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–+ servings
Jar of homemade Tomato Sauce canned over a table with basil plant

Authentic Italian Homemade Tomato Sauce

A thick, rich and flavorsome sauce that will preserve the freshness of summer tomatoes. A DIY red sauce that will give you a great base to use in many traditional Italian recipes.
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Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours
Course: sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: homemade tomato sauce, italian tomato sauce, red sauce, Tomato Sauce
Difficulty: Moderate
Servings: 8
Calories: 128kcal

Equipment

  • jar

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds tomatoes plum tomatoes (see notes)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar (see notes)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin

Instructions

  • Start by washing the tomatoes.
  • Heat a pot of water on the stovetop and when the water simmers, take the tomatoes one by one, make an X on the bottom of the veggie and place it in the water.
  • After 45-60 seconds remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon. You might need to do this in batches, so continue until you are done with all the tomatoes.
  • Now peel all your tomatoes. Cut them in half and remove the seeds. Cut each half in 2 quarters and remove the white part.
  • Chop the tomatoes and place them in a pot where you previously added EVOO and garlic. (see notes)
  • Let it simmer for 60 minutes covered, then for 30 minutes uncovered. (see notes)
  • Now you can use your sauce, freeze it, can it or refrigerate it. (see notes)

Notes

  • From 4 pounds of tomatoes, I obtained 2 jars. Each jar old 2 cups and 1/4.
  • Use possibly plum tomatoes as they are pulpy enough to obtain a thick, dense sauce. Alternatively, garden tomatoes are a good alternative.
  • It is important to add sugar, as it balances the natural tomato acidity.
  • To chop the tomatoes you have 2 alternatives, you can do it by hand and in this case it will lead to a chunkier sauce, Or you can use a food processor, which will give you a thinner sauce.
  • How long you will cook the tomatoes, will also give you 2 different results: the longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will be. The less you are simmering the sauce, the more liquid will be. It is up to your preference, many Italian recipes call for a thicker one.
  • For storing the sauce there are few options: you can use it immediately, you can refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. You can freeze it, in this case, it will last up to 8 weeks. Or best is to can it, following the link in the post.

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1889IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Have you tried to make it?Mention @Italian_Kitchen_Confessions or tag #Italian_Kitchen_Confessions!