What is tomato sauce?

 Tomato sauce

Tomato sauce, at its core, is a preparation derived from the fruit of Solanum lycopersicum, the scientific name for the tomato. This plant, part of the Solanaceae family, produces the red, juicy berries (yes, botanically a berry) that form the base of most tomato sauces. The sauce itself varies widely across cultures—think marinara in Italy, salsa in Mexico, or ketchup in the U.S.—but it typically involves cooking tomatoes down with ingredients like salt, herbs, garlic, or onions to enhance flavor.

The process starts with the tomato’s natural properties: its high water content (about 95%), sugars, and acids (like citric and malic) give it a balance of sweetness and tanginess. Cooking concentrates these flavors, while the fruit’s pectin helps thicken the mixture. Scientifically, the lycopene in tomatoes—a carotenoid responsible for the red color—becomes more bioavailable when heated, making tomato sauce a nutritional powerhouse linked to antioxidant benefits.

Historically, tomato sauce gained traction in Europe after Solanum lycopersicum arrived from the Americas in the 16th century. Italians, in particular, embraced it by the 18th century, refining recipes that became staples like pomodoro or ragù. Today, it’s a global phenomenon, with industrial versions relying on cultivars bred for uniform size and disease resistance.