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Home » Recipe » Diet » Gluten-Free

Small Batch Tomato Sauce

Created On: September 9, 2019 | By Debbie | 9 Comments

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small batch tomato sauce in large skillet.

Over the last few weeks, I have been making this simple small batch tomato sauce on repeat to serve with zucchini noodles for an easy dinner. Since it is just the two of us, I usually depend on jarred tomato sauce for meals but picked up too many heirloom tomatoes at the market so I created this sauce.

It was so good, I keep making it again and again. I feel like a lot of the tomato sauce recipes I’ve looked at online make a huge batch of sauce. Since I don’t have a lot of pantry or freezer space I prefer to make a smaller batch we can use up in one or two meals so this sauce was born.

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  • Small Batch Tomato Sauce Ingredients
  • What to Serve with this Small Batch Tomato Sauce:
  • Use this small batch tomato sauce in one of these tasty recipes:
  • Small Batch Tomato Sauce

Small Batch Tomato Sauce Ingredients

  • Tomatoes: Since it is the end of summer and tomatoes are still abundant at the farmers market, we are going to use fresh ones for this sauce. I love using heirloom tomatoes for this sauce, but you can save some money and use any variety of tomato you have on hand. (Sometimes you can find a deal on tomatoes at the market by seeing if they have any”seconds” which are a little bruised but still edible!) Picking up tomatoes from the farmers market can be a good way to ensure that your tomatoes are a fresh as possible since they will give you a much more flavorful sauce.
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Red Wine: I love adding a little red wine to a tomato sauce because it adds some richness and depth to the sauce that you wouldn’t normally get with a sauce made from fresh tomatoes.
  • Basil: Add your fresh basil at the end to get the most flavor out of it.
close up of tomato sauce in skillet with basil.

This sauce comes together really easily in a large pot or large deep skillet on the stovetop. I like my tomato sauce to be chunky so I serve it right from the pot, but if you prefer a smooth sauce, simply puree it before serving.

What to Serve with this Small Batch Tomato Sauce:

  • Any kind of your favorite noodle – penne, spaghetti, fusilli, etc. Make it a meal by adding some plant-based sausage or some vegetarian “meat”balls from the recipes below.
  • Zucchini noodles or spaghetti sauce
  • Stuffed shells, lasagna, ravioli, eggplant parmesan, etc.

Use this small batch tomato sauce in one of these tasty recipes:

  • Vegan spinach and mushroom lasagna
  • Lentil walnut “meat”balls and spaghetti
  • Vegetarian white bean “meat”balls
  • Vegan skillet lasagna (one pot!)

If you tried this recipe or one of my others, let me know! Leave a comment below or share a picture on instagram #dietitiandebbie. Got Pinterest? Pin this recipe to your Pinterest boards!

small batch tomato sauce in skillet

Small Batch Tomato Sauce

Created by: Deborah Murphy

Course Sauce
Cuisine Gluten-free, Italian, Vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
4 cups
Make the most of tomato season and whip up this small batch tomato sauce made in one-pot with fresh tomatoes, garlic, red wine Italian seasoning, and basil. 
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion ~1/2 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 lbs fresh tomatoes diced
  • 1/3 cup red wine
  • 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 8-10 basil leaves chopped

Instructions

  • Add olive oil and onion to a large, deep skillet or enamelware pot and cook over medium-high heat until transulent and softened. 
  • Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. 
  • Add the diced tomatoes and red wine. Bring to a simmer.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning and continue to simmer for about 25 minutes or until tomatoes have fallen apart and sauce thickens. 
  • Stir in sea salt and adjust as needed to taste. 
  • Puree sauce if desired. Stir in chopped basil and serve. 

Notes

**To make this vegan, double check that the red wine that is labelled vegan as many are processed with animal-based products.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 cup | Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2.5g | Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 205mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

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posted in: 10 Ingredients or Less, Condiments and Sauces, Gluten-Free, One Pot, Summer

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    4.25 from 12 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Jeff says

    February 19, 2025

    This is a winner. Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Melissa says

    September 24, 2023

    How long will this sauce last sealed in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Deborah Murphy MS, RDN says

      September 25, 2023

      Great question! You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

      Reply
  3. Katie says

    August 24, 2023

    Hi there — quick question in regards to the tomatoes ! Do you peel the skins off & get rid of the seeds? Or just include the skins and seeds into the pot?

    Reply
    • Deborah Murphy MS, RDN says

      August 27, 2023

      Hi Katie! I just include the skins and seeds since I don’t mind a chunky sauce. You can puree it all after cooking if you like a smooth tomato sauce.

      Reply
  4. Tina Binding says

    November 7, 2022

    5 stars
    Easy to whip up and tasted good. I pureed it down to a chunky sauce.

    Reply
  5. Geste says

    October 1, 2022

    What can I use instead of red wine for this recipe

    Reply
    • Deborah Murphy MS, RDN says

      October 1, 2022

      You can just leave out the red wine if you’d prefer.

      Reply
  6. Lee Ann says

    August 22, 2021

    5 stars
    Easy to make, healthy ingredients and nice flavor. I will use this recipe again.

    Reply

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