San Marzano Tomato Sauce

5 from 1 vote

The best San Marzano tomato sauce is the simplest. Made with only three ingredients this traditional red sauce is a versatile flavor bomb ready in under 20 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 119kcal

Author: Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN

Ingredients

1 28 oz can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
fresh basil optional

Instructions

Over med-high heat, add extra virgin olive oil to a large saute pan
If you are using, add basil stems to olive oil now so they can release their flavor into the oil. Do not allow them to burn.
Add 1 can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes to the oil. Use a potato masher or the back of a fork to crush the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
Add 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to the tomatoes in the pan.
Over medium-high heat, rapidly simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to blend the oil and tomatoes.
Reduce heat to a low simmer for and additional 10 minutes. Stirring frequently.
Turn off the heat. The sauce is complete. Pluck any basil stems from the sauce. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. If you like, shower with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.
To serve with pasta: While sauce is still on the heat, add pasta and aprox 1/8 to 1/4 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir thoroughly, allowing the sauce to emulsify with the pasta and starchy pasta water. This will produce a glossy thickening effect to the sauce. Stir or flip/saute to coat the pasta evenly with the thickened, glossy sauce. Top with fresh basil, grated parmesan, and crushed red pepper.

Notes

Adding Herbs - Add whatever you like in your sauce. I like to thrown in a few basil stems to the oil to make a quick basil infusion. I then garnish with torn fresh basil leaves when I serve the sauce. If I want a spicier sauce I add crushed red pepper (pepperonino) after the tomatoes are in the pan. The heat of the sauce allows the red pepper to open up its flavor without gettting too hot and turning brown.

To add cheese or not to add cheese: I love a shower of salty Pecorino Romano or rich Parmigiano Reggiano with this sauce. It does not need it, but its a nice touch.

No garlic or onion needed! I love a rich garlicky sauce, but this is not that. This is simple, pure, basic and, outstandingly delicious. The olive oil, and salt compliments and amplify the quality of the San Marzano tomatoes for a perfectly balanced and addictively delicious, versatile sauce.

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