Homemade chilli tomato sauce (no refined sugar)
This homemade chilli tomato sauce was first published on my blog, The Culinary Jumble, in July 2017. Slight amendments have been made to the images, post content and recipe.
Do you buy tomato sauce for your pizzas and pasta? If you do, can I ask why? Is it convenience, because I totally get how busy our lives are, and well, making tomato sauce is perhaps one more thing you really don’t want to bother yourself with?
If speed and convenience is the issue, let me let you into a little secret: tomato sauce is easier and quicker to make than you might imagine. Not only that, it tastes way superior. I mean on a whole new level superior, to shop-bought tomato sauce.
One reason why I try to make food from scratch for almost every meal, is that I feel reassured knowing what is in the food we are eating.
That’s not to say I don’t splurge or enjoy a good fudge cake as much as the next person, because regular readers will know that desserts, any kind of desserts, float my boat. But buying a jar of tomato sauce just wouldn’t ever enter my head.
That said, I’m not that mum. Heaven forbid. I don’t look down my nose at anyone choosing to buy shop-bought sauces for their kids. We need to do what is right for us, our families, and our lives. No, I am merely trying to show there is an alternative, if you wanted to give it a go.
This homemade chilli tomato sauce is so versatile. Spread it over your homemade pizza crust; toss your pasta in it; or slather it over meat as a gorgeous marinade. Plus, unlike many bought sauces, this one has no refined sugar using only a touch of honey to slightly sweeten it.
The measurements below made around two cups of sauce. I used some as a marinade and then popped the rest in the freezer. Alternatively, you could store it in an airtight container and it should last a couple of weeks in the fridge.
If you like this recipe for homemade chilli tomato sauce, why not take a look at my other savoury dishes?
The form you have selected does not exist.
Homemade chilli tomato sauce (no refined sugar)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 3-4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
- 375ml (1½ cups) water
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pan then add the onion and garlic. Fry for a couple of minutes, just until the onion has softened and then add all the other ingredients.
- Cook for around 30 minutes until the mixture has thickened and reduced down, then blitz in a food processor until fairly smooth.
- If the sauce is the consistency you like, allow to cool and place in airtight containers until ready to use. If you'd like your sauce a little thicker, pop back on the hob and continue to cook for another ten minutes or so.
- If not using immediately, either store in the fridge or freeze. Enjoy!
This recipe was adapted from A Real Food Lover
