Fresh Tomato Sauce
Savor the flavor of the season in this homemade recipe for Fresh Tomato Sauce! Made entirely from scratch (no canned tomatoes here!) and bursting with garlic and basil flavor!
A Family Favorite Sauce
You can literally taste the love and time that goes into this Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce! This hearty, slightly chunky sauce takes just 1 hour to cook up, yet can be used in so many tasty ways!
The star of the recipe is vine-ripened tomatoes that are paired with ingredients like garlic, basil, and crushed red pepper to create a mouthwatering taste. Its fresh, vibrant flavor is one we all look forward to over pasta, with bread, or served up with meatballs!
This Fresh Tomato Sauce was an instant summertime staple for my family, but one I know we’ll enjoy all year long. Make a batch of this sauce to enjoy in different ways, to skip cooking for a day or two, or freeze a batch for meal prep when planning for busy weeknights!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: Fresh and vibrant with hints of sweetness and spice.
Texture: Slightly chunky.
Ease: 4/10
Pros: Great flavor, simple ingredients, a family favorite!
Cons: A little bit more involved than using canned tomatoes.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, this has been a summertime staple for our family for years and a great way to use up fresh garden tomatoes.
Ingredients For Fresh Tomato Sauce
Head out to your garden, local vegetable stand, or farmers’ market to grab 3 pounds or about 8 vine-ripe or plum tomatoes. Fresh, local tomatoes will give this sauce the best taste, but if you have to, you can also purchase them from the grocery store.
From there, you’ll need olive oil, garlic paste, tomato paste, and light brown sugar. In addition to sprigs of basil with their stems and leaves separated, use sea salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
How To Make Fresh Tomato Sauce
- Add water to a large pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Cut X’s on the bottoms of all the vine-ripened or plum tomatoes using a paring knife.
- Transfer the prepped tomatoes to the pot of boiling water. Then cook the tomatoes until the skins start to split.
- Strain the tomatoes and then transfer them to a baking sheet. Peel the skin off the tomatoes and discard.
- Cut the tomatoes into chunks and discard the cores.
- Add olive oil, garlic paste, tomato paste, basil sprigs, sea salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to a large saucepan and cook over low heat. Stir frequently until the garlic begins to brown.
- Transfer the tomatoes and any juices into the pot, along with light brown sugar. Stir to combine, then increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and then allow the sauce to simmer until it thickens, stirring frequently.
- Remove this pot from the heat and discard the basil stems. Then add in finely chopped basil leaves.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper in the sauce to taste and then enjoy immediately!
Rebecca’s Tips
- When making this recipe, I prefer using a large pot to allow the tomatoes to get more surface heat. A medium-sized pot can be used; you just may need to increase the cook time by 5 to 10 minutes.
- This tomato sauce has a slightly sweet flavor, so if you prefer a sauce with a more umami flavor, you can add anchovies with the oil.
- The crushed red pepper flakes add a ton of flavor to the sauce without making it spicy, so I highly recommend keeping this ingredient in the sauce!
- Be sure to reduce the heat to medium when simmering the sauce, and stir frequently to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the pan. The sauce should simmer for about 30 minutes before it thickens.
How To Serve & Enjoy Fresh Tomato Sauce
- Pasta – Serve this homemade sauce over a heaping plate of pasta for a classic family favorite! Spaghetti, rigatoni, penne, or even corkscrew pasta would all be great choices.
- Sandwiches – Elevate your meatball subs or chicken parmesan sandwiches by using this homemade tomato sauce!
- With Protein – Pair Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce with Fried Panko Chicken or Homemade Meatballs for a kick of protein! Think spaghetti and meatballs or chicken parmesan on a bed of pasta!
- Dipping Sauce – Use this tomato sauce as a dip for Mozzarella Sticks, Stuffed Cheese Breadsticks, or Parmesan Garlic Bread!
How To Store Fresh Tomato Sauce
Refrigerator Storage: Allow the Fresh Tomato Sauce to cool and then transfer it into an airtight container or large mason jars. Store the sauce in the fridge and then enjoy it within 3 days; after this, the tomatoes can start to sour.
Freezer Storage: Transfer the completely cooled sauce into a freezer-safe airtight container or large freezer Ziploc bags. Then store the sauce in the freezer to enjoy for up to 3 months. To use, thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge.
More Sauce Recipes
- Pomodoro Sauce – Thick, hearty Italian pasta sauce made in under 30 minutes!
- Best Penne Alla Vodka Sauce – Blends cream and tomato sauce with pantry ingredients!
- Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce – Loaded with ground beef and a tasty spice combination!
- Marinara Sauce – Zero prep sauce loaded with basil, oregano, basil, and garlic!
- Best Alfredo Sauce – Rich, creamy alfredo sauce made from scratch in just 10 minutes!
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 lbs vine ripe or plum tomatoes about 8
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 basil sprigs stems and leaves separated
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
- Meanwhile, use a paring knife to cut 1-inch X’s on the bottoms of all the 3 lbs vine ripe or plum tomatoes.
- Add the prepped tomatoes to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the skins start to split.
- Strain the tomatoes in a colander and transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet. Peel them and discard the skins.
- Cut the tomatoes into chunks, discarding the cores.
- In a large saucepan, add the ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons garlic paste, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 basil sprigs, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic begins to brown and become fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes and any juices, plus the 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently.
- Remove this pot from the heat and discard the basil stems. Add in finely chopped basil leaves.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste and enjoy immediately or allow it to cool before storing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Storage Tip: This sauce is best enjoyed within 3 days when stored in the refrigerator—after that, the tomatoes can start to turn a little sour.
- Cooking Tip: I recommend using a large pot for this recipe since it gives the tomatoes more surface heat and helps them cook down beautifully. A medium pot works too, but you may need to add 5 to 10 extra minutes to the cook time.
- Flavor Boost: Don’t skip the crushed red pepper flakes! They won’t make the sauce spicy, but they add incredible depth and flavor.
- Optional Umami: For a richer, more savory flavor (rather than sweet), try adding anchovies at the beginning with the oil.
Nutrition
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