Nothing beats fresh! This Homemade Tomato Sauce was crafted from the last of our cherry tomato harvest. Saying goodbye to the season was bittersweet, but we gave them the perfect send-off with this sauce!
Coming from an Italian background, tomato sauce HAD to be perfected. Whether you call it Tomato Sauce, Red Sauce, Tomato Gravy or Sunday Sauce...everyone loves a good version of this freshly made goodness! What you'll find below is a sauce I grew up having on Sundays in a Cheese Lasagna straight from my grandmother's cookbook.
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Ingredients
To make your Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce, here's what you'll need:
- Cherry Tomatoes - This is what we had in the garden, but you can also use grape tomatoes or Campari tomatoes. Roma tomatoes will work too, but they aren't as sweet.
- Olive Oil - I used Blazing Bella Olive Oil for this recipe. They've been my new favorite company offering a range from oils and vinegars to hot sauces and salsas.
- Garlic - I strongly encourage you to use fresh minced garlic. A garlic powder just doesn't cut it for this one.
- Shallot - shallots are milder and sweeter than regular onions. If you need to sub this out for regular onion, use a sweet onion and use less of it.
- Basil - Can use fresh or dried. Always pairs well with tomatoes, garlic, and Italian dishes like this one!
- Oregano - I used dried for this recipe. Keep in mind that the dried versions are more concentrated and pungent. If using fresh oregano, use 3X more. (1 tablespoon Fresh = 1 teaspoon Dried)
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Why Cherry and Grape Tomatoes are the Best
Because my Italian mom said so! My mom taught me how to make this tomato sauce a number of years ago, and since then, we've tried all sorts of different tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes always do the trick! Here's why:
- When the sugars break down in the tomatoes as they cook, it will intensify the sweetness and bring out a better flavor than a traditional tomato. Therefore, it enhances and creates a complex flavor for your palate.
- When juices release from the tomatoes, they become a natural thickener. While cooking, the skins burst, releasing the natural pectin found in the tomatoes, similar to Raspberries. In turn, they release lots of flavorful juices.
- It creates an emulsion when you add in Extra Virgin Olive Oil when mixed with the pectin and tomato juices that render down, as well as when you add in other flavors, such as the Shallots for more complex flavors and sweetness.
- Nutritional Value versus buying a jarred or canned sauce, which I am not against, since I actually have lots of Carbone in my pantry. When you cook the tomatoes, the walls in the cells break down lycopene and other compounds, making it readily available for our body to absorb and intake.
- Lastly, it's fast and super-efficient, and a healthier way to make a pasta sauce. Yes, I know some of you may already be asking about the skins. You will see some of the skins in the sauce, and if that freaks you out, then simply run it through a blender, but the key is to just pulse it. Don't, and I repeat, blend it to a pulp, sort of speak. Just pulse it so the sauce remains slightly chunky.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Mince garlic and shallots.
- Toss all ingredients into a 9X9 baking dish and mix.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Mash tomatoes or puree tomatoes in a blender if you like a smoother sauce. Makes 32oz of Tomato Sauce.
Equipment and Supplies
- Smasher - Great for mashing potatoes, roasted vegetables, or even avocado.
- Blender - A blender I've had for years, and it never fails me! Holds 64 oz and has 12 different settings.
- 9X9 Baking Dish - Any 9x9 oven safe will work. This Mikasa one has been great and affordable!
Storage
Let your Tomato Sauce cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container or glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you want to freeze for later, portion out your sauce into freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 4 months. The best way to enjoy it later is to thaw it out in the fridge overnight.
If using a water bath canning or pressure canning method, you can store your canned tomato sauce for up to 18 months.
More Italian Recipes
- Chicken and Pasta Alfredo Bake
- Easy Lasagna Recipe with Cottage Cheese
- Fresh Basil Pesto (with Pine Nuts)
- Caprese Chicken Casserole
Video of Recipe
Recipe
Homemade Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- Masher or Blender
- 9x9 Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 7 Cups Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon Shallots minced
- 5-6 Cloves Garlic minced
- 4 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2½ teaspoon Basil
- 2½ teaspoon Oregano
- 2½ teaspoon Salt
- 1½ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Mince garlic and shallots.
- Toss all ingredients into a 9X9 baking dish and mix.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Mash tomatoes or puree tomatoes in a blender if you like a smoother sauce. Makes 32oz of Tomato Sauce.
Tim Clowers says
I love this easy recipe
BEVERLY NYOKA WILLIAMS says
It sounds delicious!! I want to make sauces , I love PASTA!!! I need to know all ingredients.
CookitwithTim says
Were you able to find the ingredients section? Let me know if you need assistance! Here to help.
John says
I do this with Everglades tomatoes here in Florida but you missed the best ingredient. Bacon grease
CookitwithTim says
Haha! I like your style. I'm all about some bacon grease.
Rabecca says
excited to make this homemade sauce! for the cherry tomatoes. I usually buy from store. how many dry pints would i need to equal 7cups
CookitwithTim says
Hey Rebecca! It's about 3.5 Pints. Hope you love it as much as we do!
Mo says
Absolutely delicious! I won’t go back to my traditional recipe! Thank you.
CookitwithTim says
Love hearing that you love this too! I appreciate the feedback! Happy cooking Mo!
Missy says
Made this tonight with cherry tomatoes from our garden. It was absolutely amazing! Very happy we found this and we will be making this more often!! Thanks again for sharing such a simple and flavorful recipe.
CookitwithTim says
Such a great way to use up the extra tomatoes! Glad you found this helpful and tasty, Missy! Thanks for the review 🙂
Monique Wood says
I made this with small cherry Lemon boy tomato's (my family cannot eat red tomato's). It smells and looks delicious and cannot wait to make our pasta dinner
Monique Wood says
I made this with small cherry Lemon boy tomato's (my family cannot eat red tomato's). It smells and looks delicious and cannot wait to make our pasta dinner!!!!!
CookitwithTim says
So excited for ya'll to enjoy it with pasta! Gotta let me know how that turns out!
Sheila Simonette says
This smells amazing as it bakes! Tastes great too. I used a mixture of a few large red cherry and a lot of black cherry because that's what I had. I will probably increase the red next time. Thanks for this fabulous recipe. It is definitely going into my regular rotation.
CookitwithTim says
That's amazing to hear! Glad you've loved it and found it helpful, Sheila!
Shayne Comeau says
I tried this Recipe that you provided here Tim and let me tell you that my whole family and everyone special to me just loved it. and it was so simple to make, it makes cooking so approachable. I will be looking through your cookbook mate because this was bloody brilliant
CookitwithTim says
Woohoo! Love that! Did you serve it over pasta? I love hearing what people end up making with it.
Shayne Comeau says
Yes, just a simple pasta I threw together with this sauce while I was baking bread. My kitchen smelled phenomenal! Perhaps next time I’ll try it with homemade pasta to really do it justice.
Lisa says
this is fantastic, Tim. i don't have shallots normally so i used red onion. we grow our own garlic and tomatoes, so this was doubly delicious. the left over sauce that i had i made into a roasted tomato lentil potato and carrot stew - it was incredible! thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂 i'm making it again today - it's THAT GOOD!
CookitwithTim says
I am so glad you loved it and yes, homegrown makes everything better!
RC says
Perfect
CookitwithTim says
Glad you've loved it!