Tomato and Vegetable Sauces
Cooking Skills: Sauces 1
Chapter 5 · Tomato and Vegetable Sauces
Skill goal
Simmer, roast and blend vegetables into smooth sauces, and know when a sauce is thick enough.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
A vegetable sauce needs no flour. The vegetables themselves give the body: as a tomato sauce simmers, water steams away and the sauce thickens and sweetens, and a blender makes it smooth. Roasting does the same job with dry heat, and browns the edges for a deeper flavour.
Tomatoes are acidic, so a small pinch of sugar often balances them, and a little oil gives a glossy finish. Tinned tomatoes are picked ripe and are better than pale winter tomatoes. Pasta sauces are in Cooking Skills: Pasta 1, chapters 3 and 5, so this chapter covers pizza, roasted and barbecue-style sauces and a red pepper sauce for fish, chicken or pasta.
The method
- Start with a soft base: onion and garlic cooked gently in oil, so they sweeten rather than burn.
- Simmer uncovered so the water can steam away, and stir often so it does not catch on the bottom.
- Test the thickness by dragging a spoon across the pan: the trail should hold for a second or two.
- Season at the end, when the sauce has reduced and the flavour is concentrated.
- Blend for a smooth sauce, or leave it chunky, and taste for sharpness and sweetness.
| Sauce | Method | Texture | Goes with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza sauce | Quick simmer | Thick, spreadable | Pizza, flatbreads |
| Roasted tomato | Roast, then blend | Smooth, sweet and deep | Pasta, fish, soups |
| Red pepper sauce | Roast, then blend | Silky and smoky | Chicken, fish, vegetables |
| Barbecue-style | Long simmer | Thick and sticky | Ribs, burgers, chicken |
Hot sauce, blending and hot sugar
Hot sauce: a thickening sauce bubbles and spits, and hot sauce sticks to skin and burns worse than water. Stir with a long spoon, keep your face back and turn the handle of the pan inwards.Blending hot liquids: hot liquid expands in a sealed blender and can blow the lid off and scald you. Let it cool for a few minutes, fill the jug no more than half, hold a folded cloth over the lid, and start on low. A stick blender in a deep pan avoids the problem.
Hot sugar: boiling sugar and fruit are much hotter than boiling water and stick to skin like glue. Use a deep pan, a long spoon and oven gloves, stand back when stirring, and never taste straight from the spoon until it has cooled.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
A pizza sauce
A pizza sauce should be thick enough to spread, or it will make the base soggy. Simmer it until a spoon leaves a clear trail. It needs very little more than tomatoes, garlic and herbs.
Ingredients (4 pizzas)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 pinch flaked sea salt
- Warm the oil over a low heat and cook the garlic for 30 seconds without browning. Add the tomatoes, purée, oregano and sugar.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until thick enough to leave a trail.
- Season with salt, blend if you want it smooth, and cool before spreading on a base.
Hot sauce
Hot sauce: a thickening sauce bubbles and spits, and hot sauce sticks to skin and burns worse than water. Stir with a long spoon, keep your face back and turn the handle of the pan inwards.Blending hot liquids: hot liquid expands in a sealed blender and can blow the lid off and scald you. Let it cool for a few minutes, fill the jug no more than half, hold a folded cloth over the lid, and start on low. A stick blender in a deep pan avoids the problem.
Level 2 · Roasted
A roasted tomato sauce
Roasting drives off water and browns the edges, so a pale tomato becomes sweet and rich. Fresh tomatoes at their best in late summer are ideal, but tinned plum tomatoes work well too.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 800 g ripe tomatoes, halved
- 1 onion, cut in wedges
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Toss the tomatoes, onion and garlic with the oil, oregano and salt in a roasting tin, cut sides up.
- Roast for 40 to 45 minutes until soft with browned edges. Squeeze the garlic out of its skins.
- Blend everything until smooth, add the sugar, taste, and adjust with a splash of water if it is too thick.
Hot oven, hot tin and blending
Hot pot and hot steam: a heavy casserole dish or pan of hot liquid is heavy and scalding. Use oven gloves, lift the lid away from your face so the steam doesn't burn you, keep the handles turned in and never carry a full pot across a busy kitchen.Blending hot liquids: hot liquid expands in a sealed blender and can blow the lid off and scald you. Let it cool for a few minutes, fill the jug no more than half, hold a folded cloth over the lid, and start on low. A stick blender in a deep pan avoids the problem.
Level 2 · Pepper
A red pepper sauce
Roasted red peppers give a smooth, sweet and slightly smoky sauce with a bright colour. It is good over chicken, fish, eggs or pasta, and works hot or cold.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 3 red peppers, halved and deseeded
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 150 ml hot low-salt vegetable stock
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Roast the peppers skin side up at 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7) for 25 to 30 minutes until blistered. Cover in a bowl for 10 minutes, then peel off the skins.
