Pantry Friendly Recipes: Tomato Sauce
By: Leah Rodrigues
Published: November 5, 2014

A well stocked pantry is a cook's best friend.  A plethora of oils and vinegars, canned vegetables, boxed stock, spices, and fruit preserves are sitting on shelves waiting to be turned into something delicious.  Homemade tomato sauce is the perfect use of pantry staples.  This easy and straightforward pantry friendly tomato sauce recipe can be tossed with pasta, ladled onto pizza crust, layered with slices of fried eggplant and the list goes on.  Make use of your pantry and prepare something amazing.
Pantry Tomato Sauce
	1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with juice)
	1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (with juice)
	3 tablespoons tomato paste
	1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
	2 tablespoons granulated sugar
	1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
	1 teaspoon dried oregano
	1 teaspoon dried basil
	1 yellow onion, chopped into 1/4 inch dice 
	1 carrot, chopped into a 1/4 inch dice 
	2 ounces olive oil
	4 cloves garlic, finely minced
	Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Remove seeds from whole tomatoes and chop them into your desired size. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add onions, carrots and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.  The onion should appear translucent and fragrant.  Add the tomato paste and stir.  Cook for another minute.  Add the chopped tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, sugar, balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes, basil and oregano.  Stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce heat to medium low.  Cook the sauce for 25 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and marry.  Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.  If you prefer a smoother tomato sauce, you can puree using an immersion blender (stick blender) or blender.