Just about everyone can picture a bubbling cauldron of tomato sauce on the stovetop. But what about a bubbling casserole dish of baked sauce?
That’s right, Baked Tomato Sauce. This recipe is one of the easiest tomato sauces to make, too. All you do is stir together the ingredients in a glass casserole dish and pop it in the oven. After stirring only once halfway through the 45-minute baking time, you have a rich, deeply flavored tomato sauce that is as versatile as it is simple to make.
Tonight, serve it tossed with hot cooked pasta of your choice. All you need is a sprinkle of cheese and dinner is served. Stay tuned to Kitchen Scoop for a step-by-step guide to making your own pizza dough next week, because if you freeze some of the Baked Tomato Sauce, it makes a phenomenal pizza sauce. Enjoy!
Baked Tomato Sauce
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. Italian seasoning blend
½ tsp. coarse sea salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking oil. Combine the remaining ingredients in the dish, stirring well to distribute evenly. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until sauce is thick and bubbling along the edges. Tomatoes will darken to the color of tomato paste.
Remove and cool slightly before serving or dividing into glass storage dishes. May be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months when properly sealed.
Makes about 4 cups.
Each 2 tablespoon serving (sauce only) contains about 14 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, 1 gram protein, 2.8 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 65 milligrams sodium.
Alicia Ross is the co-author of three cookbooks. Contact her c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, email tellus@kitchenscoop.com, or visit http://kitchenscoop.com.