Paraben Free Sugo di Pomodoro
Few sauces are as deeply satisfying as a slow-simmered tomato sauce built from honest, whole ingredients — and this one delivers exactly that. Parabens are synthetic preservatives found in a surprising number of packaged and processed foods, so cooking from scratch with simple, recognizable pantry staples is one of the most reliable ways to keep them out of your kitchen. Here, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh garlic, olive oil, basil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes do all the heavy lifting — nothing hidden, nothing processed, nothing you can't pronounce. The technique is just as straightforward: garlic bloomed slowly in olive oil, tomatoes crushed by hand, and a gentle simmer that coaxes out a deep, brick-red richness over about half an hour. That optional knob of unsalted butter stirred in at the end adds a subtle silkiness that takes the whole thing over the top. Spoon it over pasta, use it as a pizza base, or just tear some bread and go to town — this is the kind of sauce that makes everything taste better.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pour the tomatoes and their juices into a large bowl and crush them by hand, squeezing each tomato until broken into rough, uneven pieces. Set aside.
- 2
Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is pale golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely — the garlic can color quickly.
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