Spaghetti Sauce Recipe From Garden Tomatoes
Everyone loves a delicious bowl of spaghetti with homemade sauce. The key to a great sauce is using fresh, ripe tomatoes straight from your garden. There's nothing quite like the taste of fresh tomatoes in a homemade sauce. In this article, we'll provide you with a step-by-step guide to making the perfect spaghetti sauce from garden tomatoes.
Ingredients
The first step in making a great spaghetti sauce is gathering all of your ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- 10-12 fresh garden tomatoes
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Instructions
Now that you have all of your ingredients, it's time to start cooking. Follow these step-by-step instructions for the perfect spaghetti sauce:
- Start by washing your garden tomatoes and removing the stems. Cut each tomato into quarters.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add the quartered tomatoes to the pot, along with the salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes (if using), and sugar (if using). Stir everything together.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for at least 1 hour. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- After an hour, the tomatoes should have broken down and the sauce should be thickened. If it's still too watery, let it simmer for another 30 minutes or so.
- Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend the sauce until it's smooth. If you're using a regular blender, be sure to let the sauce cool before blending it.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed. If it's too acidic, add a little more sugar. If it's too bland, add more salt and spices.
- Your spaghetti sauce is now ready to serve! Cook your spaghetti according to the package instructions, then toss it with the sauce.
Tips
Here are a few tips to help you make the best spaghetti sauce possible:
- Use ripe, in-season tomatoes for the best flavor. If you don't have garden tomatoes, look for ripe, juicy tomatoes at your local farmers' market.
- Don't skimp on the garlic! Garlic adds a lot of flavor to the sauce.
- If you like your sauce a little sweeter, add more sugar. If you prefer a spicier sauce, add more red pepper flakes.
- If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Conclusion
Making spaghetti sauce from garden tomatoes is a great way to use up your summer harvest and enjoy a delicious homemade meal. With just a few simple ingredients and some patience, you can create a flavorful sauce that will impress your family and friends. So why not give it a try?