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Home » Ingredient » Pasta » Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce

Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce

By: Rosemary Published: August 17, 2022 Updated on: August 17, 2022

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Delicious Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce, just a few ingredients makes this fast and easy sauce the perfect way to use up some Summer Tomatoes.

Fresh tomato sauce and pasta in a frying pan.

For most people August is the season of vacations and getting the kids ready for going back to school, for me August is also tomato season. Well it was the season of tomatoes for the past 25 years.

Unfortunately my mother-in-law is no longer capable so it’s everyone on their own. Even though I don’t make the bottles like we used to, I still like to make a tasty Fresh Tomato Sauce during the summer.

Table of Contents

  • Recipe Ingredients
  • How Italians make Fresh Tomato Sauce
  • How to make Fresh Tomato Sauce
  • What are the best tomatoes to use?
  • Fresh Herbs to add
      • Never Miss a Recipe!
  • What is the best pasta to use?
  • FAQs
  • More Delicious Fresh Tomato Recipes
  • Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce
    • Ingredients US CustomaryMetric 1x2x3x
    • Instructions 
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

Recipe Ingredients

  • Tomatoes – ripe
  • Garlic – minced
  • Oregano
  • Salt
  • Basil – fresh leaves
  • Olive oil
  • Hot pepper flakes – optional
  • Pasta –

How Italians make Fresh Tomato Sauce

This is the time of the year  we would focus mainly on picking and boiling tomatoes to make a delicious sauce that I then usually use for my pasta dishes.

We would sit around a huge pot of boiling water filled with tomatoes. We would then peel, squish and squeeze those tomatoes into as many bottles as we can fill,

Cap them and then boil the bottles in a huge metal barrel over a wood burning fire. These will last over the winter until the next August.

When I have too many ripe tomatoes I make a home made fast version of the way we used to make the sauce. This way uses approximately 10 ripe tomatoes and is plenty enough to feed 3-4 people for lunch and dinner or whichever you prefer.

Tomato sauce and pasta in a black bowl.

How to make Fresh Tomato Sauce

Wash the tomatoes and place them in a large bowl, cover the tomatoes with boiling water and let them sit for approximately 10 minutes (it should be easy to remove the skin, but be careful it’s hot)

I hold the tomato with a fork in one hand and with a knife in the other I remove the skin. Be sure to squeeze out excess water and remove the seeds and any white flesh,

Cut the cleaned tomatoes into small pieces place in a medium to large pan with a the olive oil.

fresh tomato sauce how to make whole tomatoes and cut in a bowl

Add the spices, squish the tomatoes with a fork and then simmer on low medium until thickened.

fresh tomatoes how to make before cooked and after cooked

Toss with cooked al dente pasta and serve sprinkled with some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.

What are the best tomatoes to use?

The best tomatoes to use or the ones we always used for sauce are San Marzano or Roma tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are meatier with less water content and an outstanding taste, which makes them perfect. San Marzano also have more flesh, they have less seeds with a stronger, sweeter and less acidic taste. Both are great choices.

Fresh Herbs to add

The good thing is that, when making this sauce you can use all the fresh herbs available at this time of year too, fresh basil, oregano and garlic are all perfect choices.

Pasta in a black bowl and some in a pan.
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    What is the best pasta to use?

    This fresh tomato sauce is so good, there’s no need to add meat or any other vegetable, all you need is your favourite pasta, preferably a short pasta like penne, rigatoni, fusilli or any short ridgy pasta that will hold the sauce.

    FAQs

    How to store leftover sauce.

    Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container in the fridge, it will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Re-heat the pasta in the microwave or frying pan on low heat, if it is really thick then add a little water.

    How to freeze it

    Let the sauce cool completely then transfer it to a freezer safe container or freezer bags. It’s a good idea to label the bag or container with the date then freeze. It will last 5-6 months in the freezer. Thaw the sauce in the fridge.

    Sprinkle with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, and don’t forget a few slices of  crusty Italian bread to soak up any extra sauce left on your plate. Dinner is served. Buon Appetito!

    Tomato sauce and pasta in a black pan.

    More Delicious Fresh Tomato Recipes

    • Homemade Oven Dried Tomatoes
    • Creamy Fresh Tomato Pesto
    • Italian Pan Fried Tomatoes
    • Pesto Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes & Mozzarella
    Fresh tomato sauce and pasta in a black pan.

    Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce

    Rosemary Molloy
    Fresh Tomato Sauce, a healthy lunch or dinner sauce recipe. Made with fresh tomatoes and basil, the perfect easy homemade Italian sauce recipe.
    4.71 from 27 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Dish, Pasta
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 251 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 5-8 very ripe tomatoes
    • 1-2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
    • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 6-8 leaves fresh basil chopped
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1-2 dashes hot pepper flakes if desired
    • 3-4 cups cooked pasta (1½ – 2 cups dry pasta)

    Instructions
     

    • Wash tomatoes and place in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit for approximately 10 minutes (should be easy to remove the skin, be careful because it is very hot). Remove skin and squeeze out excess water, remove seeds and any white or yellow flesh, cut into small pieces. 
    • In a medium-sized high sided frying pan add olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt,  fresh chopped basil leaves and hot pepper flakes if desired . 
    • Mix together and then squish gently with a fork, cook uncovered on medium heat till thickened,(while the sauce is cooking occasionally gently squish with a wooden spoon or fork). Simmer for approximately 20 – 25 minutes.   
    • While sauce is cooking boil the water, add salt and cook pasta al dente.
    • Add 3 cups of cooked short pasta and 1/2 ladle of pasta water, heat on medium/high heat for a couple of minutes gently tossing.  Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.  Enjoy!

