Fresh Tomato Sauce

Learn how to make fresh tomato sauce with your garden tomatoes! This sauce is beautifully balanced with delicate flavors that sing of summer ingredients. We love to serve it on pizza, pasta, or enjoy it by the spoon on it's own because it's just that good!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword best tomato sauce, fresh tomato sauce, how to make tomato sauce

Freezer Friendly Yes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 15

Servings

Calories 87kcal

Author Bethany Kramer

Ingredients

5 lbs fresh plum/roma tomatoes (or a mix of vine-ripened tomatoes with mostly plum)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small to medium yellow onion
5 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons fresh basil
salt and black pepper

Instructions

Boil tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil for blanching. Use a pairing knife to slice an X shape on the bottom of each tomato (this will help the skin peel back). In shifts, drop tomatoes into the water while boiling until they begin to wrinkle and peel (about 30-60 seconds, depending on the size). Use a slotted spoon to remove tomatoes and place them in a large bowl with ice water to blanch. Repeat until all the tomatoes are finished.
Peel cooled tomatoes: Use a pairing knife or your hands to peel the skin from tomatoes. Then use the pairing knife to carefully remove the hard tomato core/stem. Roughly chop up tomatoes into diced pieces and add to a bowl and set aside for the sauce.
Sauté onions & garlic: Heat your sauce pot, add the olive oil, and saute the diced onions with a pinch (about 5 minutes). The onion should be soft, and gently cooked, not browned on the edges. Keep the heat on a lower heat setting. Then add the minced garlic and saute with the onions for 30-60 seconds.
Simmer: Add the diced tomatoes and stir in an additional pinch of salt and black pepper. Then let the tomatoes simmer for 60-90 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and thickened.
Season with herbs: When the sauce is finished, season with salt to taste, add a dash of black pepper, and stir in chopped fresh basil. Then enjoy with pasta or your favorite Italian dish!

Video

Notes

Refrigerator: completely cool sauce to room temperature, store in sealed mason jars or glass airtight containers and keep in fridge for 5-7 days.

Freezer: cool sauce to room temperature, then store in a airtight glass container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to reheat, remove and let thaw for 2-3 hours. Then add to pot and reheat.

Nutrition