This 5 ingredient tomato sauce is an easy 15-minute recipe made with canned tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you want a homemade sauce without a long simmer.

5 Ingredient Pasta Sauce
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Why I Love This Recipe

I love this recipe because you only need a few simple ingredients to make a delicious sauce for pasta night. While I love Rao’s pasta sauce, sometimes I don’t want to spend $8 on a jar of sauce. This recipe is really buget friendly! It’s perfect for pasta night, as a tomato sauce for gnocchi, layered into lasagna, or used as a quick pizza sauce.

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Olive Oil: This adds richness to the sauce and helps mellow the garlic. Use good olive oil if you have it.
  • Garlic + Water: Mixing the garlic with water creates a paste that prevents it from burning and keeps the flavor sweet, not bitter.
  • Whole Peeled Tomatoes: Whole tomatoes tend to have better texture and flavor than crushed. San Marzano are my favorite, but any can of whole peeled tomatoes works great.
  • Salt: We need a little salt to bring out all the flavors. Feel free to season to taste.
  • Sugar: Just a pinch of sugar helps balance out the acidity of the tomatoes so you get a well balanced flavor.

How to Make 5-Ingredient Tomato Sauce

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat for about 30 seconds, until it’s just warm and shimmering.
In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic with the water to form a paste. Add it to the olive oil and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the whole peeled tomatoes to the skillet.
Cook for about 8 minutes, gently stirring and breaking them up as they soften. Stir in the salt and sugar.
Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce directly in the pan until mostly smooth, but still a little chunky. Alternatively, transfer to a blender and pulse briefly, or just mash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon for a rustic texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I add more flavor? Try adding fresh basil or red pepper flakes at the end of cooking! It’ll infuse more flavor into the sauce.
  • Can I make it smoother or chunkier? Just blend it until you reach your desired texture.
  • Can I double the recipe? Yep! Hit the 2x button on the recipe card to easily double the recipe.

Storage Tips

Let the sauce cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes really well. This batch only makes about 2 cups so feel free to double if you want to make more!

Other Pasta Sauce Recipes

If you enjoy this recipe, try my meatless spaghetti sauce which uses mushrooms for a hearty texture. My TVP Pasta sauce is great if you’re looking for a high-protein option. And this red lentil bolognese is a delicious vegan sauce that fills you up!

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5 Ingredient Pasta Sauce

5 Ingredient Pasta Sauce

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  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 3 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups sauce 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This 5 ingredient tomato sauce is an easy 15-minute recipe made with canned tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you want a homemade sauce without a long simmer.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  1. In a medium skillet, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat.
  2. Combine the minced garlic with water to make a paste, then add it to the olive oil.
  3. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes until they start to break down. Add the salt and sugar.
  5. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce or transfer to a jug blender and blend until just slightly chunky. You can also just break down the tomatoes with the back of the spoon if you like an extra chunky sauce!