Cream:

I am sure you will get dozens of recipes for your request. Here is one I grew up with. It's a husky, flavorful sauce:

VITTORIA'S SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Serves 12

2 pounds spaghetti

4 Tablespoons olive oil
3 large mild Italian sausage links
2 medium yellow onion, chopped
30 ounces tomato, peeled and diced
30 ounces tomato sauce
24 ounces tomato paste
4 cloves garlic
1 stalk celery, cut in half
1 whole bay leaf
3 sprigs parsley, Italian flat leaf
3 sprigs oregano
1 cup Chianti
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup basil, fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
fresh ground black pepper
salt -- to taste

Heat olive oil in bottom of large stock pot on medium-high. Brown sausage and remove with slotted spoon.

Put in onion and sauté until soft.

Add tomato (with juices), tomato sauce, tomato paste and a bouquet garni of garlic, parsley, oregano, and the bay leaf (enclosed within the halves of the celery stalk).

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours on low. Keep a lid on the pot but keep it slightly askew.

Return sausage to pot, add Chianti, pepper flakes, sugar, basil, pepper and salt.

Simmer for another 2 hours. Keep a lid on the pot but keep it slightly askew.

If you've made meatballs, add them to the last hour of cooking.

[This was the sauce that I grew up on. It may not be EXACTLY as grandmother made it, but itÂs as close as I could come. I regret that I didnÂt pay closer attention to Vittoria when she cooked. I hope all of you will appreciate the teachings of your grandmother.]

Joe

I'm sorry. I should have specified I do not use alcoholic beverages, and I am hoping for a meatless sauce.
Tx
Cream

Cream :
That's maybe why you can't get a good Spaghetti Sauce.
I have never made any without meat.
But you can give it a try with Chicken Soup Base.

I did use fresh Garlic etc. before but now I use Powdered Spices and get the same results.
I like to do things fast but I won't sacrifice Quality.

Here is a good recipe. You can eliminate the meat but you should at least use some Beaf Bullion.

The first part is for Pizza and continues for Sauce.
A lot of words but very easy.
LOU

Pizza Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce ( Gravy )
I used Crushed Tomatoes and Puree, with Basil.
Some choices are Contadina , Red Pack , HuntÂs , All Red, = Tutto Rosso.
A lot of others are sort of orange, red color.
.
Try 1 large can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can of tomatoe Puree.
You have to spice to your own taste.
Start with 3/4 teaspoon of garlic pwd.
(add more later to taste)
1 tablespn. of onion powder. 1 teasp. Salt.
3 teasp. Sugar ( add more if it tastes too acidy ).
An Italian pinch of pwd.cloves.
3/4 teasp. Oregano ( or to taste ) it is strong.
1 teaspoon of Parsley,
1/2 teasp. basil.
1/4 teasp. black pepper.
½ teaspoon + of ( Chicken flavored Soup Base )
Large handful of Parmasan Cheese, after cooking about 1/2 hour. Add water if it is too thick.

Continue for Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe can be used for Spagetti Sauce ( maybe you would want to cut down on the Oregano ) also just add a can of Tomatoe Paste and water to thin a little , if it is too thick it will burn easily. It will thicken as it cooks.
½ cup of fine chopped Onion.
And 3 bay leaves . Don't forget the Chicken flavored Soup Base. Add uncooked Meatballs, Sausage and Chicken Thighs, when you start cooking. (cook at least 1 ½ to 2 hours ) Take the chicken out when it is done. ( About 1 hour ) Add the Parmasan Cheese after the sauce is cooked & stir
ALSO !!! season to your own taste. Add more or less of what you like.

Here's the meatless marinara sauce I use. I've had it in my files for a long time and can't say from where I had it but I think it's almost sure I put this together myself after trial and error. Sorry but there is some white wine in this one.

1/8 to 1/4 cup (approximately) extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large Spanish onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, skin removed and smashed by pressing with side of heavy knife
2 medium sized ripe tomatoes, diced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste concentrate (ORO DI PARMA if you can get it - comes in squeeze tube and is made in Italy)
1/4 teaspoon sugar (no more than that !)
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup hot water with 1 Knorr chicken broth cube dissolved in it
1 teaspoon each dried oregano and thyme (or fresh leaves chopped)
2 large fresh leaves basil chopped fine
few sprigs of flatleaf Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Put a couple of spoonfuls of the olive oil in a heavy heated frying pan and add the garlic and onion, fry gently while stirring on medium heat until lightly brown

2. Add chopped tomatoes and stir and brown some more. Gradually add more olive oil as needed while you are cooking. Meanwhile heat the cup of water in small saucepan and dissolve the chicken stock cube in it and stir.

