Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let it warm for 30 seconds. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes (do not let it brown).

Add garlic

Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Tomatoes & Liquids

Add tomato paste and toast

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently. This deepens the paste's flavor and removes any raw taste.

Add canned tomatoes

Pour in the canned whole tomatoes with their juices. Use a wooden spoon or a potato masher to break the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces (or leave chunkier if preferred).

Add liquid

Add the water or stock to loosen the sauce and stir to combine.

Herbs & Seasoning

Season the sauce

Add the dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, sugar (if using), salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to combine.

Simmer gently

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover the pot and let the sauce simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, stirring every 5–10 minutes to prevent sticking. Simmer longer (up to 1 hour) for deeper flavor; add a splash of water if it becomes too thick.

Finish

Adjust seasoning and texture

Taste the sauce and adjust salt, pepper, and sugar as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender directly in the pot to purée to your desired consistency, or carefully transfer to a blender in batches and purée, then return to the pot.

Mount with butter and herbs

Off the heat, stir in the cold butter (or a drizzle of extra olive oil) until melted to give the sauce a glossy finish. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves if using.

Cool and store

Use immediately with pasta, on pizza, or as desired. Leftover sauce cools to room temperature, then store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.