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This easy red sauce uses mostly pantry staples for a simple but elevated dinner. By no means is it a traditional red sauce (hello, soy sauce) but it’s quick and almost as easy as opening a jar of the pre-made stuff. Just a little fresher 🙂 Get yourself a dutch oven (here’s the one I use) and get cooking! It’s great over pasta, with meatballs, for eggplant parm, and lasagna.
Quick Weeknight Red Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes (28 oz cans)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 sprig fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook until fragrant, about 2-3 min
- Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook 2-3 min
- Add tomatoes and seasonings (minus fresh basil) and stir to combine. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fresh basil. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

