679 basic sauce recipes

Vegetarian chunky tomato pasta sauce loaded with mushrooms, celery, and bell pepper, simmered with fresh tomatoes and herbs. Oil-free option available. Ready in under an hour.

Gulf-style shrimp and crab spaghetti simmered in a rich tomato sauce with chili powder, basil, butter, and garlic. Whole crabs in the sauce make this a messy, hands-on feast.

Fresh pear salsa with tomatoes, green pepper, oregano, basil, and a kick of hot sauce. A sweet-savory fruit salsa ready in 20 minutes that pairs with chips, fish, or grilled chicken.

Basil eggplant is a simple recipe, and this version substantially reduces the unnecessary oil that usually plagues eggplant dishes. The basil and chile pepper turn the basic eggplant into something exciting. Use either the long, thin Japanese eggplants or the big purple globe/Italian eggplants. We love this recipe – even without the chile peppers. And we always serve with Jasmine rice.

Oven-baked BBQ chicken casserole smothered in a tangy homemade sauce with ketchup, cola, Worcestershire, and hickory smoked salt. Fork-tender after a low, slow bake. Serve over rice.

30-minute vegetarian chili with kidney beans and great northern beans simmered in tomato sauce, spooned over fluffy rice. Quick, low-cal, and full of flavor.

Vibrant broccoli and zucchini saute with green onions, basil, and soy sauce. Serve hot or cold on a bed of lettuce for an elegant side dish that feeds a crowd.

Whole wheat penne in a creamy tomato-vodka sauce with crispy pancetta, garlic, a kick of cayenne, and fresh basil. Your new favorite weeknight penne alla vodka.

Golden-browned chicken simmers with plump shrimp in a velvety red wine and tomato sauce laced with garlic, Italian herbs, and fresh parsley. A rustic Italian-American showstopper for date night or Sunday supper.

A no-cook chicken salad with fresh ginger, artichoke hearts, baby corn, sesame oil, and soy sauce tossed in mayo and served over crisp lettuce. Light, zesty, and packed with unexpected textures.

Provencal onion soup with eggplant, zucchini, tomato paste, and fresh basil simmered in red wine. A low-fat, vegetable-rich French soup with no butter or cheese.

Bread machine tomato herb bread made with tomato juice and sauce, oregano, basil, rosemary, and fennel. A savory, Italian-inspired loaf with a rosy crumb.

Italian sausage pizza with a garlic tomato sauce, fennel seeds, and a three-cheese blend of mozzarella, Gruyere, and Romano. A game day pizza with serious flavor.

Salad bar pizza is a vegetable-loaded deep-dish pie on whole wheat crust with broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, and red onion under mozzarella and Parmesan. Vegetarian, lower calorie.

Mom's best spaghetti sauce with Italian sausage, ground beef, slow-browned onions and garlic, tomato sauce and paste, simmered for hours into a deeply seasoned Sunday gravy. Choose your meat or use both.

A slow-simmered marinara built on three layers of tomato, a splash of red wine, Italian herbs, and just enough red pepper flakes to earn the name "zesty." Low-fat, feeds a crowd, and freezes like a champ.