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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Pasta Recipes

    15 Minute Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce

    By: Amy Katz · Published: Apr 7, 2021 · Last modified: Sep 16, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print - Pin
    Special diet: gluten-free option, nut-free, soy-free, vegan

    Out of jarred marinara sauce? You'll never need to buy it again when you make this easy recipe using canned tomato paste plus a few pantry ingredients. It's not only economical, it's incredibly delicious.

    Plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce garnished with Italian parsley

    If you're anything like me, you probably turn to pasta when you're short on time or lack the energy needed to get dinner on the table. Not only is it satisfying, even the pickiest of eaters enjoy it.

    But don't fret if you forgot to pick up a bottle of spaghetti sauce at the supermarket. This sauce not only tastes better than most store-bought sauces, it will be ready in the time it takes to boil water and cook a box of spaghetti or penne.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing and freezing
    • FAQ
    • More easy pasta sauce recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • It cooks quickly and is ready in only 15 minutes.
    • You only need 6 ingredients to make it, plus salt and pepper.
    • It makes the exact amount needed to serve with a pound of pasta.

    Ingredients

    Labeled ingredients needed to make this recipe

    Balsamic vinegar: While it may sound contradictory, balsamic vinegar balances out the acidity of the tomatoes. If you don't have any on hand, you can leave it out.

    Or add a pinch of organic sugar if the sauce tastes sour. You can also substitute a splash of your favorite red wine.

    Italian parsley: Fresh herbs like parsley or basil compliment the flavors of this sauce. But if unavailable, simply omit them. You do not need to add extra dried herbs.

    For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    Collage of 4 process shots demonstrating the steps for how to make this recipe
    1. Saute the garlic in olive oil.
    2. Add the tomato paste, water, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf.
    3. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer.
    4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in a splash of balsamic vinegar.

    Variations

    To change the flavors of the sauce, try stirring in sliced olives, capers, and/or crushed red chili flakes during the last few minutes of cooking. This will transform it to a variation of a vegan Puttanesca sauce.

    Serving suggestions

    This easy meatless spaghetti sauce pairs well with any of your favorite pasta shapes. In addition, you can serve it tossed with noodles made from wheat, rice, corn, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, or a blend. For a complete meal, try it with a vegetable side dish or salad like one of these favorites:

    • Mediterranean Tomato and Zucchini Saute
    • Mediterranean Green Beans & Tomatoes
    • Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
    • Chickpea Spinach Salad (15 Minute Recipe)
    Close up of plate of spaghetti in tomato paste pasta sauce garnished with fresh herbs

    Storing and freezing

    Any unused sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, leave a little room at the top of a glass container before adding the lid. When you're ready to use it, defrost the container in the refrigerator overnight or until thawed.

    FAQ

    What is tomato paste?

    Tomato paste is a thick tomato concentrate made by cooking down tomatoes for hours and straining out the skins and seeds. It can be purchased in cans or tubes.

    What is the difference between canned tomato sauce and tomato paste?

    Tomato sauce is cooked pureed tomatoes. It isn't as thick as the concentrated paste.

    What is the difference between marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce?

    While both sauces can be served over pasta, marinara refers to red tomato-based sauces like this tomato paste pasta sauce. Spaghetti sauce often refers to pasta sauces that also contain meat or vegetables. At the end of the day, both are names for pasta sauce.

    More easy pasta sauce recipes

    • Vegan Lemon Artichoke Pasta
    • Lemon Dairy Free Pasta Sauce
    • No-Cook Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce
    • Pumpkin Marinara Pasta Sauce

    And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

    If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

    📋 Recipe

    Bowl of spaghetti and tomato sauce garnished with fresh herbs

    15 Minute Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce

    Out of jarred marinara sauce? You'll never need to buy it again when you have this easy recipe using canned tomato paste plus a few pantry ingredients. It's not only economical, it's incredibly delicious.
    4.96 from 45 votes
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate Email recipe + ingredient list
    Special diet: gluten-free option, nut-free, soy-free, vegan
    Course: Pasta
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Prep Time: 3 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 69kcal
    Author: Amy Katz

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 can tomato paste, (6 ounces)
    • 1½ cups water
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, (or substitute dried oregano or basil)
    • 1 bay leaf
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    • splash balsamic vinegar, (See notes.)
    • 12-16 ounces cooked pasta, for serving
    • fresh Italian parsley or basil, torn or chopped, for serving (optional)
    US Customary - Metric
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    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
    • Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    • Stir in the tomato paste, water, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf.
    • Bring to a low boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
    • Remove the saucepan from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in a splash of balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
    • Toss with cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley or basil, if desired.

