Use fresh tomatoes for this easy tomato sauce recipe (no peeling necessary!). This macro-friendly red sauce has smooth, rich Italian flavors, great for spaghetti, pasta, pizza, or soup!
Even though my Hearty Spaghetti Sauce is really, really good, my sister-in-law is the one who is known in our family for making the best spaghetti sauce.
Her secret weapon? Fresh garden tomatoes!
We now have a garden that’s producing way more tomatoes than we could ever use to make our Basic Pizza Sauce, so I took a cue from my sister-in-law and made my own homemade tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes.
It was absolutely DELICIOUS, and I want to share the recipe with you!
What makes the best tomato sauce recipe?
Combining loads of tomatoes, simple seasonings, and extra veggies gives you a tomato sauce with vibrant, fresh flavor that tastes like summer on your plate!
REASONS TO MAKE HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE
Here’s why you’ll want to get this homemade red sauce cooking too:
- It’s SO easy. Really truly. It takes time, but zero kitchen skills are required.
- It’s WAY better than anything store-bought. I’m not exaggerating here. Just wait, taste, and see!
- You can 100% control the ingredients. Apart from the ripe tomatoes, this recipe has three veggies and zero sweeteners. Plus, it’s gluten-free and dairy-free!
- A basic tomato sauce can become virtually anything later. It can be Tomato Basil Soup or Pizza Sauce or marinara sauce or even Spaghetti Sauce.
- It’s hands-off. Get the sauce going – on the stove or in a slow cooker – set the kitchen timer and get busy doing something else!
- This recipe makes a lot! And freezes really well! I use 10 pounds of tomatoes, but you can halve the recipe if you have fewer tomatoes.
- No need for peeled whole tomatoes! Skip the blanching process – one less step makes this SUPER easy!
If you would rather can your garden harvest of tomatoes for future recipes, check out How to Can Diced Tomatoes.
HOMEMADE RED SAUCE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Load up on tomatoes and grab these staples to make the red sauce recipe.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Just enough olive oil to caramelize the onions.
- Onion. Any onion will do. I used a sweet yellow onion.
- Garlic. This is a BASIC homemade tomato sauce so that it can become other things later. I went easy on the garlic in this recipe. You can always add more garlic later if you want to.
- Tomatoes. We’re using FRESH tomatoes (a lot of them). Clear out the garden to use your own tomatoes, hit up your farmers market, or watch for those sales! Traditionally, Roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes are used for fresh tomato sauce. But use what you have available!
- Salt + Black Pepper. Keeping the seasonings simple helps focus on the flavor of the summer veggies.
- Dried Basil. Since basil is naturally sweet, it complements the tomatoes well. If you’re out of dried basil, other herbs like dried oregano or fresh basil will work too!
- Carrots. These are optional, but they’re naturally sweet and go well with tomatoes. Having something sweet helps balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, and carrots are a better alternative than sugar.
- Bell Peppers. These are also optional, but they balance out all the flavors. Plus, it’s an easy way to sneak in more veggies! Choose red bell peppers for a similar subtle sweetness like the carrots, or go with green peppers for more of the chunky jarred sauce flavor.
Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!).
HOW TO MAKE TOMATO SAUCE FROM FRESH TOMATOES
Here’s how to make tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes.
Step 1. Measure the olive oil, onions, and garlic in a very large stockpot. Cook the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until they are caramelized and medium-golden brown, for about 30 minutes.
Step 2. Add the tomatoes and gently squish about half of them with a wooden spoon. No need to cut into smaller pieces first.
Step 3. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Step 4. Uncover the pot and add any remaining tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Bring the sauce to a low boil and cook until the sauce is reduced by one quarter, about 2-4 hours. Stir occasionally.
Step 5. Puree the tomato sauce using an immersion blender (this is the one I have), and if the sauce seems too thin, simmer a little bit longer until it’s the consistency you prefer.
You can also use a blender or food processor. Just be careful and work in batches. The mixture will be hot!
