10 Minute Tomato Sauce

Does your life feel like a marathon some days? Mine sure does. That’s why I arm myself with quick and easy recipes, such as this 10 Minute Tomato Sauce, so dinner doesn’t have to add to the stress.

Let’s face it: Days can be so unpredictable. Yesterday, I had the best intentions of coming home and whipping up enchiladas. The ingredients were waiting and even partially prepped in the fridge. But after a long day of errands, an unexpected trip to the doctor, swim lessons, play dates, topped off with one massive toddler meltdown I was too exhausted to think let alone cook anything labor intensive. So I tossed my dinner meal plan out the window and replaced it with one of my favorite 10 minute recipes.

This tomato sauce recipe has carried me through the early days of motherhood, when cooking dinner meant multitasking meal making with bouncing a baby in a sling or consoling a toddler clinging to my leg. It is the sort of easy summer cooking I love: basic, fresh ingredients coming together as something delicious in a few short minutes.  Although perfect over pasta, this sauce is incredibly versatile.  I particularly enjoy it spooned over grilled zucchini, quinoa, brown rice, and polenta.

You might think – 10 minutes to make a sauce? How good can this be? Oh, it’s so good… like dip up the drippings with bread good. Imagine juicy sweet cherry tomatoes burst open in warm olive oil, creating a luxuriously silky sauce. Delicious!

Another great thing I love about this recipe – You control the amount of salt and sugar in the sauce, unlike buying a jar from the store. Plus, no added preservatives.

This recipe requires almost no prep work. To make the sauce, simply throw all the ingredients, except basil, into a large skill. Cook until the cherry tomatoes are soft enough that they burst open with a gentle nudge a spoon. It really doesn’t get much easier than that!

The sauce can be used immediately or stored in a mason jar for several days. I hope you love this simple recipe as much as I do and find it helpful for those “marathon” day dinners! Happy cooking!

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 Cups Cherry Tomatoes (2 Pints or 1 Quart)
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon Sugar or 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1/3 Cup Basil, Chiffonade

PREPARATION

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent the garlic from burning.
2. As the tomatoes cook and soften (approximately 5 minutes), use the back of a spoon to pop them open and form a chunky, rustic sauce. Cook the tomatoes for another 5 minutes to allow skins to soften and flavors to meld.
3. Sprinkle the sauce with basil leaves before serving.
4. The sauce can be used immediately or stored in a mason jar for several days until needed. Garnish with additional basil, if desired. Enjoy!