Tomato sauce (Spanish: salsa de tomate; Italian: salsa di pomodoro; French: sauce tomate) can refer to several sauces made mostly from tomatoes. In some countries the term refers to a sauce to be worked as part of a dish; in others, it is a condiment. Tomatoes have a rich flavor, high water web content, soft flesh which breaks down easily, and the best composition to thicken right into a sauce when stewed, without the need for thickeners such as roux or masa. All of these top qualities make them excellent for easy and appealing sauces. Tomato sauce generally has a thinner consistency than tomato paste and tomato purée; nevertheless, tomato sauces might utilize either as a component. In recipes tomato sauces are common for meat and veggies such as in stews, but they are possibly best called bases for Italian pasta or pizza meals, or in Mexican salsas. In nations such as the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, the term tomato sauce is used to explain a spice comparable to what Americans call ketchup. In a few of these countries, both terms are used for the spice.
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