    Notes

    The best tomatoes to use or the ones we always used for sauce are San Marzano or Roma tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are meatier with less water content and an outstanding taste, which makes them perfect. San Marzano also have more flesh, they have less seeds with a stronger, sweeter and less acidic taste. Both are great choices, or combine them together.
    This fresh tomato sauce is so good, there’s no need to add meat or any other vegetable, all you need is your favourite pasta, preferably a short pasta like penne, rigatoni, fusilli or any short ridgy pasta that will hold the sauce.
    Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container in the fridge, it will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Re-heat the pasta in a frying pan on low heat, if it is really thick then add a little water, or heat in the microwave.
    To freeze the sauce, let the sauce cool completely then transfer it to a freezer safe container or freezer bags. It’s a good idea to label the bag or container with the date then freeze. It will last 5-6 months in the freezer. Thaw the sauce in the fridge.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 6gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 151mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 705IUVitamin C: 10.9mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1.9mg
    Keyword easy tomato pasta sauce, homemade fresh tomato sauce
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Republished from August 21, 2014.

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      Main Dish, Pasta, Summer, Vegetables

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      1. Maggie says

        September 7, 2022 at 4:24 pm

        I made a small batch and this was delicious! 5-8 tomatoes is a big difference since they can be a variety of sizes. Can you tell me about how many cups this would be equal to? I have a lot of tomatoes in my garden and it would help with determining how much of the herbs, etc. I need to add when making a bigger batch.

        Thank you,

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          September 7, 2022 at 5:43 pm

          Hi Maggie, I would say this recipe makes about 2 cups more or less. Glad you liked it! Take care.

          Reply
      2. Barbara DiPietro says

        August 15, 2022 at 9:44 pm

        Can you freeze this sauce? I have a whole bag of tomatoes gifted by my neighbor!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          August 16, 2022 at 12:53 pm

          Hi Barbara, yes you can, freeze the completely cooled sauce in a freezer safe bag or container. It will last up to 6 months in the freezer. Take care.

          Reply
      3. Denny says

        August 15, 2022 at 12:07 am

        4 stars
        It’s a good basic sauce, I used Abraham Lincoln tomatoes and added more garlic, and basil, and some tomato paste to thicken it up, added onion, peppers and mushrooms to it . see loved it

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          August 16, 2022 at 1:57 pm

          Hi Denny, thanks, good choices. Take care.

          Reply
      4. Roseanna Festa says

        June 21, 2021 at 8:03 pm

        I need a recipe for tomato sauce without oregano. I’d like to know if you can put basil and bay leaf in the same sauce.

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          June 21, 2021 at 8:35 pm

          Hi Roseanna, sure that wouldn’t be a problem, remove the bay leaf before serving or plating.

          Reply
      5. Cathy Nichols says

        July 22, 2020 at 3:22 am

        5 stars
        My family loved it and it was easier then I thought. The hardest part was peeling the tomatoes and it wasn’t that hard.

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          July 22, 2020 at 8:14 pm

          Hi Cathy, thanks so much so glad everyone enjoyed it.

          Reply
      6. Laura says

        March 20, 2020 at 3:14 am

        5 stars
        This was so perfect to use some tomatoes up. Simple. Fresh. I only added a little finely cut onion. Delicious!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          March 20, 2020 at 10:48 pm

          Thanks Laura, glad you enjoyed it.

          Reply
      7. Emily says

        March 24, 2019 at 8:46 pm

        About how many cups of sauce will this make?

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          March 24, 2019 at 8:58 pm

          Hi Emily I would say approximately 2 cups. 🙂

          Reply
      8. Allison says

        January 28, 2019 at 5:31 am

        5 stars
        I love a chunky yet watery sauce like this one. Do you know how could you make this recipe safe for canning?

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          January 28, 2019 at 4:58 pm

          Hi Allison, thanks so much, you should check out this link for more info. https://www.planetnatural.com/canning-tomatoes/ hope it helps.

          Reply
      9. Rebecca Hsmpshire says

        September 13, 2018 at 6:55 am

        5 stars
        Yum! De best in de world!!!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          September 13, 2018 at 5:21 pm

          Hi Rebecca, 🙂 thanks so much.

          Reply
      10. paulinapiskorz says

        August 22, 2014 at 3:48 pm

        These pics look so delicious that they literally made my mouth water 🙂 Have you ever tried adding a pinch of chili powder to your tomato sauce like this http://www.listonic.com/protips/get/qzhgvapoih? It really adds flavor. Anyways, thanks for sharing this great recipe. Best wishes!

        Reply

      Hi, I'm Rosemary.

      Living in Italy I learned to cook authentic Italian dishes using whole ingredients, fresh veggies and delicious spices. So take a seat and have a taste! Read More

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