    Notes

    Nutrition facts are for the sauce only. They do not include the pasta.
    Balsamic vinegar:
    If balsamic vinegar is unavailable, leave it out or add a pinch of organic sugar if the sauce tastes sour. You can also substitute a splash of your favorite red wine.
    Optional add-ins:
    For easy variations, try stirring in sliced olives, capers, and/or crushed red chili flakes during the last few minutes of cooking.
    Storing and freezing:
    Any unused sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, leave a little room at the top of a glass container before adding the lid. When you're ready to use it, defrost the container in the refrigerator overnight or until thawed.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 659IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

    More Vegan Pasta Recipes

    • Vegan Mac and Cheese Without Cashews
    • Creamy Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
    • 10 Easy Vegan Orzo Recipes
    • 16 Vegan Recipes with Tomato Paste
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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on HuffPost, LIVESTRONG, Healthline, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, Country Living, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsI made thisQuestions
    1. Nate

      February 02, 2023 at 11:09 am

      5 stars
      Made this recently, only difference is I diced and pre cooked one tomato in a frying pan then added it to simmer in the sauce and it was exceptional. One of the better pasta sauces I have had, and it was easy!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        February 02, 2023 at 2:30 pm

        Love how you added a fresh tomato, Nate! I'm so happy you enjoyed the sauce.

        Reply
    2. marion

      November 25, 2022 at 9:38 pm

      can I can this sauce if I put lemon juice in the jars

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        November 26, 2022 at 11:00 am

        I'm sorry, Marion. I have no experience with canning. Maybe someone else can answer your question.

        Reply
    3. Stephenie

      November 09, 2022 at 1:43 pm

      Delicious recipe! I added some onion powder and was very pleased with the results. My old recipe has a lot of butter, and this is healthier, but so tasty. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        November 09, 2022 at 1:52 pm

        I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Stephenie!

        Reply
    4. Donna Bryan

      September 01, 2022 at 9:33 am

      5 stars
      I use a store-bought generic Italian seasoning but then I added a sprinkle of the everything Italian seasoning and it was very delicious!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        September 01, 2022 at 9:36 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Donna!

        Reply
    5. Tyanne

      November 29, 2021 at 6:47 pm

      5 stars
      I have used this recipe twice and it works great every time!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        November 30, 2021 at 9:39 am

        I'm so glad to hear it, Tyanne!

        Reply
        • Richard Fedio

          February 04, 2022 at 12:24 am

          5 stars
          Made it for the first time and I love it! Thickness of sauce was just right. The balsamic vinegar did help "mellow" the sauce and the sugar was a big help in the flavor!....Thanks Amy!

          Reply
          • Amy Katz

            February 04, 2022 at 11:31 am

            I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Richard!

            Reply
    6. Cassie

      November 14, 2021 at 8:02 am

      4 stars
      It was pretty good but is there anyway to give it more flavor? possibly adding in white wine or less water?

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        November 14, 2021 at 10:05 am

        Yes, you can add it wine and simmer it a few minutes longer. Or try adding red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, capers, olives, or anything you like!

        Reply
      • Taylor Willis

        January 22, 2022 at 4:52 pm

        Turned out really good. I added red pepper flakes and some Parmesan which tied it together in my opinion. Glad I saw this recipe saved me a trip to town ♥️

        Reply
        • Amy Katz

          January 23, 2022 at 1:30 pm

          I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Red pepper flakes are one of my go-to add-ins too.

          Reply
          • Paula

            March 14, 2022 at 2:43 am

            5 stars
            I had a 12 oz jar of tomato paste I bought on clearance for 69c. I doubled the recipe added alot of vegetables and it turned out great (about 2 c chopped onions, 2 c chopped green pepper, 8 oz can chopped button mushrooms and 4 oz can chopped olives.)

            Reply
            • Amy Katz

              March 14, 2022 at 12:07 pm

              Those are fantastic additions, Paula!

            • Cheryl

              July 14, 2022 at 8:13 pm

              4 stars
              This turned out surprisingly well!! Thank you for sharing the recipe! I needed some sauce for meatball sandwiches, and had some cans of tomato paste with zero knowledge of what to do with them. The family finished dinner with full tummies, and my 8 yr old actually asked for more! 🙂

            • Amy Katz

              July 14, 2022 at 9:28 pm

              That's fantastic to hear, Cheryl!

    7. Raquel Snyder

      August 04, 2021 at 11:22 am

      5 stars
      Thanks Amy! I had a can of paste, and all of the rest. What can you use if you run out of olive oil? I actually ran out of all oil. I doubt butter but it says Italian seasoning . What about Italian dressing?

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        August 04, 2021 at 12:11 pm

        Hi Raquel, you can saute in a little water if you don't have any olive oil. Enjoy!

        Reply

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