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–+ servings
San Marzano tomato sauce.

Best San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Justine Drosdovech
San Marzano tomato sauce is a rich, vibrant, and herbaceous Italian red sauce made with fresh ingredients. Each bite is full of rustic flavor that's guaranteed to please a crowd!
5 from 172 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Italian, Vegan
Servings 6 servings
Calories 49 kcal

Equipment

  • Chef knife & cutting board
  • Large skillet or stockpot
  • Spatula

Ingredients
 

US Customary - Metric
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ small white onion, finely diced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh basil, minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or stockpot over medium-low, then add in diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes, or until fragrant.
  • Add San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Turn the heat down to low, cover the sauce, and simmer it for 45-60 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Mix in the fresh herbs at the end of simmering. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. Serve immediately over your choice of pasta. Happy eating!

Notes

Gold-standard tomatoes: Use Denominazione di Origine Protetta (D.O.P.) San Marzano tomatoes only for their superior flavor and texture. Check the can for the seal of approval. If it doesn't have one, the tomatoes are not genuine San Marzano.
Stirring frequency: Stir the sauce regularly while simmering to promote even flavor development and prevent sticking.
Salt usage: Add salt in stages — a bit during sautéing onions, a bit with tomatoes, and final adjustments at the end for balanced seasoning.
Acidity balance: If the sauce tastes too acidic at the end of simmering, add a pinch of sugar to balance it out.
Cookware choice: Use a non-reactive pot, like stainless steel or enameled cast iron, to prevent the sauce from acquiring a metallic taste. You can also get away with a very well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.
It's best to cut fresh herbs just before starting the sauce so their aromatic oils remain intact.
Sautéing onions until they're translucent, not browned, results in a sweet base flavor, and adding garlic afterward prevents it from burning. It can be tempting to rush this step, but it's a make-or-break for the sauce.
Incorporating tomato paste at this stage helps to deepen the umami and rich tomato flavor of the sauce. This is especially helpful if you're not adding meat to the dish (like us).
Adding fresh herbs at this stage preserves their vibrant flavor and color. If you're using dried herbs, add them in after sautéing the onions and garlic.
Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.9g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 4.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.4g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 61.4mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 0.7g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 16.5mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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