Best Basil Tomato Sauce Recipes

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATO AND BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Blanch the tomatoes and remove the skins. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut the tomatoes crosswise. Set aside in a bowl.
• Heat 3 ounces olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until it smokes slightly. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Since the tomatoes will reduce and the salt will be concentrated, it is better to season initially with a lighter hand.
• Chop the tomatoes with a potato masher until they are in fine chunks and all their liquid is released. Be sure they are chopped and crushed fine, for a semichunky sauce. Simmer for 25 minutes over medium heat.
• While the sauce simmers, heat the water for the pasta. Cook the spaghetti in salted water about half of the way cooked. Drain, reserving some of the water.
• Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook over medium-high heat until all the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente. If the sauce is over-reduced, use the pasta cooking liquid to adjust it.
• At the last moment, remove the pan from the heat; add the extra-virgin olive oil, butter, basil and cheese. Mix thoroughly until the pasta is an orangy color. Taste again and adjust the salt if necessary. Remove to a platter. Serve.

FRESH TOMATO, BASIL, AND GARLIC SAUCE OVER ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice water bath. Cut a small "x" on the bottom of each tomato. In batches, place the tomatoes in the boiling water and blanch them for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the skins are easy to peel away. Remove and immediately plunge into the ice bath. Peel the tomatoes and halve horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds, using your fingers to get them all. Roughly chop the peeled and seeded tomatoes. Set aside. (You can also use whole peeled canned tomatoes. Simply drain them, seed, and roughly chop).
• Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the thyme leaves, oregano sprig, and chili flakes and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Add the tomatoes and the sugar and stir well. Lower the heat and cook slowly until the mixture is fairly dry, about 15 minutes.
• Cook the angel hair pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Add the Parmesan and basil and toss well. Place in a large pasta bowl and garnish with Parmesan and basil sprigs.

FRESH TOMATO BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• In large saucepan, cook tomatoes and basil over medium-low heat until tomatoes are soft.
• Meanwhile, in medium skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent.
• Add onion mixture to tomato mixture and add salt and pepper. Let simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until thick.

TUNA WITH TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, parsley and garlic. Sauté until onion is tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaf. Cover and cook until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing.) Discard bay leaf. Mix in torn basil. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle tuna with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in another heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tuna and cook until golden and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side.
• Transfer tuna to platter. Spoon sauce over tuna. Garnish with basil sprigs.

QUICK SAUSAGE MEATBALLS WITH A TOMATO AND BASIL SAUCE, SPAGHETTI AND SWEET RAW PEAS

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan and add a few glugs of olive oil. Snip the sausages apart, then squeeze and pinch the meat out of the skins so that you get little meatball shapes - don't make them too big or they will take too long to cook. Try to get at least 3 balls out of each sausage. Don't worry about rolling them into perfect balls and making them look all fancy - rough and rustic is good! Put them into your pan. Keep frying and turning the meatballs until they're golden brown and cooked through.
• Meanwhile, put the spaghetti into a large pan of salted boiling water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
• To make your tomato sauce, heat a separate pan and pour in some olive oil. Add the garlic and the chopped basil stalks and move them around the pan for a couple of minutes. Put some small basil leaves aside for later, and sprinkle the rest into the pan. Add the tomatoes and season carefully with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer, break up your tomatoes a bit more with a spoon and add a swig of balsamic vinegar - it's lovely for adding sweetness to the sauce.
• Add the herbs to the pan of sausage meatballs, tossing everything in all the lovely flavors. Cook for around 30 seconds. When your spaghetti is cooked, drain it and divide the pasta and meatballs between 4 bowls. Spoon over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle over the reserved basil leaves and serve with a handful of fresh peas per person in the middle of the table, so that everyone can have a go at shelling their own, and a little Parmesan for grating or shaving over the top.
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TOMATO & BASIL SHRIMP IN GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain; keep warm.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir occasionally until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate with a slotted spoon.
• Cook garlic in skillet, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add remaining butter, extra virgin olive oil, tomato and basil. Stir in shrimp.
• Serve over cooked pasta and garnish with additional chopped fresh basil

CHICKEN IN TOMATO-BASIL CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in 2 teaspoons butter until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute tomatoes and onion in remaining butter until onion is softened. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in broth. Bring to a boil; add orzo. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until orzo is tender. Stir in the chicken, milk, basil, salt and pepper; heat through (do not boil). Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until slightly less than al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high until just sizzling, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and basil sprigs; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to about 2 cups, 8 to 10 minutes. Discard basil.
• Add pasta and 1/4 cup pasta water; cook, stirring, until pasta is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and continue stirring and shaking pan, adding more pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce. Serve, sprinkled with more cheese, basil leaves, and pepper, and drizzled with oil.

TOMATO & BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the garlic clove, then gently fry for 1 min.
• Tip in the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock powder, tomato purée and sugar, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then simmer uncovered for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
• To finish, tear a few basil leaves, then stir into the sauce.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the garlic clove, then gently fry for 1 min.
• Tip in the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock powder, tomato purée and sugar, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then simmer uncovered for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
• To finish, tear a few basil leaves, then stir into the sauce.

GRILLED EGGPLANT STACKS WITH GOAT CHEESE, TOMATO AND BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut the eggplant into ½" thick rounds. Lightly season them with salt on both sides and let sit on a paper towel for 30 minutes to let water to come out of the eggplant.
• Brush or drizzle olive oil on top of each slice and grill them for 2 -3 minutes each side until cooked.
• Blend the basil leaves with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender until smooth.
• Cut the tomatoes crosswise to 1/4" thick rounds.
• On an oiled baking pan or using parchment paper, arrange 4 eggplant rounds side by side. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of the basil-garlic mixture on top of each one, then generously sprinkle the cheese crumbs. Top each with tomato rings. Add another layer of eggplant, basil spread, cheese and tomato rounds and top with the rest of the crumbled feta. Make as many layers as you can. Usually, 1 large eggplant will make 4, 3 layer stacks.
• Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes are wilted and the cheese is soft and melted.
• Enjoy!

