Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe from Fresh Garden Tomatoes

Freeze the garden tomatoes

The summer is long gone, but the fruits of your labor are still waiting for you in the freezer. All summer long, Italian Roma tomatoes and other large varieties have gone straight from the garden into the freezer, awaiting the big day. The best time to make tomato sauce is when the weather turns cold outside and there’s enough time in your schedule for a serious cooking session. Homemade tomato sauce is a labor of love that will reward your efforts.

Best variety of tomatoes for Tomato Sauce

Italian Roma tomatoes are the best choice for tomato sauce due to their low water content. However, don’t hesitate to freeze Big Boy or Beefsteak tomatoes if your harvest exceeds what your family can consume. This year, I helped my friend Laura process her tomatoes since I couldn’t plant a garden last summer. We had to supplement her harvest with store-bought tomatoes, but the sauce was still fresh and delicious.

Step 1: Thaw the tomatoes and remove the skin

Take the frozen tomatoes out of the freezer and let them thaw overnight. Once defrosted, the skin of the fruit will easily slip off and can be discarded. If supplementing with fresh store-bought tomatoes, cut slits in their skins and parboil them for 5 minutes. After removing them from the hot water and allowing them to cool, the skins will slide off effortlessly, making them ready for processing.

Step 2: Process the tomatoes

Use a food mill with medium-sized holes to process the tomatoes. Place them in the mill and turn the handle to push the tomato flesh through the sieve, leaving behind the seeds and tough pieces. If the mill becomes clogged, turn the handle backward to lift the debris, remove it from the bottom, and continue milling.

Step 3: The onion mixture

Blend the onion, garlic, and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Add this mixture to a large cooking pot and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Cook the sauce

Add the tomato puree to the pot and mix it with the onion mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 4-6 hours.

Step 5: Complete the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste, sugar, salt, and fresh basil. Taste the sauce and adjust the sugar and salt as needed. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. Once done, let it cool and transfer it into jars for canning or freezing. The sauce lasts up to 6 months in the freezer and up to a year if canned properly.

Finishing touches before serving

When I am ready to use a jar of sauce, I heat it up in a pot and add some finishing ingredients. I usually use things that I have in my kitchen. These might be a few splashes of red or white wine, hot peppers or pepper flakes, minced fresh garlic, meat or vegan crumble (already cooked and browned), oregano, more basil, or thyme. Serve it with pasta for an easy weeknight meal.