A Tomato Sauce For All Seasons
- 5m Prep Time
- 9m Cook Time
- 20m Ready In
A quick and versatile tomato sauce that can be made cooked or raw. Perfect for spaghetti with pecorino romano and fresh basil.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp regular olive oil
- 4 average-size tomatoes cut into thick slices
- salt
- pepper
- garlic
- Pecorino romano cheese
- 1 sprig fresh basil
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 5 of 7 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 140 mg
- Iron: 0.7 mg
- Magnesium: 12.5 mg
- Phosphorus: 107 mg
- Potassium: 151 mg
- Zinc: 0.59 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 3 tbsp regular olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- garlic
- Pecorino romano cheese
- 1 sprig fresh basil
Prepare
- 4 average-size tomatoes, cut into thick slices
Let's Cook
-
Step 1.
Pour 3 tablespoons of regular olive oil into a sauté pan. Add the tomato slices in a single layer and season with salt and pepper to taste. If using garlic, add a few whole cloves along with the tomatoes.
-
Step 2.
Cover the pan and set the burner to medium. Sauté the tomatoes for 7 to 9 minutes, until they are soft but still hold their shape—not mushy. The garlic cloves will soften and become mushy on their own during this time.
-
Step 3.
While the sauce cooks, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Once the sauce is ready, dump the sauce over the cooked spaghetti. Grate pecorino romano cheese (preferably Locatelli) over the top and add a sprig of fresh basil. Serve immediately.
-
Step 4.
For a summer variation: Skip the stovetop. Place the tomatoes in a food processor, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a few garlic cloves, and puree for 30 seconds. Dump the raw sauce over cooked spaghetti and serve with pecorino romano and basil.