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    My Colombian Recipes » Recipes » Main Dishes » Simple Tomato Sauce

    Simple Tomato Sauce

    Feb 20, 2010 · Modified: Aug 29, 2022 by Erica Dinho · 31 Comments

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    Tomato SaucePin

    Simple Tomato Sauce

    Erica Dinho
    5 from 31 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins
    Total Time 2 hrs 45 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine International
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 273 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 4 28oz cans whole tomatoes
    • 8 garlic cloves
    • Salt and pepper
    • 5 tablespoons sugar
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • 2 oz basil leaves

    Instructions
     

    • Place the tomatoes in a large pot over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, oregano and sugar. Cook for about 15 minutes, then using a potato masher, press them gently.
    • Reduce the heat to medium- low and add the garlic. Simmer for about 1 hour, then using the masher again, press until obtain the consistency desired.
    • Add the basil and olive oil and continue simmering for about 1 ½ hour more.
    • Serve with your favorite pasta.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 273kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 5gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 400mgPotassium: 782mgFiber: 6gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 394IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 307mgIron: 11mg
    Keyword Pasta Dish
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @mycolombianrecipes and tag #mycolombianrecipes!
    Tomato Sauce2Pin

    Pasta with Tomato sauce is a classic dish and I think that everyone should have a good tomato sauce recipe. This one is simple and easy to make and is delicious!

    Growing up in Colombia, the only tomato sauce that I had was from a jar, so when I met my husband, whose grandmothers were Italian, I realized that I needed to make a homemade tomato sauce for him. He can pretty much eat pasta with tomato sauce every day and be happy!

    One day when we first met, I wanted to surprise him with a nice Italian dinner, so I made a delicious tomato sauce, so I thought. As he began eating it, he made a strange face and asked me what I put in the sauce? I told him the list of ingredients... tomatoes, garlic, cilantro... "Cilantro?!" he said. "No wonder why it tastes like salsa. You don't put cilantro in tomato sauce!" He has been making fun of me for that ever since.

    It is so normal for me to add cilantro to every dish, that I though it was going to be delicious. What he doesn't know is that I forgot to add cumin 😉 Anyway, after that Colombian-Italian tomato suace, I made a variety of different tomato sauce recipes until I came out with this one just recently and he said that this is the best tomato sauce that he has ever had. Enjoy!

    Tomato saucePin
    Tomato Sauce 1Pin

    More Main Dishes Recipes

    Crema De Lentejas ( Pureed Lentil Soup)Tomato And Roasted Pepper Soup (Sopa De Tomate Y Pimentón)Sopa O Crema De Tomate Con Albahaca (Tomato And Basil Soup)Pimentones Rellenos (Colombian Style-Stuffed Peppers)Shredded Pork Tacos With Jalapeño-Cilantro Sauce
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    About Erica Dinho

    My name is Erica and I was born and raised in Colombia and now live in the northeastern United States with my husband and family. This blog was inspired by my grandmother, Mamita, who was an amazing traditional Colombian cook.

    Author Page →

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bo

      February 20, 2010 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      That looks so delicious.

      Reply
    2. Simply Life

      February 20, 2010 at 4:05 pm

      5 stars
      I'm saving this recipe as I still haven't figured out how to make a good sauce!

      Reply
    3. Sandra g

      February 20, 2010 at 4:07 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks For The Recipe Erica, I was always afraid of making a tomato sauce, because it always seemed so complicated, one of my Italian friends sauce takes the whole day to make!

      Reply
    4. Anna

      February 20, 2010 at 4:16 pm

      5 stars
      I can see why he was surprised, cilantro is not a hit for the Italians. But if tasted like salsa wasn't that bad, right? It looks very yummy and garlicky. 🙂

      Reply
    5. Erica

      February 20, 2010 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      Thank all for the comments 🙂

      Reply
    6. Joan Nova

      February 20, 2010 at 4:39 pm

      5 stars
      Very funny. Yes, as tasty as cilantro and cumino are, you must leave them out of Italian dishes.

      Reply
    7. Chris

      February 20, 2010 at 6:34 pm

      5 stars
      Hilarious story and great lesson learned.

      I'd use cilantro a lot more but my older son has that "cilantro tastes like soap" gene. He can taste it even when I sneak it in. It's one of my favorite flavors but usually only finds its way into dishes I'm only making for myself and Alexis or as a garnish.

      Reply
    8. rebecca subbiah

      February 20, 2010 at 9:47 pm

      5 stars
      looks great we all need to make it from scratch so much better

      Reply
    9. Joy

      February 20, 2010 at 10:04 pm

      5 stars
      It is hot and tiring in Melbourne today and this just seemed a perfect post to link to on fb Comfort Food.
      Cheers.

      Reply
    10. Kim

      February 20, 2010 at 10:22 pm

      5 stars
      Very cute story about the cilantro. I love cilantro, so I could probably eat it in a tomato sauce. I like that you use 8 cloves of garlic in your sauce. It looks gorgeous.

