Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe

There's nothing like homemade tomato sauce to bring out the best in fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes. This slow-simmered sauce develops rich, complex flavors that will elevate any dish it graces.

Ingredients

• 10 ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Burgundy red wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Instructions

Follow these easy steps to make your own homemade tomato sauce:

1. Prepare the tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Using a sharp knife, make an X on the bottom of each tomato. Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water for about 1 minute or until the skin starts to peel. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the ice bath. Let them cool enough to handle, then remove the peels, squeeze out the seeds, and chop 8 of the tomatoes. Puree them in a blender until smooth. Chop the remaining 2 tomatoes and set them aside.
2. Saut the vegetables: Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Combine the ingredients: Pour the pureed tomatoes into the pot with the sauted vegetables. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, Burgundy wine, basil, and Italian seasoning. Add the celery stalks and bay leaf, then bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Simmer the sauce: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the sauce simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
5. Finish the sauce: Stir in the tomato paste, then continue simmering the sauce for an additional 2 hours. The sauce will become thick and flavorful during this time.
6. Remove the herbs: Before serving, discard the celery stalks and the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed.

Top Tips for Success

• Skinning tomatoes: To make peeling easier, score the bottom of each tomato with an X before boiling. This will help the skin come off more easily.
• Texture: For a chunkier sauce, reserve a few chopped tomatoes before blending and add them to the pureed mixture for a more rustic texture.
• Sauting vegetables: To get a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, make sure you cook the vegetables long enough. Adding 5 extra minutes to the saut time can help.
• Season to taste: Since the sauce may be used as a base for other dishes, it is best to skip salt and pepper during the cooking process. Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the seasoning to your preference.

How to Store Tomato Sauce

Allow the sauce to cool completely before storing it. Keep it in an airtight in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. To reheat, simply warm it on the stove.

Can You Freeze Tomato Sauce?

Yes, you can freeze your homemade tomato sauce. Pour the cooled sauce into zip-top storage bags, pressing out the excess air, and lay them flat in the freezer. For convenience, you can freeze the sauce in ice cube trays to easily reheat individual servings. The sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Facts

Each serving of this tomato sauce contains approximately:

• 149 calories
• 9g fat
• 15g carbohydrates
• 3g protein
• 4g dietary fiber
• 46mg Vitamin C
• 714mg potassium

Note: Nutrition values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

What Others Are Saying

"This is the best tomato sauce I've ever made. So fresh, so flavorful! It has become a family favorite." - Trish-the-Dish

"I made this sauce twice, and both times it was a hit. The second batch had a little extra kick with some garden-grown hot peppers. Delicious!" - Kato

"I swapped beef broth for wine, omitted the carrots, and added mushrooms. Turned out amazing!" - MaryAnne Flynn-Poeschl