Skip to main content

Quick Tomato Pasta Sauce

A simple and delicious pasta sauce that comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Tomato sauce served over spaghetti noodles.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 2 cups
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic minced or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced or crushed tomatoes
¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse fresh garlic under running water before preparing.
  3. In a medium saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. (If using garlic powder, omit oil and skip this step).
  4. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, if desired. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. For a thicker sauce, cook an extra 10 to 20 minutes to allow more of the liquid to evaporate.
  5. Serve over pasta, or use in any recipe that calls for pasta sauce.
  6. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

Comments

WOW!!!   This is for sure one of my fav Food Hero recipes because it tastes amazing (my family continues to say its a better sauce than anything from a jar/can) and it saves money and is soooooo quick!!  Try it!!  I have not ever used the lemon juice called for.  And i have used it as a pasta sauce with noodles, but also used it when a recipe calls for tomato sauce.  I always keep canned tomatoes in my pantry (stocking up when they are on sale) and boxed pasta so this recipe gets used a lot when I am in a hurry and need a quick dinner idea.

You might also like...

Recipes A to Z (without photos)

Barley Summer Salad
A clear bowl displays a colorful salad of cooked barley, blueberries and crunchy vegetables.

Barley Summer Salad

Make-ahead fresh and flavorful salad that is hearty and filling.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
8 Cups
Sikil Pak (Mayan Pumpkin Seed Dip)
bowl of dip with vegetables

Sikil Pak (Mayan Pumpkin Seed Dip)

Enjoy this Mayan-inspired dip with fresh veggies or whole-grain chips.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
1 ½ cups
Microwave Fresh Vegetables
Glass containers with potatoes, carrots, broccoli and green beans.

Microwave Fresh Vegetables

Steam-cooking fresh vegetables in the microwave is an easy way to make a healthy side dish for lunch or dinner in just minutes. The short cooking time preserves nutrients, color and flavor.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
5 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
High Protein Banana Split
Small bowls of yogurt topped with a cereal and a colorful fruit combination.

High Protein Banana Split

A fun breakfast or snack recipe. Bananas topped with Greek yogurt, cereal, fruit, and honey.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
2 servings
Wheat Berry Salad
Bowl of wheat berries with a colorful vegetable mix.

Wheat Berry Salad

Whole grains and fresh vegetables make this salad filling and satisfying.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
60 minutes
Makes:
6 Cups
Asparagus Mushroom Melt
English muffins topped with chopped asparagus, mushrooms and broiled cheese are shown on plates.

Asparagus Mushroom Melt

English muffins topped with fresh veggies and cheese make this a flavorful meal or snack.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
8 muffin halves
Was this page helpful to you?
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.