3. Add the wine, chicken stock, tomato paste, basil, thyme, parsley, oregano a bit of salt, sugar and some freshly ground pepper to the frying pan mixture, mix well and when it begins to boil, turn heat down to low so it barely simmers. Cook for about another 25 minutes. If it starts drying out, add a bit of water and cover with foil. It should reduce down until it is thick but still juicy. If frying pan is too wide you can also put it all into a smaller saucepan at this point, but it has to cook until about half of the liquid has reduced down.

4. Serve over pasta, cooked chicken breasts or anything that needs a rich tomato sauce.

SharonCb

This Simple Tomato Sauce from Giada De Laurentiis is very good and the recipe I have used for several years. I make it often and keep it on hand in the freezer.

Simple Tomato Sauce
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.

Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

I have used this one for years. It is simple and delicious. This is the first time I am writing it down.

Marinara Sauce
Olive Oil to coat bottom of pan lightly
1 medium onion, diced fine
4 cloves garlic, whole
1 can tomato paste and 1 can water
2 can (28 ounce size) crushed tomatoes
Sugar
Fresh Basil

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add can of tomato paste and can of water. Stirring constantly cook until reaches a bubble. Be careful not to burn. This is an important step. Add 2 cans a crushed tomato and a dash of sugar. Bring to boil and back down to simmer. With lid propped up with a wooden spoon to vent, simmer for 1 hour. Add chopped fresh basil at the end to taste. Remove garlic cloves if desired.

(I like Red Pak Tomatoes or San Marzano if I have them)

A few days ago, I made my SIL's marinara sauce recipe and liked it. It's a flavourful sauce with no meat. The amount of garlic doesn't make it "hot", it gives a nice "bite" to it. The carrot is used in place of sugar to help cut down on the acidity of the tomatoes. You can add other spices to it if you want. I put the onion, garlic, and carrot in my mini food chopper so it was in very small pieces which worked well in the sauce as far as consistency goes. I have the same problem as you to get a "tasty" sauce with no meat (sometimes even with meat! LOL), but I really think the 6 cloves of garlic is what gives this sauce the "kick" a sauce needs. It's not a really "garlicky" taste as you would expect with 6 cloves.

2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, grated
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1-1/2 tsp basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf

Saute onion, garlic and carrot in olive oil until onions are translucent (do not brown garlic). Add remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, until desired thickness (about an hour).

I believe good tomato sauce is pretty easy to make, and pretty difficult to "louse" up!!
If I don't have fresh....I start with a large can of whole tomatoes, plus a can of crushed. Celery (top leaves, too), parsley, onion, and garlic are always a must. I'm not too wild about adding chopped carrots, though. Oregano, sweet basil, or whatever Italian spices you like (fresh when available-dry, when not). A very small bit of sugar to counteract the acidity. (Brown sugar adds a nice flavor to the sauce) When I chop up parsley leaves to be used in other recipes, I bag the stems and store them in the freezer. These stems come in handy for using in making soups and sauces, and tossed away after used up.

Cook sauce to reduce for as long as needed to arive at the proper consistancy, stirring often to prevent scortching!

As the website, that I give, points out. Any addition or omition to accommodate your personal taste works!

This is the website that inadvertently left out of my post:

http://hedonia.seantimberlake.com/hedonia/2006/12/sauce.html

Cream:

Vittoria's sauce comes out fine even without the sausage and wine.

Joe

Now you all got me in the mood to make sauce!

I browned some country style pork loin ribs first, sauteed onion, fresh garlic, added crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce,red wine, added oregano, basil, salt/pepper and a little pinch of brown sugar.

It's in there simmering now and man it smells so good!

I find it interesting that all the replies to the thread about tomato sauce go into great detail about recipes, adding this and that. But not one gave any specific recommendations about the main ingredient: tomatoes. If you want good tomato sauce, you need to start with good tomatoes. In the summer, it's best to use fresh tomatoes from your own garden or tomatoes locally grown, which you buy at the farmers' market. If really good fresh tomatoes are not in season, you need to get really good canned tomatoes. The gold standard is the San Marzano type of tomato, which is a bit costly, but definitely worth the expense IMO. I recently had occasion to try for the first time inexpensive canned tomatoes from Trader Joes, their own brand, and they were surprisingly good.

