words by: Merissa A. Alink

One of our favorite staple meals is spaghetti. I think the best tasting spaghetti sauce comes from fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs. There is something gratifying about making spaghetti sauce from scratch that elevates the flavor. Plus the aromatics that results from cooking with fresh ingredients certainly helps the overall experience. Your house will feel warm, fragrant and inviting, much like an Italian restaurant.

Spaghetti can be a delicious and simple meal to make, even if you do make it with jarred tomatoes from the store. But nothing beats the delicious taste of spaghetti sauce from scratch that is made with fresh, homegrown tomatoes.

What You Need: 

• 3 lbs. Ripe Tomatoes
• 1/8 c. Olive Oil
• 1 Large Onion, diced
• 6 Cloves Garlic, diced
• 3 t. Fresh Thyme, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 c. Fresh Basil, chopped
• Salt & Pepper to Taste

If you do not have fresh herbs or cannot find any that look good at the store, dried herbs will work just fine. Just be sure to use about half of the amount that is recommended for fresh herbs in your sauce.

Instructions: 

Remove the cores and roughly dice the tomatoes. I love using my tomato slicer for jobs like this! It makes quick work of any tomato or soft produce dicing.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, thyme, and basil. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a spatula, periodically press down on the tomatoes to help break them down. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the sauce from heat and blend with a typical blender or an immersion blender until you acheive your desired texture. BE CAREFUL, sauce will be very hot.

Use the sauce for dinner, or preserve for later by canning or freezing.

Optional Tips for Added Flavor:

For an extra special kick of flavor to this sauce, add in a handful of sun dried tomatoes. SO good!

The longer you simmer this sauce, the more flavor it will have. If you have time, let it cook a while longer.

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