The best Italian tomato sauce

Recipe

The best Italian tomato sauce

A flavourful tomato sauce is such an amazing staple to have in your kitchen. It’s really worth making a big batch while you’re at it – do this on the weekend, when you have time. You can add almost any protein to this sauce. For some recipes, the sauce can be the base for the meal (see the Easy chicken parmesan in the tips below) and other times it’s a delicious accompaniment. With a simple, yet creative twist of seasonings, ranging from herbs to spices, you can create different flavour profiles in a flash. Freeze extra sauce for later in the portion sizes that work for your family. Then it’s just a matter of ‘heating’ and ‘eating’, when it comes to preparing supper.

Serves 6

Ingredients

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 red pepper, seeded and cubed

1 bay leaf

2 x 410 g tins chopped tomatoes

1 x 50 g (50 ml) sachet of tomato paste

15 ml (1 tbsp) balsamic vinegar

30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh basil leaves or thyme

30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh Italian parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large saucepan, over a medium temperature. Sauté onions until soft, then add celery, garlic and pepper and sauté until aromatic.
2. Stir remaining ingredients, except remaining oil, into the onion mixture, and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and gently simmer without a lid for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce thickens, stirring once or twice during this time. Add the remaining oil and season to taste.

Tips

1. If the sauce feels too thick when reheating it, stir in a dash of strong Rooibos to thin it down, without diluting the flavour.
2. Storing: Spoon warm sauce into sterilised glass jars. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top and seal airtight while still warm. Keep jars refrigerated for up to 2-3 weeks. OR allow sauce to cool completely, divide between suitable freezer containers, label and freeze in family-sized portions for up to two months.
3. Easy chicken parmesan (oven-roasted chicken with Italian flavours): This is a popular Italian dish that typically consists of crumbed chicken fillets roasted in the oven with an aromatic tomato sauce and cheese topping. My version is just like that but requires less effort—and is just as delicious, featuring the same flavour combination. Make 1 x batch of The Best Italian tomato sauce (above). Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and blend to a smooth consistency, using a stick blender. Set aside. In a bowl, mix 250 ml (1 cup) finely grated mature white cheddar cheese with 250 ml (1 cup) panko breadcrumbs and 45-60 ml (3-4 tbsp) chopped Italian parsley. Using a rolling pin, lightly flatten 6-8 chicken fillets, to make them slightly thinner and to even them out. Preheat oven to 200 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper or lightly grease an oven dish with oil. Spoon about 45-60 ml (3-4 tbsp) of the bread crumb mixture on each fillet, pressing down slightly to coat evenly. Place crumbed chicken on the baking tray or oven dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked. Serve chicken on spoonfuls of the sauce, with lightly steamed green veggies of your choice. Serves 6-8.

Photos by Adel Ferriera for LiG Tydskrif‘s Autumn 2026 issue.