Tomatoes! Tomates! Lycopene! Natural umami! It’s that glorious time of year in the Southern Hemisphere when tomatoes are cheap, ripe, and so good that sometimes I just slice one open, sprinkle salt on top, and eat it like a peach. But blink, and tomato season is gone—especially for me, since I’ll soon be trading Buenos Aires summer for the kind of below-zero weather that freezes your nostrils shut. So while I’m still basking in the sun, I’m making the most of it. And by making the most of it, I mean hoarding tomatoes by the kilo, making obscene amounts of sauce, and stuffing my freezer like I’m preparing for an Italian gravy apocalypse.
You can never have too much tomato sauce. A stash in the freezer is basically a superpower—ready for pasta, pizza, milanesas, shakshuka, or anything that needs a hit of slow-cooked tomato magic. I don’t usually follow recipes—I throw in a little of this, a little of that—but I get that not everyone works that way. So today, I’m channeling my past life as a recipe tester and developer to give you a rough guide. It’s simple, lazy-cook approved (I’m not peeling tomatoes, and neither should you—unless you really want to, because free will).
Personally, I’m all about letting peak-season tomatoes do their thing. The skins? They’re packed with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins, so unless you’re after a silky-smooth sauce, there’s no real reason to peel them.
The only rule? Start with good tomatoes! No amount of cooking will save a bland, mealy tomato. If you buy kilos of flavorless ones, your sauce will taste like regret. I always taste a few before committing to a bulk buy. My verdulero gets me, so I grabbed a few to test, then went back for four more kilos once they passed. I like using the small round ones for their intensity, but perita works too—just make sure they’re bright red. Good tomatoes should smell like tomatoes—sweet, earthy, and ripe. If they’re dull, pale, or have that greenish yellow tinge, move along.
The Lazy Cook’s Tomato Sauce Recipe
What You’ll Need:
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Basil and/or oregano (if you have it)
What You’ll Do:
- Preheat your oven to high heat (220°C/425°F).
- Slice the tomatoes in half, place them cut-side up on a baking sheet, and drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss in whole garlic cloves.
- Roast until the tomatoes collapse, caramelize, and turn jammy, about 40-50 minutes.
- Transfer everything to a pot, stir, and add basil or oregano. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Fish out the garlic, peel it, and mash it back into the sauce for extra depth.
- Use immediately, or let it cool and freeze for later.
Optional (for the overachievers): If you don’t want tomato skins in your sauce, score each tomato with a cross, blanch in boiling water, dunk in an ice bath, then peel. You can always blend the sauce with an immersion blender if you want it extra smooth. Otherwise, embrace the rustic charm and move on with your life.
What to Use It For:
Milanesa Napolitana
I always keep milanesas in my freezer—because you never know when the craving will hit. I’m a chicken milanga kinda girl, and I like to bake it, spoon over some tomato sauce, top it with cheese, and broil until bubbly. Then I finish it with fresh tomatoes, basil, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Shakshuka
Heat olive oil, add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and let it bloom. Pour in tomato sauce, simmer, and (because I like a little heat) throw in some chipotle peppers. Crack eggs into the sauce, cover, and cook until just set. Finish with fresh herbs and serve with chipa bread—waffled for maximum crunch.
Pasta
Any pasta works—spaghetti, rigatoni, bucatini, whatever. Toss it with tomato sauce as is, or let it simmer with garlic, chili flakes, and a knob of butter for extra depth. Feeling fancy? Stuff jumbo shells with ricotta, spinach, and roasted eggplant, then bake them in a pool of sauce until bubbling and golden.
Pizza
A no-fuss pizza sauce. Spread it over dough, top it, bake it. If you’re feeling ambitious, make your own dough. If not, grab a premade one from Salvaje Bakery and move on with your life.
Lasagna
The ultimate make-ahead meal—assemble, bake, feed a crowd, impress yourself. I usually skip the meat and layer mine with spinach, roasted eggplant, and obscene amounts of tomato sauce. Sometimes, I ditch the noodles altogether and go full-on baked eggplant, ricotta, and spinach mode.
Other Ideas
- Smear it on toasted bread with olive oil—hello, pan con tomate.
- Make a batch of tomates en conserva if you want to go pro, here’s an easy recipe to follow.
- Mix lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, black pepper and vodka, and call it a Bloody Mary.
- Drown meatballs in it.
- Use as a soup base (hola, minestrone).
- Spoon over creamy polenta.
- Stew lentils in it.
Moral of the story: Stock up on good tomatoes while you can and make sauce. Your future self will thank you.
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