Tomato Basil Sauce Spaghetti

Cooking can be more challenging than it seems and often is very time-consuming. Even basic recipes like red sauce spaghetti can go wrong because of a missed step or a gap in the instruction. This instruction set is intended to help anyone with internet access to make their very own homemade tomato basil sauce that can be accompanied by many dishes such as spaghetti or even chicken parm. This recipe has proven to take only 27 minutes, making it a quick and tasty recipe for an easy lunch or dinner. The taste of this cheesy tomato sauce with hints of basil and parsley will have you come back to make it again!

Warning: This recipe contains dairy (dairy free options are available)

*Audio version available: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1hKWDiHWLUF3RtHM1G8wma?si=ySM8yieYQiezIhO7DQMX5w

This recipe will require:

1. Cooking oil - olive oil (preferred) or vegetable oil
2. ½ a white onion
3. 3 garlic cloves
4. 6 oz tomato paste
5. 2 cups heavy cream (lactose free options work as well, available at many grocery stores)
6. Black pepper (to taste)
7. Salt (to taste)
8. Fresh basil or basil flakes (2 tsp)
9. Parsley flakes (1 tsp)
10. Parmesan Cheese (optional and lactose free options are available at your local grocery)
11. A medium size pan (around 12 inch)
12. A kitchen knife
13. Measuring cups (to measure cups and teaspoons)
14. A spoon to mix the sauce
15. Can opener

Allow your pan to warm up on medium high heat and then add the olive oil, allowing it to warm up a bit (30 seconds to 1 minute). By doing this, when you place your other ingredients in the pan, the oil will immediately begin to cook it. This step can be done at the same time as step 2. If you do choose to make pasta, at this point begin to boil your pasta on high heat which will take 8-10 minutes.

While the pan and oil are still heating up, cut half your onion to your preference of size (minced or diced) and do the same for the 3 garlic cloves. You will first want to add the onion to the pan and cook it for 3-4 minutes or until a caramel/brown color is reached. At this point add in the garlic cloves and cook for an additional 2 minutes. This is done because garlic tends to cook at a faster rate than onion, and so you are preventing it from burning.

Add the 6oz can of tomato paste to the pan and stir it all together. At this point you will want to add the 2 cups of heavy cream and immediately turn down the heat to low and mix until the tomato paste dissolved in the sauce. You want to lower the heat because otherwise the cream sticks to the bottom of the pan. Simmer the sauce for roughly 3 minutes.

To season this sauce, you can add salt and black pepper to taste and add the basil and parsley flakes. You can add more of any of these seasonings until you reach a taste that you like. Turn off the heat and if you are adding cheese, now you can add it and mix it. You can add as much cheese as you would like, but a decent amount is ¼ a cup.

Now that it is done, you can add it to your boiled pasta (drained) or use it for chicken parm!

Enjoy!