TUNA STEAKS WITH TOMATO AND BASIL RAW SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan or indoor/outdoor grill to high. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the tuna steaks spread it around then season with salt and pepper.
• Combine tomatoes, onions, parsley and basil in a bowl. Dress with extra-virgin olive oil, enough to coat the tomatoes evenly, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, to taste. Let the sauce marinate at least 10 minutes.
• When you are ready to eat, grill steaks 2 minutes on each side for rare, 3 minutes for medium and 4 for opaque, well done. Stir sauce up then serve liberal amounts of it on top of the steaks.

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT-STUFFED SHELLS IN TOMATO-BASIL CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the sausage until golden brown, stirring to break up the pieces, about 6 minutes. Add half of the onions and the eggplant, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly caramelized and very soft. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• When the mixture has cooled to room temperature, stir in the ricotta or mascarpone cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and sugar. Stir to combine well.
• Lightly grease a deep 9 by 13-inch casserole or lasagna pan and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells until just al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Pat shells dry. Stuff the pasta shells with the sausage-eggplant mixture and place in the prepared casserole dish.
• In a large saucepan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat and saute the remaining chopped onions until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until the sauce is reduced in volume by about 1/3, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the basil to the sauce and pour the sauce over the shells in the casserole. Sprinkle with the fontina cheese and the remaining Parmesan. Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the sauce is lightly browned in spots and bubbly around the edges, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

VEAL CUTLETS WITH TOMATO AND BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Sprinkle veal with salt and pepper; dust with flour to coat lightly. Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add veal to skillet and sauté until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer veal to plate. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to same skillet. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes with juices, basil, parsley, oregano and dried red pepper. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until flavors blend and sauce thickens slightly, scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange cutlets atop sauce. Top each with cheese. Cover; simmer until veal is tender and cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

SHRIMP PASTA WITH TOMATO BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Stir in fresh tomatoes and canned tomatoes; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add red wine and lemon juice; simmer for 5 minutes more. Stir shrimp and mushrooms into tomato mixture; cook and stir until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Serve sauce over linguine and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

TOMATO, BASIL, GARLIC AND MEAT SAUCE WITH ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Prepare Tomatoes: Boil a large pot of water and prepare a bowl of ice water.
• Cut an X in the bottom of each vine ripe totmatoe.
• Place in boiling water for 30 seconds or until skin begins to peel back.
• Immediately remove and place in ice water.
• When all tomatoes are prepare, remove skins, core, cut each in half, and squeeze to remove seeds and pulp.
• Coarse chop tomatoes and set aside.
• In a large saute pan or skillet brown sausage and prosciutto.
• Add onions and galic and saute until onions begin to appear translucent.
• Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup of white wine and allow to reduce until liquid is almost gone.
• Add tomatoes and herbs and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.
• About 15 minutes before done add a generous amount of parmesan cheese to help thicken and flavor sauce.
• Prepare Angel Hair Pasta per directions cook until al dente.
• Drain and add to sauce, mix and transfer to large pasta bowl.
• Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

PORK SCALLOPINE WITH TOMATO BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Stand pork tenderloin pieces on end between two layers of plastic wrap. Pound meat to a 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin; set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Season pork on both sides with salt and pepper. Add meat to pan, and cook until browned. (There will be a release of juices on the surface of the meat after it has been turned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.) Transfer meat to a platter, and keep warm. Pour off any excess fat from skillet, and discard. Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Return skillet to heat, add the shallot, and cook for about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat, and deglaze with cognac. Return skillet to stove, and carefully ignite with a match. When flames subside, add chicken stock and mustard; reduce to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add heavy cream, tomato, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and serve sauce over pork.
• Meanwhile, toss radicchio with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place on preheated grill pan, turning as it begins to color. Remove from grill pan, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and serve with pork scaloppine.

MARIA'S TOMATO-BASIL SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• Puree tomatoes in a food processor until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
• Heat olive oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. Stir strained tomatoes, onion, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, and red wine together in the pot with the oil; season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until thickened, about 25 minutes.

TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Coat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and warm over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat up slightly to medium and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the basil and the remaining olive oil. Toss with spaghetti, if desired.

PAN-SEARED POLENTA WITH SPICY TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish on rimmed baking sheet. Combine 8 cups water, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 teaspoons salt in dish. Gradually mix in polenta.
• Place baking sheet with polenta in oven. Bake polenta 1 hour. Add pepper and stir to blend. Bake 20 minutes. Stir again and spread evenly. Bake until polenta is very thick, about 20 minutes longer. Cool polenta to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours (polenta will become firm). Using metal spatula, press polenta all over to even thickness. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut polenta lengthwise into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 6 squares. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add polenta squares. Sauté until crisp and beginning to color, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer polenta to small baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining polenta, adding oil to skillet as needed.
• Divide polenta among plates. Top with warm Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs, if desired.
• Sold at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Italian markets. If unavailable, substitute an equal amount of regular yellow cornmeal.
• What to drink:
• A medium-bodied red Italian wine is great with the spicy sauce. One to try: Montresor NV "Il Veronese" Valpolicella ($14), a lovely red blend with dried fruit flavors and vanilla notes.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH BASIL-TOMATO SAUCE (AND CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Sauté garlic and shallot in oil over medium heat until garlic golden and shallot wilted.
• Add tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, and basil.
• Chop cooked chicken into bite size pieces.
• Add pasta, water, and chicken to sauce, stir gently in to coat.
• Move to serving platter, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve.