Mary Berry Tomato Sauce

This easy tomato sauce recipe from Mary Berry is a quick and flavorful dish perfect for pasta or pizza. Made with simple ingredients like onions, garlic, and basil, it’s a deliciously rich sauce with a hint of heat. You can adjust the spice level to your taste, making it as mild or fiery as you like.

Ingredients Needed

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 600ml (1 pint) passata (or 2 ½ cups tomato purée)
• 3 tbsp tomato purée (or 3 tbsp tomato paste)
• 2 tsp caster sugar (or 2 tsp superfine sugar)
• A dash of hot pepper sauce (e.g., Tabasco) or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped basil

How To Make Tomato Sauce

1. Fry the Onion and Garlic: Heat a wide, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic, and fry for 10 minutes.
2. Simmer: Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for another 10 minutes.
3. Add Passata and Season: Stir in the passata, tomato purée, sugar, and hot pepper sauce (or cayenne pepper). Add 300ml (10fl oz or 1 ¼ cups) of water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Reduce the Sauce: Let the sauce bubble, uncovered, for 10 minutes until slightly reduced.
5. Add Basil: Stir in half the chopped basil, saving the rest for garnish.

Recipe Tips

• Stir regularly: Stir the sauce as it simmers to prevent it from sticking to the pan and burning.
• Adjust the sweetness: If the sauce tastes too tart, add a little extra sugar to balance the flavors.
• Add fresh basil at the end: Stir in fresh basil towards the end of cooking to keep its flavor fresh and vibrant.
• Control the spice: Start with a small amount of hot sauce or cayenne pepper and taste as you go, adjusting to your preferred spice level.

How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Let the leftover tomato sauce cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To use, thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheat: Pour the sauce into a pan and heat over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/2 cup (120g)

• Calories: 40
• Total Fat: 0.5g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Sodium: 300mg
• Potassium: 250mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 8g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 6g
• Protein: 1g

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Mary Berry Ratatouille Recipe
• Mary Berry Key Lime Pie
• Mary Berry Hummingbird Cake
• Mary Berry Hoisin Chicken