Easy Pasta Sauce
This homemade pasta sauce is made with mostly pantry ingredients and is so quick and easy. It tastes like it simmered for hours, but it only takes 20 minutes to make! Use it to make a quick pasta dinner, or keep it in the refrigerator for any recipe that needs tomato sauce.
I have a thing for pasta sauces, specifically tomato pasta sauces, and I have lost count of the recipes I’ve shared over the years.
And today, guess what?! I’m sharing another sauce today, but this time, it’s a super simple pasta sauce recipe with mostly pantry ingredients ready in about 20 minutes.
What I like about this one is that it’s super fast, but it tastes like it simmered much longer than it actually does. This is because of the beef stock and generous amount of tomato paste – they both add a rich, tastes-like-it-simmered-all-day flavor.
The flavor reminds me a lot of French-style tomato sauce that is slow-cooked in the oven, but this version is about ten thousand times faster and easier.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Chopped yellow onion: Or use frozen diced onion to make it even easier.
- Beef broth: This adds a deep, savory flavor, but you can use the same amount of chicken or vegetable broth.
- Half and half: A little bit adds a little creamy richness.
- Canned tomato sauce
- Tomato paste
- Lemon juice: Don’t skip this – it adds a little pop of brightness and enhances the sauce’s flavors.
- Garlic powder
- Dried thyme and dried oregano: Don’t have these on hand? Do you have Italian seasoning? Use 1 1/2 teaspoons, and don’t worry about the other two.
- Kosher salt
- Fresh basil leaves: Feel free to switch up the fresh herbs. Basil is great, but chopped parsley and thyme are also good.
- Optional: Like some heat? Add a few pinches of red pepper flakes when you cook the onions.
This recipe makes enough sauce for 16 ounces of pasta (I like penne). Don’t forget to sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese over the top!
How to Make Easy Pasta Sauce
☑️ Saute
Cook the onions with the butter in a large skillet until softened.
☑️ Simmer
Add all of the other ingredients, stir, and bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer it for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once simmered, it’s ready to store in the fridge or the freezer. Or serve it right away with your favorite pasta.
Storage Tips
- This tomato sauce will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let it cool, and then transfer it to an airtight container.
- You can freeze it for several months, too.
More Easy Pasta Sauce Ideas
Easy Pasta Sauce
This pasta sauce is easy to make with mostly pantry ingredients. It tastes like it was simmered for hours but only takes 20 minutes to make. It’s great for pasta or any recipe that needs tomato sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 1/2 cups 1x
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- ½ cup beef broth
- ¼ cup half and half
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 large basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook and stir them for five minutes or until softened.
- Add all of the other ingredients, stir, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook the sauce for ten minutes. Add the basil leaves and stir.
- At this point, serve the sauce with pasta or transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 62
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 374.1mg
- Fat: 4.3g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5.4g
- Fiber: 1.1g
- Protein: 1.4g
- Cholesterol: 11.7mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
More 20-Minute Pasta Recipes
I hope you try this simple pasta sauce soon!
Happy simmering,
