How to Make Tomato Sauce

Large-Batch Fresh Tomato Sauce

This large-batch tomato sauce is a good way to use ripe garden tomatoes. The tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs are blended before cooking, which creates a smoother sauce without peeling every tomato first.

Because fresh tomatoes contain a lot of water, the sauce needs time to simmer and reduce. The longer it cooks, the thicker and more concentrated the flavor becomes.

Makes approximately 6 to 8 pints, depending on how long the sauce reduces.

Ingredients

• 10 pounds fresh tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or other cooking oil
• 3 medium onions, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 large bunch fresh oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large bunches fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions

1. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly, remove the cores, and cut the tomatoes into quarters.
2. Working in batches, blend the tomatoes until smooth.
3. Pour the blended tomatoes into a large stockpot.
4. Blend the onions, garlic, oregano, and parsley until finely chopped or smooth.
5. Add the blended herb mixture and the two whole bay leaves to the tomatoes.
6. Stir in the oil, celery salt, sugar, and black pepper.
7. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
8. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for several hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces by about half or reaches your preferred thickness.
9. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, herbs, or sweetness as needed.
10. Remove and discard both bay leaves before serving, blending, or storing the sauce.
11. Cool the sauce before transferring it to freezer-safe containers.
12. Never blend hot sauce in a tightly sealed blender. Let it cool first and work in small batches.

Easy Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

Don't have a garden full of tomatoes? This simple slow cooker tomato sauce is perfect for busy days. Using canned crushed tomatoes saves preparation time while slow cooking allows the flavors to blend into a rich, homemade sauce.

This recipe is ideal for spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, meatballs, or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.

Ingredients

• 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes or about 8 cups pureed fresh tomatoes
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, and olive oil to a slow cooker.
2. Stir everything together until well combined.
3. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
4. Stir once or twice during cooking if convenient.
5. Taste and season with salt and pepper before serving.

Italian Tomato Sauce

This hearty Italian-style tomato sauce has a richer flavor and thicker texture than the basic version. Tomato paste adds body while mushrooms, garlic, basil, and oregano create a classic pasta sauce that's perfect for spaghetti, lasagna, baked ziti, and pizza.

Cooking the sauce slowly in a crock pot allows the flavors to blend together while the tomatoes naturally thicken into a rich, homemade sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3½ cups whole peeled tomatoes
• 2/3 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and onion into a blender or food processor and blend until you reach your preferred texture.
2. Pour the mixture into a slow cooker.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, water, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
4. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours, stirring once or twice if convenient.
5. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings before serving.

Spagateni: A Kid-Created Tomato Sauce

One of our favorite tomato sauce recipes was created by six-year-old Thomas McNair from Fort Worth, Texas. His idea was to blend carrots into the sauce so they would add natural sweetness and extra nutrition - even for people who don't usually like carrots!

This recipe is a wonderful reminder that cooking is about experimenting, tasting, and creating your own family favorites.

Recipe created by Thomas McNair, age 6.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 2 medium carrots
• 1/2 onion
• Garlic, basil, and oregano to taste
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Grate or finely chop the carrots and onion.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the carrots and onion until softened.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes.
4. Stir in the rosemary, garlic, basil, and oregano.
5. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly stir in the milk and warm gently for about 5 minutes without boiling.
7. Serve over pasta or use as a dipping sauce.