Oh, honey, listen to me: those jars on the shelf just don’t cut it. They are flat, they taste like metal some days, and they certainly don’t smell like my kitchen on a Sunday afternoon! I remember watching my Aunt Maria stand over the gigantic stockpot when I was about this tall, stirring away for hours. She swore that the secret wasn’t expensive tomatoes, but patience. That’s why I’m sharing my absolute easiest, melt-in-your-mouth recipe on **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce**.
This isn’t some complicated, week-long affair; this is real, usable sauce you can make in under an hour that tastes like it simmered all day. It’s the foundational recipe I use for everything, and it’s sturdy enough to freeze perfectly. Trust me, once you try this simple, rich flavor, you’ll never look back at the store-bought stuff again!
Why This Recipe for How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce Works So Well
I know you have a million things going on, but this recipe for **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce** is designed to be your secret weapon. It’s so straightforward, but the payoff in flavor is huge! You seriously won’t believe the difference just a little quiet simmering time makes.
- It starts with pantry staples! No hunting down pricey fresh tomatoes out of season.
- The simmering time is essential—that’s where you build that deep, comforting Italian flavor that smells just incredible warming up the house.
- It’s incredibly versatile. I use this base for everything from pizza to dipping ravioli.
If you want robust flavor without the fuss, you’ve found the right way to start. For other easy flavor boosters, you should check out how I make my Irresistible Sweet and Sour Sauce, because sometimes you just need a quick, flavorful boost!
Essential Ingredients for How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
The beautiful thing about this recipe for **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce** is that it relies on things you probably already have in your pantry. I don’t like complicated ingredient lists, so grab what you need. I’m using canned tomatoes because they are perfectly ripe when they come off the shelf—way better than a sad, pale tomato in January!
You’ll need our main flavor base:
- Two big 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes.
- One 15-ounce can of plain tomato sauce.
- One medium yellow onion, and I mean finely chopped—we want this to melt away!
- Four generous cloves of garlic, minced nice and small.
- Two tablespoons of good olive oil to get things started.
- For herbs, grab one teaspoon of dried oregano and a half teaspoon of dried basil.
- Salt and pepper to taste, starting with a half teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of pepper.
- And here’s a trick: a single teaspoon of sugar is optional, but I always toss it in to cut any acidity from the canned tomatoes. It’s my insurance policy!
See? Simple list, maximum flavor potential!
Step-by-Step Instructions: How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce Perfectly
Okay, now for the fun part! Making this **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce** is seriously therapeutic once you get the rhythm down. You’ll just be stirring, smelling, and waiting for that amazing tomato aroma to fill your house. Just try to relax and let the heat do the work for you. Remember, timing is everything, especially when dealing with garlic—it goes from perfect to acrid in about two seconds!
Sautéing Aromatics for Your How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce Base
First things first, grab your big, heavy saucepan and get two tablespoons of olive oil warming up over medium heat. Toss in your finely chopped onion. I need you to cook those onions until they are totally soft and see-through, which usually takes a good five to seven minutes. They shouldn’t brown at all! As soon as they look wilted, splash in your minced garlic. You only cook that for about one minute until you can really smell it—that’s the signal! Seriously, pull the heat down if you think the garlic is catching; burned garlic ruins everything, trust me!
Simmering to Develop Flavor in Your How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Once the garlic smells glorious, pour in both cans of crushed tomatoes and that single can of tomato sauce. Give it a good swirl to combine everything. Now, toss in all your dried oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and that optional pinch of sugar we talked about. Bring the whole thing up to a nice, gentle simmer. Here’s the secret: reduce that heat way down low, cover the pot just partially with a lid so steam can escape, and let it bubble away for at least thirty minutes. If you have an extra hour, let it go longer! The longer it simmers, the deeper and sweeter the flavor gets. If you want a super smooth texture later, an immersion blender is your friend, but for now, just let it cook! For something different sometimes, I use a similar technique when making simple syrup.
Expert Tips for the Best How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Look, even though this recipe for **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce** is super easy, there are always ways to tweak it for your personal taste. These little things are what separate a good sauce from the sauce you dream about!
