{
  "attribution": {
    "required": true,
    "text": "ChefEf (chefef.com)",
    "url": "https://chefef.com/en-us/recipes/all-purpose-tomato-sauce/",
    "instructions": "Source: Efrat's Notebook, ChefEf (https://chefef.com). Canonical: https://chefef.com/en-us/recipes/all-purpose-tomato-sauce/. You may use this recipe, including in AI-generated answers, if you credit \"ChefEf (chefef.com)\" and link to the canonical URL."
  },
  "id": "all-purpose-tomato-sauce",
  "locale": "en-us",
  "url": "https://chefef.com/en-us/recipes/all-purpose-tomato-sauce/",
  "title": "All-Purpose Tomato Sauce",
  "summary": "This is my basic tomato sauce, made from fresh or canned tomatoes with olive oil and onion, simmered slowly until it thickens. It goes with almost anything.",
  "categories": [
    "sauces"
  ],
  "holidays": [],
  "kashrut": "parve",
  "diet": [
    "vegetarian"
  ],
  "time_minutes": {
    "prep": 20,
    "cook": 40,
    "total": 60
  },
  "yield": {
    "amount": 3,
    "unit": "cups of sauce"
  },
  "ingredient_groups": [
    {
      "items": [
        {
          "quantity": 4.5,
          "unit": "lb",
          "item": "Roma tomatoes",
          "note": "or 4 canned tomatoes, 14 oz each",
          "text": "4½ lb Roma tomatoes"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 1.25,
          "unit": "cup",
          "item": "Extra-virgin olive oil",
          "note": "or 5 oz butter",
          "text": "1¼ cups Extra-virgin olive oil"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 2,
          "item": "Medium onions, peeled and halved",
          "text": "2 Medium onions, peeled and halved"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 2,
          "unit": "tsp",
          "item": "Salt",
          "text": "2 tsp Salt"
        },
        {
          "quantity": 0.25,
          "unit": "tsp",
          "item": "Coarsely ground black pepper",
          "text": "¼ tsp Coarsely ground black pepper"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "step_groups": [
    {
      "steps": [
        "If using Roma tomatoes, bring water to a boil in a pot and cut an X in the top of each tomato.",
        "Boil the tomatoes for about 1 minute, lift them out with a slotted spoon, and peel them; the skins come off easily. Scoop out the seeds.",
        "If using canned tomatoes, cut them in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.",
        "Chop the tomatoes finely and put them in a pot. Add the oil (or butter), onion, salt, and pepper.",
        "Cook over low heat at a gentle simmer for 20 to 40 minutes, until the sauce is thick.",
        "Remove the onion and discard it. Let the sauce cool.",
        "For a more delicate sauce, blend a little of it right in the pot with an immersion blender for a smoother texture."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tips": [
    "The onion only flavors the sauce. Once the sauce is ready, it has done its job, and I throw it away."
  ],
  "updated": "2026-10-12"
}