Fresh Tomato Sauce

Turn your summer tomatoes into the best homemade spaghetti sauce! This simple Italian recipe is so flavorful.

Course Condiment

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings ½-cup servings

Calories 167kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

6 pounds fresh tomatoes I recommend 3.5 pounds on-the-vine tomatoes and 2.5 pounds Roma tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup diced yellow onion
4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
10 to 15 leaves fresh basil more to taste
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the tomatoes. Wash under cold running water, pat dry, and remove the stems. Cut in half lengthwise, then scoop out seeds and goop with a spoon to discard.
Take each tomato half and carefully run the cut side over a grater with large holes placed over a large bowl. I like to use a box grater. Grate the tomato so that all of the flesh falls into the bowl and you are left with just the skin. Discard the skin. Repeat with the remaining tomato halves.
In a stainless steel saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly softened, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the garlic and salt. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the bowl of tomato pulp and juices to the pot, followed by the basil leaves.
Cook, over medium-low or low heat to maintain a simmer with gentle bubbles, for 30 to 60 minutes or until the juices have thickened into a sauce-like consistency. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed to maintain a simmer.
Once the sauce has thickened, remove from heat. Stir in the red wine vinegar.
Use a hand blender to puree all or some of it, depending on your desired texture. Alternatively, you can transfer the sauce to an upright blender or food processor to puree. Leave the lid slightly cracked or remove the plastic circle in the center of the lid to allow steam to escape (and do not overfill).
Serve over pasta of choice. I recommend spaghetti! Enjoy!
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Notes

This recipe yields 12 to 16 ounces of sauce. Double or triple the ingredients and use a large stainless steel stock pot or Dutch oven to make extra sauce to freeze for later!
Store the sauce in tightly sealed jars or airtight containers in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
To freeze, let it cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Seal tightly, label, and keep in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.
You can adjust the flavors based on your preferences. If the sauce is too sour or acidic, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter at the end until melted or add ½ to 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. This also helps if the sauce tastes bitter. For some heat, add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper. If it tastes dull, add a splash more vinegar. A squeeze of tomato paste can make the sauce more flavorful if you’re using a bland tomato variety.

Nutrition