If you hate little bits of onion or garlic floating around in your final dish—maybe you’re serving this to someone sensitive—don’t sweat it. Once the sauce has simmered for that full time, grab yourself an immersion blender. Seriously, it’s worth having one! Just stick it right in the pot, give it a quick buzz, and boom—you have an incredibly smooth sauce. It saves so much hassle, and it works like a charm.
Also, if you like a little kick, think of that garlic step. Right when you add the minced garlic, throw in a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes. You want it hot enough that it adds warmth, not burn-your-face-off heat! It just wakes up those tomatoes wonderfully. For another sauce idea that packs a wallop of flavor, you should check out my take on homemade pesto sauce!
Storage and Make-Ahead Guide for Your Homemade Tomato Sauce
This is honestly one of the best parts about making your own sauce for **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce**—it keeps forever! If you have leftovers, which I always do, put them straight away into the fridge. It’ll be good in an airtight container for about five days. Trust me, it tastes even better on day two!
But if you really want to prep ahead, this sauce freezes like a dream! Make sure you let it cool down completely—I mean totally room temperature—before you put it into freezer-safe bags or containers. If you put hot sauce straight into the freezer, you risk thawing other things too quickly, and we don’t want any food safety oopsies!
I often make a double batch and freeze half for those nights when cooking dinner feels impossible. It thaws beautifully overnight in the fridge, ready to go over pasta or pizza dough!
Serving Suggestions for Your Delicious How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Now that you’ve mastered **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce**, what are you going to do with this liquid gold? The obvious answer is tossing it with your favorite spaghetti or penne—it clings perfectly! But don’t stop there. This sauce is the best base layer you can use for a quick homemade pizza. It’s also fantastic served warm in a small bowl for dipping mozzarella sticks or fried zucchini.
If you’re looking for a simple, satisfying weeknight meal, try drizzling this over some fresh pasta tossed with my garlic butter. It takes that classic comfort food to a whole new level!
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes when I How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce?
You absolutely can, but you have to manage your expectations! Fresh tomatoes, even good ones, have way more water content than the canned ones we use here. If you choose to use fresh ones, you’ll need to spend more time simmering the sauce to let all that extra water cook off. I usually add at least an extra 45 minutes of simmering time when I’m switching to fresh because you need to cook them down until they reach that thick, concentrated flavor we love.
How long can I store this homemade tomato sauce in the refrigerator?
Because we are cooking this sauce down nicely with that simmer time, it holds up well in the fridge! For best results and to keep that fresh-cooked taste, I always say five to seven days is the sweet spot in an airtight container. Never put it away while it’s still warm, though! Let it cool completely on the counter first, then pop that lid on tight and stick it in the coldest part of your fridge. If it starts smelling sour, toss it; but usually, it’s perfect for leftovers!
Nutritional Estimate for How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
I’m not a nutritionist, so please take these numbers as a general guide for **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce**! This information is calculated based on a half-cup serving size using the standard ingredients listed above, like the two cans of crushed tomatoes and the oil. Remember, this doesn’t include any extra sugar you might dump in, or if you decide to top it with a mountain of Parmesan cheese!
Here’s the breakdown so you can plan your plate:
- Calories: 110
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 18g (with 4g Fiber)
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
It’s naturally low in cholesterol, which is great news!
Share Your Success with This How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe
Seriously, I am so proud of you for getting through **How To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce**! Now that your house smells like a little piece of Italy, I need to know how it turned out!
Did the sugar really make a difference for you? Are you going to freeze half of it, or did the family devour it all on the couch while binge-watching TV? Don’t keep this success a secret!
Head back up to the top of the recipe card and leave me a star rating—even a quick three stars means the world to me. If you took a picture of your simmering pot or the final beautiful bowl of pasta, tag me on social media! I absolutely live for seeing these recipes come to life in your kitchens!
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Simple Homemade Tomato Sauce
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: About 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A basic recipe for making fresh tomato sauce from scratch.
Ingredients
- 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir to combine.
- Add the oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Add sugar if you are using it.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let it cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Longer cooking times deepen the flavor.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed before serving.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce after cooking.
- You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a little heat.
- This sauce freezes well for later use. Cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 3
- Saturated Fat: 0.5
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: tomato sauce, homemade sauce, pasta sauce, easy tomato recipe, canned tomatoes