Recipe: Quick & Easy Tomato Basil Sauce

Here is my favorite quick and easy sauce recipe. I have another recipe I like that takes a bit longer that has more vegetables and has a thicker consistency, but this is my go to for easy homemade goodness. With this recipe you can put your meatballs in the oven, cook your pasta of choice (zoodles included), make this sauce, prepare a salad. . .  and a delicious Italian dinner will be done in a little over 30 minutes! You'll be loved ♥︎and adored by whomever is at your table - even if it's just you.︎

If you're thinking, "Well, it's easier to buy a jar of sauce," I have a few points for you to consider about making this sauce:

• you control the ingredients
• extra virgin olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fat considered to be a heart healthy fat
• sugar is added to many commercial brands of sauce
• "natural flavor" is added to many commercial brands of sauce - personally I like the simplicity of the tomato, garlic and basil simmered in the extra virgin olive oil︎
• takes as much time as the rest of dinner
• your kitchen will smell amazing! Promise - people will come from all over to see what you are making . . . maybe they'll even offer to help make the salad or set the table in anticipation of getting to taste the efforts of your amazing skills!

Did I convince you to give this recipe a try? I sure hope so. Although I know we all get busy and a jar is convenient at times. Just be sure to check the label for one with ingredients close to the ones listed in this recipe. There are some available and you might have to pay a little more for them . . . at least you know the flavors come from the ingredients listed not from an added "natural" flavor ;)

Quick and Easy Tomato Basil Sauce

Recipe Type: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Theresa Diulus

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Yield: 3 cups

This simple tomato basil sauce is quick, tasty and easy! This sauce tastes very fresh and fruity. The olive oil and garlic really accent the tomato flavor. If you're making pasta, put the water on to boil before you start this and they should be done at the same time.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic, smashed
• Pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
• Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Basil

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add garlic cloves and crushed red pepper flakes, reduce heat to low.
3. Heat for 1 minute stirring around in oil making sure garlic doesn’t burn.
4. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil, stirring to combine.
5. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.