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Enjoy the classic taste of Italian-American cooking with this small batch tomato sauce recipe. It makes about 2 cups – just enough for one or two people. The recipe is based on my family’s traditional sauce, packed with herbs and those comforting flavors you’ll love.
This delightful small batch tomato sauce, simmering to perfection, opens the door to a variety of memorable single serving and small batch dishes. Its rich flavor perfectly complements Eggplant Parmesan, enhances the layers of a classic Lasagna, adds zest to a giant Italian Meatball, enriches Baked Ziti, and transforms French Bread Pizza.
Why You’ll Love This Tomato Sauce Recipe
- Flavorful: A rich medley of tomatoes, garlic, and herbs offers a complexity of flavors.
- Versatile: Beyond pasta, use it as a base for other meals like a hamburger casserole or stuffed peppers.
- Nostalgic: A family recipe that takes you back to large Sunday meals, and Nonna’s kitchen.
- Scaled Down: Perfectly portioned to prevent waste, especially when cooking for one or two.
RELATED: Best Single Serving Summer Recipes
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy tomato sauce recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to for its rich flavor and health benefits. It’s less processed and contains essential vitamins. However, if you prefer a milder flavor, you can opt for a lighter olive oil.
- Vegetables: The combination of chopped onions, a carrot, a celery stalk, and garlic lends a robust flavor profile to the sauce. Use these same vegetables in Split Pea Soup, Chicken Stew, and Vegetable Soup.
- Seasonings: The spice medley of salt, black pepper, dried basil, oregano, and a bay leaf enhances the sauce’s complexity. Feel free to adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Diced tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are super convenient and work great in this sauce. If you have any leftover tomatoes, consider using them in a small batch of Spanish Rice, Chicken Cacciatore, and Jambalaya.
- Butter: A dab of butter is added to lend a creamy richness and counter the tomato acidity.
- Honey: While it might seem optional, a splash of honey or sugar balances the tomato’s natural tartness. This is a common trick in southern Italian cuisine, making the sauce more rounded in flavor. Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your palate.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
Recipe Variations
Wondering how to tweak this homemade tomato sauce to suit your individual taste? The recipe is incredibly versatile, so here are some variations you can explore.
- Spicy Tomato Sauce: Add a kick with red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for a spicier profile.
- Creamy Tomato Sauce: For a lush, velvety texture, stir in a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of mascarpone cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Herb-Infused: Fresh basil, rosemary, or thyme can be added for a fragrant, herbaceous twist. Just remove the larger stems before serving.
- Vegetable-Loaded: Toss in some diced bell peppers, mushrooms, or even spinach for a veggie-packed version.
- Meaty Tomato Sauce: For a heartier fare, brown some ground beef, turkey, or sausage and stir it into the sauce.
Each of these variations adds a unique spin on the classic tomato sauce, providing options for every palate.
Expert Tips
- Tenderize the Vegetables: For a flavorful base, cook the vegetables until they are soft and tender. For an added layer of complexity, let them lightly brown to achieve a roasted flavor profile.
- Blending Options: Use either an immersion blender or a standard countertop blender to achieve a smooth texture in your tomato sauce. Both methods work well for turning those cooked vegetables into a velvety mixture.
- Adjust the Sweetness: The honey content in the recipe is adjustable. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, feel free to add more honey, or dial it back if you’re not a fan of sweeter tomato sauces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the recipe doubles very well!
Absolutely, ground sausage or beef works well.
Up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: Best Soup Recipes For One
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this small batch tomato sauce recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Small Batch Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ½ cup chopped carrot , (appx. 1 carrot)
- ⅓ cup chopped celery , (appx. 1 celery stalk)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Heat oil in a small saucepan on medium-high. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute.
- Stir in tomatoes, basil, oregano, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and remove the bay leaf.
- Blend the sauce slightly using an immersion or stand blender. Aim for a partially pureed texture, not completely smooth.
- Mix in butter and honey until the butter melts. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
Notes
- Tenderize the Vegetables: For a flavorful base, cook the vegetables until they are soft and tender. For an added layer of complexity, let them lightly brown to achieve a roasted flavor profile.
- Blending Options: Use either an immersion blender or a standard countertop blender to achieve a smooth texture in your tomato sauce. Both methods work well for turning those cooked vegetables into a velvety mixture.