Without going into precise recipes, I suggest you start with chopped onion lighly sauteed in olive oil until translucent (not carmelized), and then add some chopped garlic and cook just a little bit longer. Then add tomatoes and cook very slowly partly covered for a long, long time (4-5 hours). You can add basil, oregano and/or bayleaf if you wish. Check & stir occasionally to make sure it's not drying out or sticking to the bottom of the pot, and add fresh water if it needs it. Toward the end, taste the sauce, either from a spoon or, if you prefer, spread on a slice of bread. That's the time to adjust the seasoning. Add salt and sugar to get the right balance of salt and acid (or lack of acid, because the sugar with reduce the acid0. You might want to add a very small amount of balsamic vinegar (1/2 teaspoon) to round out the flavor. Some people add a small quantity of whole milk (not skim or part skim). Add a small amount and check the flavor before adding more. The milk tends to soften the hard, acidic tone of some tomatoes. We are fond of adding some steamed, cut up asparagus to the tomato sauce when it's done. Some people add peas. Neither asparagus nor peas change the sauce flavor much, but they are a nice accompaniment. An old Sicilian tradition is to add thick potato slices that are cooked in the sauce. It tends to draw the acid out of the sauce, and the potato-pasta combination makes a complete protein.

Keep trying. You'll find the formula that will work for you.

I agree with haus, your problem may just be using bad tomatoes.

Below is recipe that turns out pretty good. Obviously, disregard the meatball portion. I had it without any meat, and it was really good. The sauce uses canned paste and sauce; and it is thickened with a secret ingredient - a potato! I would suggest adding a few Italian spices of your own to the sauce. And, don't skimp on the sugar. I think using enough sugar is often the difference between a really good and just mediocre sauce. The recipe is really, really simple if you take out the meatball portion.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Ribbon

Thanks so much, everyone. I tend to agree with what several of you pointed out: if the tomatoes aren't good, neither will be the sauce.
Since I have to rely on canned tomatoes, if you know, what brand should I look for at Walmart?
Also, from reading over the recipes, I don't think I let the sauce simmer long enough. (patience, patience)
Again, thanks.
Cream

Haus:
I gave some recommedations for Tomatoes in my Thread.
Take a look !
I try to avoid tomatoes with an Orange color.

I have used San Marano Tomatoes, in fact I have about 10 cans in my cabinet.
But I went back to the old Standards, because to me, it didn't make a difference.
Only the cost of buying them. ( A lot more )
I don't think using home grown is the answer either,
unless they have a deep red color.
This is only my opinion. After trying for about 55 years.

I wait until Red Pack or Contadina go on sale and buy about 2 Cases.
I've bought them as low as 50 cents a can.

Cream:
I don't know if it is your Christian Beliefs for not using wine
but the Achohol evaoporates in cooking.

Basically all the recipes are about the same, except for minor differencs.

But everyone has the Best. How can they? When mine is Best!
I don't do the simmering of Chopped Garlic and onions anymore.
Because I found that it doesn't change the taste of my cooking.

I just get out the largest SS pot and throw everything in and start Simmering.
It always comes out delicious but I have that knack.
What can I say !!!!!!

It sounds like you are near the Pocono's

Let us know how you make out.
LOU

While homemade is good of course, there's nothing wrong with using jarred sauce either. I like the classico, bertolli, and paul newman sauces ...that I buy at WalMart.
I just don't want you to get all food snobby because tomato sauce, to me at least, is fairly basic. I like the sauce in jars about as much as most meatless, non alcoholic sauces I've had. And the alcohol does not all cook out, btw.

I made homemade sauce for many years but they were great because I threw in several pork chops while the sauce simmered all day (along with some red wine). I have a hard time thinking about those fat calories now! But it was good eating.

I'm interested in this thread because I, too, wanted to experiment some more with tomato sauces. I've been making meat laden & meatless sauces for years with no problems, only compliments. But since my husband was put on a low sodium diet, I haven't been happy with my results.

Using the no salt added or lower sodium canned tomato products results in a blah tasting sauce. The tomatoes may need some sweetening up, but then the sauce can taste too sugary, especially if I've sauteed some onions & garlic. Adding lemon juice or vinegar helps, but it's not a perfect solution.

So, I respectfully disagree with anyone who thinks making a good tasting tomato sauce is easy, especially if you're limited in the ingredients you can use.

I've made this recipe several times and it was good.
A nice sauce for pizza particularly.

EMERIL'S BASIC TOMATO SAUCE
Ingredients needed:

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3/4 cup chopped yellow onions
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, broken into pieces and their juices
* 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
* 4 teaspoons tomato paste
* 1 cup chicken stock or water
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano and black pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the tomato paste, water, and sugar, and stir well. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until thickened and fragrant, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning to taste. Use as needed to top pasta or pizza.
Makes 5 cups

Shambo:
You're respectfully right. If you are limited to what you can use. It isn't easy.
But on the other hand, if you are not, than it isn't hard to make a good sauce.
- - - - - - -

I don't use wine in my Sauce but the amount of Alcohol left in Sauce;
if any, after 2 hours of cooking, would be negligible.
Usually 1/4 cup of wine is used.
That would amount to about 1 teaspoon of Alcohol.

