looks a little unorthodox.
Preferred Pairings for Homemade Pasta Sauce
However you enjoy our Homemade Pasta Sauce a great side can always elevate your meal. Try our Oven Roasted Garlic Asparagus, Parmesan Broccoli and Asparagus, or Homemade Dinner Rolls as the perfect side to your next meal.
Oven Roasted Garlic Asparagus – Looking for an easy side dish that pairs with any dinner. Our Oven Roasted Garlic Asparagus will hit the spot every time.
Parmesan Broccoli and Asparagus – Looking for some veggies to go along with dinner? Parmesan Broccoli and Asparagus is a yummy side to help get your daily dose of veggies in.
Homemade Dinner Rolls – Homemade Dinner Rolls are the perfect addition to any meal. Try these out at your next family meal or whip them up for a Holiday Feast.
Ingredients for Homemade Pasta Sauce
- 2 Large Carrots
- 1 Large Onion
- 6 Large Tomatoes
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1 tbs Fresh Basil
- 1 can 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
- 3 tbs Unsalted Butter
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
Dry Seasonings
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/8 tsp Fennel Seed
- 1 tbs Oregano
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Directions
Wash, Dry, and Prep Fresh Herbs and Veggies: Wash and dry carrots, tomatoes, and basil. Dice onions and carrots into ¼ inch pieces. Quarter tomatoes, roughly chop basil and mince garlic cloves. Measure out all dry seasonings and place into a small bowl.
Sauté veggies and tomatoes: Bring a large pot up to heat over medium/high heat. Add olive oil and unsalted butter. When butter is melted add in onions, garlic, and carrots. Sauté for 15 minutes or until softened. Add in dry seasonings and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until tomatoes are softened. Fold in crushed tomatoes and basil then sauté for 5 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent burning. Add in chicken broth and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Blend, Simmer, and Enjoy: Carefully add sauce into a blender then puree. Pour sauce back into the pot and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and enjoy any way you want.
Hi, We are Mike and Minda. Thank you for stopping to take a look at our Kick’n Kitchen! We are a husband and wife team that have a love for food and cooking. Come with us on our journey of rediscovering recipes from our youth and find new recipes to fall in love with.
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Homemade Pasta Sauce
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minutesLooking for a homemade pasta sauce that is easy to make and has tons of flavor? Look no further than our Homemade Pasta Sauce, it has all the flavor and always hits the spot.
Ingredients
2 Large Carrots
1 Large Onion
6 Large Tomatoes
4 Cloves Garlic
1 tbs Fresh Basil
1 can 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
3 tbs Unsalted Butter
1 tbs Olive Oil
- Dry seasonings
2 Bay Leaves
1/8 tsp Fennel Seed
1 tbs Oregano
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Directions
- Wash, Dry, and Prep Fresh Herbs and Veggies: Wash and dry carrots, tomatoes, and basil. Dice onions and carrots into ¼ inch pieces. Quarter tomatoes, roughly chop basil and mince garlic cloves. Measure out all dry seasonings and place into a small bowl.
- Sauté veggies and tomatoes: Bring a large pot up to heat over medium/high heat. Add olive oil and unsalted butter. When butter is melted add in onions, garlic, and carrots. Sauté for 15 minutes or until softened. Add in dry seasonings and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until tomatoes are softened. Fold in crushed tomatoes and basil then sauté for 5 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent burning. Add in chicken broth and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
- Blend, Simmer, and Enjoy: Carefully add sauce into a blender then puree. Pour sauce back into the pot and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and enjoy any way you want.