- Adjust the Sweetness: The honey content in the recipe is adjustable. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, feel free to add more honey, or dial it back if you’re not a fan of sweeter tomato sauces.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I’m so glad I found your website. I love to cook, but it’s only me at home. So these recipes are perfect.
halved this to make a panini. perfect. thank you
I really appreciate your kindness in putting up a “skip to recipe” button at the top of your page/blog.
When I’m and many others are looking for recipes nothing is more frustrating than have to scroll down looking for the recipe or hidden link to it.
Like others I’m sure if I like what the recipe looks like I’ll go back later and read blog about the recipe.
Wish the rest of the bloggers would take a hint and do the same.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to let me know you like the “Jump To Recipe” feature. We strive to keep our site very user-friendly and want our readers to always have a good experience when visiting. I’m glad you like that feature, I know I do when I visit other websites.
Joanie
Thank you for your cooking for one or two recipes and the “jump to recipe is a great help. Much needed recipes for us small families. Now if we could just get the manufacturer’s to produce one smaller amounts. Not 5 pounds etc.
Can the sauce be canned using water bath? I am thinking tjis would be a great gift for some of my “older” friends.
Absolutely love this site.
Hi Carol,
I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes. Jars of this tomato sauce would make lovely gifts and I love that idea! I’ve actually never canned this sauce so I can’t tell you if and how it would work. I haven’t experimented with it yet, sorry.
Best,
Joanie
I have, and it worked great! I used half pint jars so I could truly have “single servings”.
I just found your website and I’m more than happy…. the recipes look delicious. Today I’m going to make the tomato sauce. I was wondering about your little blue pot….. where oh where did you find it…. please tell me I can buy one. I love small pots, pan and dishes. Thank you, Peggy
Hi Peggy, I’m so happy you found us!
The little blue slow cooker is the Hamilton Beach Party Crock. It’s a great size and I’ve used it many times. I’ve linked to it below. I also like using the small Le Creuset baking dishes and use them all the time in various recipes from our site.
Hamilton Beach Party Crock – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011PAJJOG/ref=twister_B011TWLIFS?
Le Creuset 5-inch baking dish – https://www.amazon.com/Creuset-Heritage-Stoneware-Square-White/dp/B006Y3ZASY/ref=sr_1_8?
Hope you love the tomato sauce!
Have a great week – Joanie
Thank you for the info…. just ordered the blue pot and 5 inch baking dish from Amazon today. Thank you. By the way, the tomato sauce was yummo delish!!!
Hi Peggy, I think you will love the blue pot. It works well as a slow cooker and I love that you can use the pot on the stove too. The small baking dish is the one I use to make most of the single-serving recipes here, I think you’ll love the size. Hope you have a wonderful weekend and I’m so happy you enjoyed the tomato sauce!
I am planning to make this, as I am trying to get away from jarred soups and sauces (too much salt and sugar!). I was wondering, can this be made with fresh tomatoes instead of canned? If so, how much would I use and are the cooking instructions altered at all by using fresh? Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
Hi Polly,
I’ve only used canned tomatoes in this recipe so I can’t tell you exactly how many fresh tomatoes you would need to use. I did find an article about using fresh tomatoes in a tomato sauce recipe that may be of some help to you – https://www.thekitchn.com/5-tips-for-making-smallbatch-tomato-sauce-tomato-preserving-2-0-206852 – I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes, thank you for letting me know and please let me know how your sauce turns out using fresh tomatoes.
I just found this site and am delighted. I was the oldest of 10 children, so I learned to cook big. I am now a widow. I am learning how to shop and cook for one. Not an easy task.I much prefer fresh to processed food.I think learning to shop for one is a challenge. I am lucky enough to have a grocery store that provides many options for the single person. Thank you for providing this site. I am sure I will be experimenting with new recipes soon. I am 76 and want to prove you CAN reach an old dog new tricks. Again thank you.
Hi Rae,
Thank you for your note. I’m so happy you found our site and hope you find many new recipes to try.
Joanie
This will come in super handy! Thanks for sharing!
This would be perfect for my daughter. She only cooks for herself, doesn't need massive quantities of sauce.
This looks so delicious.
Love the small batch because three of the four of us only like a smidgen of sauce on our pasta, so I hate having a ton extra.