Fra Diavolo Sauce
This fra diavolo sauce is a spicy Italian tomato sauce made with fresh or canned tomatoes, red chili flakes, and oregano. It pairs perfectly with pasta and seafood!
Servings: 4 people (½ cup servings)
Calories: 179kcal
Equipment
- large heavy skillet (12-inch minimum)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons red chili flakes Use less for a milder sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- 2 pounds fresh tomatoes (diced) or 28oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Add the oil, onions, chili flakes and salt to a large, shallow pan. (Use a 12" pan or larger, see recipe notes.)Cook the onions over medium heat until they begin to brown (~5 min). Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, water, and oregano to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer the tomatoes for 20-25 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.Taste the sauce and add more chili flakes, salt, or oregano if desired. Simmer 1-2 more minutes if you added more seasoning.Serve immediately along with fresh pasta or with seafood, refrigerate and use within 4-6 days, or freeze and use within a year.
Notes
Yields: ~2 cups tomato sauce.
Pan Size: Some readers have reported that their 12" pans were too small for the volume of sauce. You may find a heavy Dutch oven works best for you, although I've always had success with my 12" carbon steel pan.
Smoother Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes are peeled, and will yield a smoother sauce with less texture. If you’re using fresh tomatoes and want an extra-smooth marinara, you have two options:
1. Peel the tomatoes first. Use a knife to mark an X on each tomato, and then blanch them in boiling water until the tomato peel loosens (~15-30 seconds). Peel, and then proceed with the recipe. Crush tomatoes with your hands instead of dicing.
2. Blend the sauce. After cooking, add the sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend the peels into the sauce.
Varieties of tomatoes: For the thickest sauce, use San Marzano tomatoes (or other varieties of Roma tomatoes). However, this recipe works well with juicy tomatoes also.
Nutrition
Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2186IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