      Reply
    11. Joanne

      February 21, 2010 at 8:56 am

      5 stars
      You are so right that everyone needs a good version of tomato sauce. And even though it's not traditional, I am going to try the whole cilantro addition. It might be heresy. But I don't care. I love that herb so much.

      Reply
    12. norma

      February 21, 2010 at 9:15 am

      5 stars
      Funny story....I will add this sauce to my list

      Reply
    13. Erica

      February 21, 2010 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      Thank you everyone for visiting!

      Reply
    14. Fearless Kitchen

      February 21, 2010 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      I see no problem using cilantro in sauce. While it's not traditional for us Italians, it's still tasty! I like your more recent version too, though. 🙂

      Reply
    15. nora@ffr

      February 21, 2010 at 12:40 pm

      5 stars
      soo easy and simple!!!! id love to tryyy!!! yummmmmmmm

      Reply
    16. grace

      February 21, 2010 at 1:09 pm

      5 stars
      meh., so it might not be the most traditional thing, but i'd love cilantro in my spaghetti sauce. i also add it to everything, from a regular ol' salad to a bowl of grits. 🙂

      Reply
    17. Oysterculture

      February 21, 2010 at 1:45 pm

      5 stars
      Did you tell him it was neuvo tomato sauce - you were just on the cutting edge of Italian cooking? Love the recipe and the stories.

      Reply
    18. Faith

      February 21, 2010 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      What a cute story! Homemade tomato sauce is so much better than the pre-made sauce...and your recipe looks great! I left an award for you here: anediblemosaic 🙂

      Reply
    19. Erica

      February 21, 2010 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you all for the comments!

      Faith- Thank you so much for the award 🙂

      Reply
    20. Velva

      February 21, 2010 at 8:34 pm

      5 stars
      You are right Erica, everyone needs a good tomato sauce recipe. This one that you posted was a keeper. Your recipe is a good reminder that tomato sauce is a good simple recipe and is delicious.

      btw, pretty funny about the cilantro. 🙂

      Reply
    21. Barbara Bakes

      February 21, 2010 at 9:52 pm

      5 stars
      It does look like a great pasta sauce - thick, red and delicious!

      Reply
    22. Sook @ My Fabulous Recipes

      February 21, 2010 at 11:13 pm

      5 stars
      What a great tomato sauce recipe!! I love my sauce simple, too. Looks delish!

      Reply
    23. Michelle

      February 21, 2010 at 11:49 pm

      5 stars
      Good for you making your own sauce! I've made my own for years now and even can my own tomatoes. I can imagine your husband's surprise when he expected an Italian Tomato Sauce and it was flavored with cilantro! :))

      Reply
    24. Erica

      February 22, 2010 at 7:22 am

      5 stars
      Thank you guys 🙂

      Reply
    25. Chef E

      February 22, 2010 at 11:57 am

      5 stars
      I love it, cutting edge is... you are Colombian and he is Italian- I have a friend who is Phillipino and her husband is half Puerto Rican/Colombian- now there is some wild food coming out of her kitchen! I am making pasta sauce for dinner, you talked me into it!

      They are right, I love reading your stories!

      Reply
    26. Robert G.

      February 22, 2010 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh! That is such a funny story about the cilantro in the sauce. When I went to visit some cousins in Bogota a few years back I wanted to make them dinner so I called for the store to deliver Salsa de Tomate (Tomato Sauce) which to them meant KETCHUP! They did have a tiny tube of tomato paste so it helped but the spaghetti was kinda sweet.

      Reply
    27. Maria Elena

      February 22, 2010 at 8:52 pm

      5 stars
      I'm Colombian too and was married to an Italian for 15 years. Learned to cook Italian food from his mother (the best cook ever)...and have to admit I'm glad to know I was not the only one to make a mistake like that. After that first tomato sauce she took me under her wing and taught me all I had to learn about good Italian food.

      Reply
    28. Soma

      February 23, 2010 at 12:32 pm

      5 stars
      LOL .. I can totally understand the cilantro thing.. 🙂 Yes a classic sauce and very versatile too.

      Reply
    29. Karen

      February 23, 2010 at 4:59 pm

      5 stars
      I think cilantro would be good in tomato sauce, but I guess it's all what you're used to and what you 'expect' a dish to taste like. When I was first married, many years ago, I had never made gravy before. I made some one night and it was so gray that I used food coloring.. a mixture of green and red (hoping to make brown) but it turned out green. Haha! We still laugh about that... my green gravy!

      Reply
    30. Erica

      February 27, 2010 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you all for the comments and for visiting my blog!

      Reply
    31. William

      February 27, 2017 at 6:32 am

      5 stars
      My Colombian wife added avocado to her spaghetti and sauce. Told her my Italian mother would throw a fit if she had witnessed it.

      Reply

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    Erica Dinho Author | My Colombian Recipes

    Hola and welcome to My Colombian Recipes. My name is Erica and I was born and raised in Colombia and now live in the northeastern United States with my husband and family. This blog was inspired by my grandmother, Mamita, who was an amazing traditional Colombian cook.

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