- Soften the onion in the oil for 8 minutes, add the garlic and paprika for 1 minute, then add the peppers and stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Blend until silky, add the lemon juice, taste and season.
Hot oven, steam and blending
Hot pot and hot steam: a heavy casserole dish or pan of hot liquid is heavy and scalding. Use oven gloves, lift the lid away from your face so the steam doesn't burn you, keep the handles turned in and never carry a full pot across a busy kitchen.Blending hot liquids: hot liquid expands in a sealed blender and can blow the lid off and scald you. Let it cool for a few minutes, fill the jug no more than half, hold a folded cloth over the lid, and start on low. A stick blender in a deep pan avoids the problem.
Stock and salt: shop stock cubes and granules are very salty. Use low-salt stock, make it up weaker than the pack says, and taste before adding any salt, especially if you plan to reduce the sauce.
Level 3 · Sticky
A barbecue-style sauce
Sweet, sharp, smoky and salty at once. This sauce keeps well, so it is worth making a full batch. Brush it on ribs, chicken or burgers near the end of cooking, not at the start, because the sugar burns.
Ingredients (8 portions)
- 1 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp malt or cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Soften the onion in the oil for 6 minutes, add the garlic and paprika for 1 minute, then add everything else.
- Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until thick and glossy.
- Blend until smooth, taste, and balance with more sugar, vinegar or soy. Cool and store in a clean jar.
Hot sugar, spitting sauce, allergens and storing
Hot sugar: boiling sugar and fruit are much hotter than boiling water and stick to skin like glue. Use a deep pan, a long spoon and oven gloves, stand back when stirring, and never taste straight from the spoon until it has cooled.Hot sauce: a thickening sauce bubbles and spits, and hot sauce sticks to skin and burns worse than water. Stir with a long spoon, keep your face back and turn the handle of the pan inwards.
Allergens: contains soy, and fish (Worcestershire sauce). Check labels.
Jars and storing: wash jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse and dry them, then fill while the sauce is hot and cool before chilling. Keep in the fridge, label with the date and use within the time given. If a sauce smells off, looks fizzy or has mould, throw it away.
Experiments
Experiment
Tin or fresh
Convenience and season.
- Make two small batches of pizza sauce, one with tinned tomatoes and one with fresh tomatoes, and taste both.
Look for: Tinned tomatoes are usually sweeter and more consistent out of season; fresh ones are watery unless truly ripe.
Experiment
Simmered or roasted
Water and dry heat.
- Cook half your tomatoes by simmering and half by roasting, then blend each.
Look for: The roasted sauce is sweeter, darker and deeper. The simmered one tastes fresher and brighter.
Experiment
Blended or chunky
Smooth and rustic.
- Blend half a batch of tomato sauce and leave half as it is.
Look for: The smooth sauce clings and looks glossy. The chunky one has more texture and a fresher taste.
Experiment
Sugar or none
Sweet and sharp.
- Divide a plain tomato sauce, add a pinch of sugar to one half and nothing to the other.
Look for: The sugar softens the acidity without making it sweet. Too much turns it to ketchup, so add a little at a time.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza sauce | ||||
| Roasted tomato sauce | ||||
| Red pepper sauce | ||||
| Barbecue-style sauce | ||||
| Tin or fresh | ||||
| Simmered or roasted | ||||
| Blended or chunky | ||||
| Sugar or none |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Too watery | Not simmered long enough | Simmer uncovered for longer, stirring |
| Too sharp or acidic | Underripe tomatoes | Add a pinch of sugar, or a little grated carrot while it simmers |
| Burnt on the bottom | Heat too high or not stirred | Don't scrape the base; pour the sauce into a clean pan and taste |
| Dull flavour | Not enough salt or reduction | Season at the end and simmer a little longer |
| Too thick | Over-reduced | Add a splash of water or stock |
| Skins in the sauce | Roasted peppers or tomatoes not peeled | Peel peppers after steaming; sieve the sauce |
Hot sauce, blending and leftovers
Hot sauce: a thickening sauce bubbles and spits, and hot sauce sticks to skin and burns worse than water. Stir with a long spoon, keep your face back and turn the handle of the pan inwards.Blending hot liquids: hot liquid expands in a sealed blender and can blow the lid off and scald you. Let it cool for a few minutes, fill the jug no more than half, hold a folded cloth over the lid, and start on low. A stick blender in a deep pan avoids the problem.
Keeping sauces: cool a sauce quickly in a shallow container within 1 to 2 hours, press cling film onto the surface to stop a skin forming, chill and use within about 2 days. Reheat until steaming hot, stirring. Milk and cream sauces can split when frozen, so freeze other sauces instead.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can simmer a tomato sauce until it is thick enough.
- I can roast vegetables to make a deep sauce.
- I can blend a hot sauce safely.
- I can balance sharpness with sugar.
- I can make a barbecue-style sauce and store it.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Sauces 1, chapter 6 is Pan Sauces and Reductions: deglazing, reducing and finishing with butter, with no alcohol.