Homemade Tomato Sauce: Fresh, Simple, Delicious
There’s just something about a pot of tomato sauce bubbling away on the stove. The smell of garlic, olive oil, and ripe tomatoes filling the kitchen? Pure comfort food. And with this recipe, you can skip the jar and make your own sauce with just five ingredients.
Everyone who grows tomatoes knows the problem with having way too many. My solution this year for my overstock of tomatoes was making homemade pasta sauce and canning it to save for later, or gift to friends!
What You’ll Need
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried herbs
- 1 quart red tomatoes
How to Make It
- Prep the tomatoes – Cut each tomato in half. And if a little bigger, quarters.
- Simmer low and slow – Put the tomatoes in a Dutch oven and cook over low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. This helps them break down naturally.
- Heat the oil – In a separate pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking just until the garlic is fragrant (about 1–2 minutes). Don’t let it burn.
- Combine and season – Pour the oil mixture into the tomatoes. Add salt, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Extra Tips
Want it thicker? Let it simmer uncovered a little longer after blending.
How to Use Your Sauce
This fresh tomato sauce is perfect for pasta night, homemade pizza, lasagna, or even as a dipping sauce for warm bread. It also freezes beautifully, so make extra and stash some away for later.
Homemade sauce is one of those little kitchen victories—it’s easy, it tastes amazing, and you know exactly what’s in it. Once you try this, you might never go back to store-bought again.
Simple Tomato Sauce Recipe – No Peeling Required
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried herbs
- 1 quart red tomatoes
Instructions
-
Prep the tomatoes – Cut each tomato in half.
-
Simmer low and slow – Put the tomatoes in a large pot and cook over low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. This helps them break down naturally.
-
Heat the oil – In a separate pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking just until the garlic is fragrant (about 1–2 minutes). Don’t let it burn.
-
Combine and season – Pour the oil mixture into the tomatoes. Add salt, dried herbs, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
