Basic Tomato Sauce

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

A good basic sauce recipe. Some comments on what others have written:

If your sauce is bitter, it's likely due to the seeds in the tomatoes. Pass the tomatoes through a foodmill to get rid of skins/seeds and you'll notice a huge difference.

For those who complain about the thyme...use less (or none at all. Personally, I love thyme and use 3 TBSP of FRESH thyme in this recipe and never have I had it "overpower" the sauce.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Like most of Mario's recipes it's not traditional and most Italians would never recognize this as an authentic sauce.

The thyme overpowers it and thyme does NOT belong in Italian red sauces, plus there is to much carrot and it?s not cooked long enough to develop the flavors.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

i've searched for years for a italian gravy for my meatballs that doesn't taste like bitter tomato paste and i thought this would be it..after all...it's mario and he's the best of the best...i was wrong...this recipe is like all of the others...bitter...with slumped shoulders and hung head my quest continues...

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

After searching for ages for a good, solid tomato sauce, I finally stumbled upon this one. And what a find! I like my tomato sauces chunky, and this is perfecto, but for those who like a smoother texture, be warned. I've also tinkered with it here and there: adding fresh mushrooms to the onion/garlic step, tossing in some Italian sausage. Personally, I think this recipe works best with a larger noodle, like penne: it just grabs the sauce better.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Mario, you make me look like a star chef!!! This sauce is so simple to make and it tastes so clean and fresh, yet packed with flavor. I freeze it in small containers
and use as needed. As a pasta sauce, it can't be beat and as a base for assembling bruschetta, it is wonderful. I will never purchase tomato sauce again!!! Thank you. Wish you were back on Food Network...They are sorely in need of real chefs of your caliber.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I used this as a base tomato sauce for a lamb ragu, easy and pretty good, though i didn't find the taste very concentrated, not a bad recipe overall, but i think i'll look for something better next time.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Fantastic sauce that freezes very well in individual containers.

Two small changes:

1. He forgot to include the step: REMOVE THE TOMATO SEEDS and reserve the juice.

2. I suggest folding in fresh chopped basil to pasta and sauce at the end.

BONUS: Fold in a spoon or two of ricotta into the sauce/pasta mixture.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Love this sauce. Made it once with Mario's recommended San Marzano tomatoes from Italy and once with another brand. Use the San Marzano if you can find it, the taste is superb and less acidy. Love it on pasta or dipping a calzone. Quick, simple and delicious!

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

This sauce is so incredibly easy to make and you can give it so many uses... the possibilities are endless. I will say though that it didn't last a week on the fridge... I found mold after maybe 5 or 6 days.
Lately I've been adding longer strips of onion (inch and a half or so so that it's chunkier and I have served it as a bruschetta topping which was a great success. Basically I put some warm sauce in a small bowl and sliced baguette bread all around it so people could scoop the sauce onto the bread and eat it as an appetizer. It was delicious!!! We ate a whole baguette in 15 minutes lol.
It's also great for cooking chicken... basically prepare the sauce as the recipe indicates and add chicken breasts, sliced potatoes and green peas to the mix (you might want to add a little bit of water, maybe half a cup or so to make the mixture more liquid and simmer until the potatoes and chicken are fully cooked. Delicious.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

This is just what Mario calls it... a great basic tomato sauce! We use it often and freeze the extras. It goes with everything. Thanks Mario!