Fresh and Simple Tomato Sauce
Every cook needs one good tomato sauce that doesn't come from a jar, and this is it. Whole peeled canned tomatoes, a soffritto of carrot, celery, and onion, olive oil, and Italiano Pronto — that's the whole list. No sugar, no paste, no simmering all afternoon. The grated carrot is the quiet trick: it melts into the sauce and adds natural sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomatoes without a spoonful of sugar.
Make a big batch on a Sunday and you've set yourself up for the week. This sauce is a base, not a finish — ladle it over pasta, spread it on pizza dough, thin it into tomato soup, or spoon it under baked eggs. It freezes beautifully, so a double batch means dinner is halfway done any night you want it.
Ingredients
- 3 tsp Italiano Pronto
- 2 large cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 medium carrots, grated
- 4 stalks celery, diced small
- 1 large onion, diced small
- 5-6 Tbsp olive oil
Ingredient notes & swaps
- **Canned whole peeled tomatoes:** These have the best flavor of any canned tomato and break down into a great texture. San Marzano-style tomatoes are worth it if you can find them.
- **Italiano Pronto:** The all-natural, gluten-free Italian herb blend does the seasoning in one step — no separate basil, oregano, and garlic powder to measure. Reach for a jar of Italiano Pronto for this sauce.
- **Grated carrot:** Don't skip it — the carrot is the sauce's natural sweetener and disappears into the texture. A box grater is fastest.
- **Olive oil:** Be generous; the fat carries flavor and gives the finished sauce its silky body. This is a good place for a decent extra-virgin.
- **Naturally vegan:** With just vegetables, olive oil, and seasoning, this sauce is vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free as written.
Directions
- Grate carrots and dice celery and onion into ¼" pieces or smaller.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add carrots, celery, onion, and 1 tsp Italiano Pronto. Saute until softened.
- Add tomatoes and remaining seasoning. Simmer on low for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Run through a food mill for a smooth sauce, or leave chunky.
Why this works
The foundation is the soffritto — carrot, celery, and onion softened in olive oil before the tomatoes go in. Cooking those aromatics first draws out their sweetness and builds a savory base the tomatoes alone can't give you. Grating the carrot instead of dicing it means it dissolves completely during the simmer, sweetening the sauce from the inside. The 30-40 minute simmer on low is long enough to cook off the raw, tinny edge of canned tomatoes and concentrate the flavor, but short enough that the sauce stays bright rather than turning dark and jammy.
What to serve it with
Toss it with any pasta shape and finish with olive oil and torn basil, or use it as a pizza sauce straight from the pot. It's a natural base for shakshuka-style baked eggs, a quick tomato soup thinned with a little broth, or a bed for meatballs. Because it's unfussed and vegan, it plays well with almost anything Italian — keep a jar in the fridge and a batch in the freezer.
Tips
- Grating the carrots on a cheese grater speeds up prep and helps them melt into the sauce.
- Crush the whole tomatoes with your hands or a spoon as they go in so they break down faster and more evenly.
- If the sauce tastes sharp, let it simmer a few more minutes — time, not sugar, is what softens the acidity.
- For a smooth pizza or soup base, run it through a food mill or blend it; leave it chunky for a rustic pasta sauce.
FAQ
Can I freeze this tomato sauce?
Yes, it freezes very well. Cool it completely, then portion it into containers or freezer bags laid flat. It keeps for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove.
Do I need to add sugar to cut the acidity?
No. The grated carrot melts into the sauce and adds natural sweetness that balances the tomatoes, and a longer simmer mellows the acidity on its own. If it still tastes sharp, give it more time rather than sugar.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?
You can, but you'll need to peel and seed a lot of them, and the result depends heavily on how ripe they are. Good canned whole tomatoes are more reliable year-round. If you use fresh, plan on a longer simmer to cook off the extra water.
What can I use this sauce for besides pasta?
It's a true base sauce. Use it for pizza, as the tomato layer for baked eggs or shakshuka, thinned into tomato soup, spooned over meatballs or chicken, or as a dipping sauce. Making a big batch pays off across the week.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving · values are approximate.