Mom's Best Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 14.5 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
• 4 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 2 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
• 4 6 ounce cans tomato paste
• 3 cups water
• 2 onions (chopped)
• 0.25 cup fresh basil (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 pinches baking soda (divided)
• salt (to taste)
• ground black pepper (to taste)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

Steps

1. 1

   Gather all ingredients.

2. 2

   In a large saucepan, mix together the whole tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, chopped onions, chopped basil, minced garlic, white sugar, 1 pinch of baking soda, salt, and pepper.

3. 3

   Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat while stirring constantly.

4. 4

   Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for at least 4 hours.

5. 5

   Stir in the remaining pinch of baking soda; the sauce will foam. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and almost brown in color. Be sure to scrape the sides of the pan into the sauce as it reduces.

6. 6

   Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.

7. 7

   Taste the sauce: if it is still too tangy or acidic, add another pinch of baking soda and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

8. 8

   Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for 8 hours to overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

9. 9

   Reheat the sauce the next day and serve.

Notes

The secret ingredient is baking soda, which helps neutralize acidity. Do not taste the sauce immediately after adding the baking soda; wait a while for the reaction to settle. For the best results, serve with meatballs that have cooked in the sauce for the last 30 minutes of reheating.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• sauce
• spaghetti
• slow-cooked
• Italian
• vegetarian
• dinner