Does anyone have a healthy option....

Like to try the beetroot sauce, can get ketchup that's low salt and sugar or has been said leave out the sugar

Oh come on, albertina,! sugar is sugar whether brown, agave, pomegranate molasses, or coconut...
I add about 4 tsp sugar to 8 kg tomatoes when making sauce for winter. It takes the edge off the acidity.
But - nina, leave if off completely if you prefer, the sauce is just a bit more sour.

I never add sugar but do put a couple of strips of lemon peel in. Let the sauce simmer for a bit to reduce down then remove the peel. Italian granny's tip when making a tomato based sauce for pasta or meat dishes.

Maybe use brown sugar ? Slightly healthier ?

I always add sugar to anything with tomatoes in it. A wee teaspoonful won't do much harm.

<Pedant alert> If you add wine or balsamic vinegar, you are adding sugar.

Ever thought of replacing it with beetroot ketchup? Delicious!

JessM It was intended to liven up roast chicken for D who is following slimming world.

To get maximum sweetness out of the tomatoes without using sugar, they need to be reduced down. This can either be done by slow roasting in the oven or simmered long and slow on the hob. Use very ripe fresh toms or tinned. I concocted this sugar & salt free tomato ketchup recipe for GGD, then 8m, and we all loved it. 3 tomatoes, peeled & quartered, 1/2 red pepper, cut into flat pieces, 1 peeled garlic clove. Roast above on baking tray with a little olive oil at 200C fan for 10/15 mins. Put through mouli or seive. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato puree and a little balsamic vinegar to taste. For a pasta sauce, simply simmer a tin of tomatoes in a pan with a glug of olive oil and clove of garlic chopped or crushed. You can also add a little white wine, if there's a bottle open and dried oregano. Cook gently on the hob for at least 20-30 mins until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce is thick and rich. Add salt & pepper to taste and some shredded fresh basil if you have some to hand. Enjoy!

Tomatoes can be bitter, so a little sugar helps.

I always add a little bit of tomato ketchup if the tomatoes are a bit acidic - but only a little bit

Even for pasta sauce a little sugar does enhance the flavour of the tomatoes and isn't going to hurt you at all - unless you eat lots of other sugary things.

I have NEVER added sugar to a tomato sauce and wouldn't dream of doing so.
If you mean a tomato sauce for pasta then just fry onions and garlic and add in a tin of tomatoes and bit of tomato paste (or use chopped up fresh tomatoes)

Are we talking ketchup or pasta?
If pasta I would never think of adding sugar. Use herbs, wine, onions etc. There is quite a bit of natural sugar in the veg. Carrots are quite sweet and will make space taste sweeter - but they do take a long time to cook.

Use a little bit of butter stirred in towards the end of cooking the sauce - as suggested yonks ago by either Delia or Nigella, can't remember which!

A slug of red wine improves it I think. ?

I don't put sugar in as I think tomatoes have a naturally sweet taste - I put chilli sauce and a dash of Worcestershire.

thatbags for "healthy" read low calorie/weight loss
I know a little sugar does no harm

Chuckle McChuckle, NTO

G'night all

Don't ask me about healthy options. I've just eaten the chocolate biscuit bits that I bought for the DGC in the Summer hols and did not hand over.

There isn't anything unhealthy about a bit of sugar in one's diet.

I use low calorie sweetener

I've never used it, but I thought it was meant to counteract any tartness ?

I'm with jane, tomatoes always benefit from a little sugar!

I use sweetner