Step 6. Season with basil, salt, and pepper! Serve immediately, or cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
CROCKPOT HOMEMADE SAUCE TOMATO
I also tested this in my slow cooker, and it works just as well.
Skip the first step of caramelizing the onions and simply dump everything in the crockpot.
Crack the lid and cook the tomato sauce on low for 4-6 hours, or until most of the liquid has cooked off. Follow steps 5 and 6 to puree and season the sauce, and that’s it!
MACRO-FRIENDLY FRESH TOMATO SAUCE RECIPE
A red sauce recipe like this homemade tomato sauce is fairly low in all of your macros – protein, carbohydrates, and fat. That means it’s a great option for adding flavor without adding a ton of calories or throwing off your macro goals.
That also means you need to make sure you’re pairing it with plenty of protein, whether that’s meatballs for pasta or using it in a recipe like Slow Cooker Lasagna.
Looking for more ways to increase your protein? Try one of my favorite high-protein recipes – I always have these on my meal plan and keep them stocked in my fridge. This way, I always have a protein-focused meal to put on my plate! Grab High Protein Recipes on Repeat here.
TOMATO SAUCE RECIPE FAQS
Do I have to peel tomatoes for handmade tomato sauce?
Nope! You don’t have to peel any tomatoes for this tomato sauce recipe.
Why boil tomatoes before making sauce?
Some recipes call for boiling tomatoes to peel them before making the sauce. This tomato sauce recipe skips that step and jumps right into making the sauce!
How do you thicken up tomato sauce recipes?
The tomato sauce will thicken up if you let it simmer for a bit longer. Check often for your preferred thickness.
How long will this homemade tomato sauce recipe last in the fridge?
This homemade tomato sauce recipe lasts 5-7 days in the fridge.
Can homemade tomato sauce be frozen?
Yes! I recommend freezing in one-quart freezer-safe bags. Since most jars of spaghetti sauce are 28-32 ounces, one bag is about the same.
MORE RECIPES FOR FRESH TOMATOES
High Protein Recipes on Repeat
Download the top 15+ recipes that are on repeat in my house, making it easy to feed my family AND meet my protein goals!
Homemade Tomato Sauce Using Fresh Tomatoes
Use fresh tomatoes for this easy tomato sauce recipe (no peeling necessary!). This macro-friendly red sauce has smooth, rich Italian flavors, great for spaghetti, pasta, pizza, or soup!
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion chopped (150g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic quartered (9g)
- 10 lbs fresh tomatoes quartered (4536g)
- 2 cups carrots chopped (220g)
- 1 cup bell peppers chopped (about 2 small) (149g)
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
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Measure the olive oil, onions, and garlic in a very large stockpot. Cook the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until they are caramelized and medium-golden brown, about 30 minutes.
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Add as many tomatoes as you can. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently squish about half of the tomatoes in the pot.
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Bring the tomatoes to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
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Uncover the pot and add any remaining tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Bring the sauce to a low boil and cook until the sauce is reduced by one quarter, about 2-4 hours.
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Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until it’s smooth. If the sauce seems too thin, continue to cook until it’s the desired consistency.
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Season with salt, pepper, and dried basil.
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Serve immediately, or cool completely before storing in the freezer.
Crockpot Tomato Sauce:
-
Skip the first step of caramelizing the onions and simply dump everything in the crockpot. Crack the lid and cook the tomato sauce on low for 4-6 hours, or until most of the liquid has cooked off. Follow steps 5 and 6 to puree and season the sauce.
Notes
- A red sauce recipe like this homemade tomato sauce is fairly low in all of your macros – protein, carbohydrates, and fat. That means it’s a great option for adding flavor without adding a ton of calories or throwing off your macro goals.
- That also means you need to make sure you’re pairing it with plenty of protein, whether that’s meatballs for pasta or using it in a recipe like Slow Cooker Lasagna.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 114mgPotassium: 512mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3553IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
