Low Fat Garlic Tomato Pasta Sauce
Good bye pasta jars! This savory sauce is rich with the flavors of garlic and tomatoes, is low calorie and because it’s ridiculously easy to make, I can’t justify the high price tag of my favorite store-bought sauce any longer.
Made with canned tomatoes, garlic, herbs, simple spices, coconut aminos and honey, this sauce is the perfect addition to pasta night. It’s light, refreshing and the amazing flavor really pops with freshness. Use as a spaghetti sauce with air fryer chicken meatballs, egg free beef and chicken meatballs, in cottage cheese lasagna, or as a marinara sauce over your favorite pasta dish. You can also freeze it in freezer bags to have on hand at all times.
Before you start chef-ing it up, a little note on why I didn’t use fresh tomatoes. Ripe tomatoes are hard to find during many months of the year. Canned tomatoes are picked and canned at peak freshness, meaning you get the best quality ingredients, all year round.
Using tomatoes that are out of season runs the risk of mushy, soggy, mealy tomatoes that can ruin your whole dish. That being said, if you have homegrown tomatoes that are ripe and perfect, then yes, use them! Blend them with an immersion blender so they’re a tomato sauce consistency first.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients.
- Easy way to make fresh tomato sauce from your own kitchen.
- Gluten and dairy-free.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for this easy homemade tomato sauce. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions.
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- Beef Broth: gives the sauce a deep rich flavor but you can also use chicken broth or bone broth, if preferred.
- Pure Olive Oil: Using a higher quality olive oil will really make the flavor pop. However, you can use any neutral oil you have on hand, if needed.
- Garlic Cloves: fresh is best here, you can never have too much garlic so I go overboard with it.
- Tomato Sauce: or a can of tomatoes. I’m a big fan of using canned tomatoes over fresh tomatoes. Canned are picked at peak freshness, so you’ll get the best flavor. If fresh tomatoes aren’t in season, they can be watery and mushy.
- Tomato Paste: adds depth to any pasta sauce. I always have some on hand! You can even freeze leftover tomato paste so you don’t have to waste any.
- Coconut Aminos: adds saltiness to the sauce to break up the sweetness of the tomatoes. You can also use soy sauce.
- Honey: can be replaced with maple syrup or agave.
Variations
- Omit the honey for a less sweet variation.
- Add in your favorite fresh herbs. I always add fresh basil for garnish.
- Add in red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat.
- Try this homemade sauce with cottage cheese if you want a creamier, high protein version.
- Add parmesan cheese to your final dish.
- Try tomato garlic cottage cheese pasta sauce for a creamier version of this sauce.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is gluten-free, as is. Be sure to use a gluten-free pasta, such as chickpea pasta.
- This recipe is dairy-free.
How to make this garlic tomato sauce (a step-by-step visual guide):
Let’s make the sauce!
Add the oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring until fragrant and translucent (image 1). Add the basil, oregano, salt and pepper to the garlic and onions and stir to coat (image 2).
Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, coconut aminos and honey and stir to combine (image 3). Bring to a boil and right when it starts popping, lower to a LOW simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Expert Tip!
No need to cover unless you’re not simmering low enough. We want a low simmer with no splatters.
Recipe FAQs
I love to make extra of this to have on hand whenever a pasta craving hits. It’ll stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop.
Serve this over your favorite pasta. Long noodles, short noodles, chickpea noodles, it’s all fabulous. For protein, add cast iron steak, shredded chicken, or breaded air fryer chicken cutlets.
You bet! Let the sauce come to room temp and pour into freezer safe containers with lids or ziplocks. Place in the freezer and remove when you’re ready to enjoy. Pull it out for lazy lasagna or for air fryer tortilla pizza night.
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If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Garlic Tomato Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp. basil
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 30 oz. tomato sauce (two 15 oz. cans)
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 3 Tbsp. coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. honey
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring until fragrant and translucent.
- Add the basil, oregano, salt and pepper to the garlic and onions and stir to coat. Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, coconut aminos and honey and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and right when it starts popping, lower to a LOW simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with your favorite pasta noodles or package up and freeze for later.
Notes
- Add to your favorite pasta noodles and any protein you like.
- Serving size is approximately 1/2 cup.
- I like to make this on a Sunday, store in the fridge and use it throughout the week with pasta, meatballs, on pizzas and in pita sandwiches.
- Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.