If 10% of that is left after cooking , that would amount to about 3 drops.
In 2 Gallons of Sauce? What would that come to, per serving ?
Why am I explaining all this?
I told everyone what I do. If they use any of the info , that's good.
If they don't use it , that's good too.

LOU

I hadn't really read your recipe thoroughly Lou, but I'm sure it's delicious. That alcohol always cooks off is a myth and I was just commenting on that. I found it very interesting when I saw the burn off chart the first time.

I find that a quick pomodoro sauce is wonderful...
Heat some olive oil and sautee some onion and a pinch of red pepper flakes...when soft add some garlic, 5 or 6 cut up and peeled tomatoes and cook until thick enough...season with salt, pepper and some fresh basil...
Simple and very very good.
Linda C

When I was still making tomato sauce* I sautéed a few sliced garlic cloves in a generous amount of olive oil, added a can of good** whole tomatoes, crushing them in my hand as I added them, brought it all to a boil, added salt and black pepper, lowered the heat and simmered while stirring until the oil and tomato liquid formed an emulsion - usually in less than 10 minutes.

* Sadly, those days are behind me because of GERD. I am still experimenting with alternatives for our weekly pasta.

** Good tomatoes are the key to good sauce. I used imported San Marzano whole tomatoes. If they weren't available I used Hunts. I found the Muir Glen tomatoes (that CI likes) too acidic tasting.

Cream,
In response to your comments tabout your tomato sauce...

Thin... more tomato paste, less whole chopped tomatoes. But without cutting the sauce with wine or meat, you can really end up without any complexity to the sauce, even if you add lots of herbs. In that case, I really favor LindaC's fresher pomodoro-style approach.

Bitter... perhaps you're sauteeing your garlic too long.

Without much flavor...in addition to the above comment on thinness, Gardenguru/Joe/Vittoria's sauce recipe is basically what I use. The bay leaf adds a nice complexity.

One thing you might want to try in lieu of meat or wine to get a deeper slow-cooked flavor... slow-roast your onions, garlic, carrots & celery before adding them to the sauce.

Just some ideas....

I have one recipe I use that makes a lot and contains meatballs. But when I want to make a smaller amount (maybe about 4 servings), I make the following (very basic) sauce:

saute chopped onion (maybe 1/2 cup) and 3 or 4 minced gloves of garlic in 2 Tablespoons of butter.
As you saute this add a teaspoon each (I use generous teaspoons and don't measure) of dried oregano, dried rosemary, and dried thyme. Sprinkle salt and pepper in as desired. Let this cook until the onions are soft and the herbs are very fragrant.
Add 16oz canned crushed tomatoes. I use RedPack or Cento, which I think are thicker than some other brands.
Bring this to a simmer and let it simmer on low covered for a while...I'd say at least 10 or 15 minutes. You can eat it over pasta this way, which is delicious on its own, or add cooked sausage and simmer a little longer to let the meat further flavor the sauce.

Another thing you can do with the basic meatless tomato sauce involves alcohol: After the tomato, onion, garlic, herb mixture simmers for about 5 minutes, add 1/2 cup of Absolut Pepper Vodka which you've already brought to a boil in a separate pot with a 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Let the sauce simmer maybe 10 minutes after adding the boiling vodka/pepper. Then add 3/4 cup half & half and 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Stir well and let simmer a little bit. I like to eat this with pasta that's been boiled with fresh spinach. Sprinkle more parm on top. This is a decadent treat. I love spicey food, and this sauce fits the bill.

But even just the basic butter, onion, garlic, herb, tomato mixture is heavenly on its own. The rosemary really gives it a fantastic flavor.

Hope this was all clear.
- mando

When I started cooking in the Army 1953. I was surprised to see,
how they were making Spaghetti Sauce.

They would heat Crushed Tomatoes, throw in some Spices and simmer for 15 minutes or so.
This was dumped on the Spaghetti. THAT was it !!!!! It was terrible.

Another fellow ( a Plumber ) and I were assigned to be Co. Cooks .
Our first meal to cook was Spaghetti and Meat Balls.

When The Co. Commander tasted ours, he told the mess sergeant, he didn't want
anyone else making the Sauce but us.
" We cooked it the same way then, that I have Posted here "
like I said before, the Recipes are Basically the same, except for minor changes.

I don't know why anyone can't see this. Maybe I'm missing something ???

I've learned one thru the years. You can't please everyone.
But if you can please 90 precent, you are doing Great.
One Hundred Precent, You are outstanding!!!!!
I think I'm in between !!! LOL! LOL ! LOL !!!!!
LOU