To make spaghetti sauce from canned tomatoes, soften finely chopped onion in olive oil, stir in garlic and simmer with crushed tomatoes until the sauce coats a spoon. A 28-ounce can is a good starting size for a pound of pasta. Give the sauce about 20 to 30 minutes at a gentle simmer and taste before you serve.
Start with tomatoes that suit the texture you want
Crushed tomatoes give you a sauce that’s already close to spoonable. Whole peeled tomatoes also work if you break them up in the pot with a wooden spoon, using their packing juice. Read the tomato label before adding salt because some cans are already seasoned. Taste the sauce again after it has reduced.
| Crushed tomatoes | 1 can, 28 oz |
|---|---|
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Finely chopped onion | ½ cup |
| Minced garlic | 2 cloves |
| Dried oregano | ½ tsp |
| Fine salt | Start with ¼ tsp |
| Fresh basil | A small handful, optional |
Soften the onion and add the garlic late
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and add the onion with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the pieces turn soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic for about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes before the garlic browns. The smaller you chop the onion, the more evenly it disappears into the sauce.
Simmer until the sauce coats a spoon
Add the oregano and bring the tomatoes to a gentle bubble. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, with the lid slightly ajar if it splatters. Stir the bottom periodically, especially as the sauce thickens. When a spoon leaves a brief trail across the bottom of the pot, taste and add salt as needed. Tear fresh basil into the sauce near the end for a brighter flavor.
Fix a thin, thick or sharp-tasting sauce
If the sauce pools like water, simmer uncovered a few minutes longer. If it’s too thick to toss, stir in water a spoonful at a time. For a smoother sauce, take the pot off the heat and blend with an immersion blender while keeping its head submerged. Taste a cooled spoonful before adjusting a sharp sauce. A small pinch of sugar can soften the perception of acidity, especially if the tomatoes still taste tart after simmering.
Toss the pasta in the sauce before serving
Scoop out ½ cup pasta cooking water before draining. Add the hot spaghetti to the saucepan and turn it with tongs until it’s coated. Add reserved water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce needs loosening. Stop when it clings evenly to the strands. This works with short shapes such as penne too, and you can spoon any extra sauce over individual plates.
Refrigerate or freeze the extra sauce
Divide extra sauce into shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days or freeze meal-sized portions. Reheat leftover sauce to a rolling boil, stirring so it heats evenly. Use it with meatballs or spoon it onto pizza dough in a thin layer.
Sources and related guides
Jeanine Donofrio’s crushed-tomato marinara method · USDA guidance for leftovers and sauces
On Wondelique, see how to cook dried pasta and how to make meatballs.
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