Easy and Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe (Perfect on Pastas and Pizzas)

• Recipe: Tomato Sauce
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Learn how to create homemade tomato sauce! This simple, tasty recipe, made with fresh tomatoes, is great on pasta, pizza, and other dishes.

Making this homemade tomato sauce recipe is one of my favorite things to do in the late summer. It’s something I only prepare at this time of year, when fresh tomatoes are sweet, juicy, and plentiful, like bruschetta or a wonderful Caprese salad.

The texture of this tomato sauce is a little looser and chunkier than my regular marinara sauce, and the flavor is sweeter and fresher. It’s a terrific way to use up tomatoes from your garden, but even if you don’t, I hope you’ll give it a try.

It’s delicious with pasta or zucchini noodles, on handmade pizza, or spooned over crispy breaded eggplant. Them’s a terrific way to taste tomatoes while they’re at their peak, no matter how you serve them.

Ingredients for Fresh Tomato Sauce

Let’s talk about tomatoes for a moment. You’ll need 3 pounds of medium on-the-vine tomatoes to prepare this homemade tomato sauce.

Because this dish contains so many fresh tomatoes, I recommend making it throughout the summer or early fall, when tomatoes are in season.

Ingredients for tomato sauce

Do you have your tomatoes? You’ll also need the following items to complete this recipe:

• Extra-virgin olive oil — It gives taste depth and richness.
• The flavorful basis of the sauce is made up of shallots and garlic.
• Tomato pastes – It thickens the sauce and adds umami flavor.
• Balsamic vinegar – It gives a pleasant acidity to the dish.
• Cane sugar balances out the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar, resulting in a tasty, well-balanced sauce.
• For a fresh, aromatic flavor, use dried oregano and fresh basil.
• Red pepper flakes — They add a touch of spiciness.
• And a pinch of salt and pepper to bring out the flavors!

How to make Tomato Sauce?

To create tomato sauce, I start by removing the skins and seeds from the tomatoes. This process takes some time, but it’s not difficult. Simply cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds with a tiny spoon.

Then, using the broad holes of a box grater, grind the cut side of each tomato in half. The tomato flesh will fall through the grater (put it over a dish to collect all that tomatoey goodness! ), but the skins will remain. The skins will be discarded…

…and you’re left with a large bowl of crushed tomato pulp.

Cook the sauce after that. Begin by sautéing the shallot and garlic in a skillet.

Then, add the grated tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes, and basil sprig, and cook, stirring regularly, for 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Remove the basil sprig and set it aside, then enjoy!

Serving Suggestions for Tomato Sauce

This fresh tomato sauce is usually served over spaghetti. For a tasty, filling summer supper, toss it with your favorite pasta shape. A few fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan (or vegan Parmesan) elevate this dish to new heights.

If you’re not in the mood for spaghetti, there are plenty of other options. That’s not an issue! Here are some more ideas for how to utilize this sauce:

• To provide as a dipping sauce. Scoop it up with baked zucchini chips or zucchini from the air fryer.
• On pizza, to be precise. Make a basic Margherita or customize it with your favorite toppings!
• Served on top of polenta. Serve it over creamy polenta as a hearty side dish, or make it a dinner by adding roasted broccoli or grilled zucchini.
• Spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles These light, fresh pasta alternatives are one of our favorites.
• In a meatball sub, to be precise. Fill soft baguettes with vegan meatballs and fresh tomato sauce spoonfuls!

Fresh Tomato Sauce

This fresh and tasty homemade tomato sauce recipe! Serve it as a pasta sauce or on pizza, polenta, and other dishes. Additional serving ideas can be seen in the post above.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds medium on-the-vine tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cup finely minced shallot
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon cane sugar
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 sprig of fresh basil
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes by slicing them in half and scooping them out. Place a box grater over a big mixing bowl and press the cut side of the tomato flesh into the grater’s wide holes. Remove the skins from the tomatoes and grate the flesh into the bowl.
2. In a medium pot over low heat, heat the olive oil. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, with the shallot, garlic, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
3. Combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, cane sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes, and basil sprigs in a large mixing bowl. Cover and cook for 30 minutes on low heat, stirring periodically. Remove the basil sprig and season with salt and pepper to taste.