Homemade Tomato Sauce Using Fresh Tomatoes

This quick and easy homemade tomato sauce recipe uses fresh tomatoes WITH skins. The smooth, rich Italian flavors are great for spaghetti, pasta, pizza, or soup!

Even though my Hearty Spaghetti Sauce is really, really good, my sister-in-law is known in our family for making the best spaghetti sauce.

Her secret weapon? Fresh garden tomatoes!

We now have a garden that’s producing way more tomatoes than we could ever use to make our Basic Pizza Sauce, so I took a cue from my sister-in-law and made my own homemade tomato sauce using fresh tomatoes.

It was absolutely DELICIOUS, and I want to share the recipe with you!

REASONS TO MAKE HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE

• It’s SO easy. Really truly. It takes time, but zero kitchen skills are required.
• It’s WAY better than anything store-bought. I’m not exaggerating here. Just wait, taste, and see!
• You can 100% control the ingredients. Apart from the tomatoes, this recipe has only three veggies and zero sweeteners. Plus it’s gluten-free and dairy-free!
• A basic tomato sauce can become virtually anything later. It can be Tomato Basil Soup or Pizza Sauce or marinara sauce or even Spaghetti Sauce.
• It’s hands-off. Get the sauce going – on the stove or in a slow cooker – set the kitchen timer and get busy doing something else!
• This recipe makes a lot! And freezes really well! I use 10 pounds of tomatoes, but the recipe can be easily halved if you prefer.
• No need for peeled whole tomatoes! One less step makes this SUPER easy!

HOMEMADE TOMATO PASTA SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Just enough olive oil to caramelize the onions.
• Onion. Any onion will do. I used a sweet yellow onion.
• Garlic. I want this to be a BASIC homemade tomato sauce so that it can become other things later. I went easy on the garlic in this recipe. You can always add more garlic later if you want to.
• Tomatoes. We’re using FRESH tomatoes (a lot of them). Clear out the garden, hit up your farmers market, or watch for those sales! Traditionally, Roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes are used for sauce. But I’m not too picky here. Use what you have available!
• Salt & Black Pepper. The usual suspects.
• Dried Basil. Since basil is naturally sweet, it complements the tomatoes well. If you’re out of basil, other herbs like dried oregano or fresh basil will work too!
• Carrots. These are optional, but they’re naturally sweet and go well with tomatoes. Having something sweet helps balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, and carrots are a better alternative than sugar.
• Bell Peppers. These are also optional, but they balance out all the flavors. Plus, it’s an easy way to sneak in more veggies!

Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!).

HOW TO MAKE TOMATO SAUCE

Step 1. Measure the olive oil, onions, and garlic in a very large stockpot. Cook the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until they are caramelized and medium-golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Step 2. Add the tomatoes and gently squish about half of them with a wooden spoon.

Step 3. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Step 4. Uncover the pot and add any remaining tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Bring the sauce to a low boil and cook until the sauce is reduced by one quarter, about 2-4 hours. Stir occasionally.

Step 5. Puree the tomato sauce using an immersion blender (this is the one I have) and if the sauce seems too thin, simmer a little bit longer until it’s the consistency you prefer.

You can also use a blender or food processor. Just be careful and work in batches. The mixture will be hot!

Step 6. Season with basil, salt, and pepper! Serve immediately, or let it cool slightly to can, or cool completely before storing in an airtight container the refrigerator or freezer.

TOMATO SAUCE RECIPE FAQS

HOW TO CAN FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

Tomatoes can be canned using the water bath method.

You can follow the tutorial that I used for making canned tomatoes or for canning applesauce.

MORE RECIPES FOR FRESH TOMATOES

• Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
• Instant Pot Spanish Rice
• Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
• How to Make Tomato Powder
• Beginner’s Guide to Canning Tomatoes
• Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup