This sauce is packed with the rich and fresh flavor of garden tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. It’s great for tossing with pasta, topping pizza, or serving over your favorite meatballs.
Ingredients For Fresh Tomato Sauce
Tomatoes: Use ripe garden tomatoes or summer market tomatoes—the riper, the better! You can use any variety of tomatoes for this recipe—plum tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, or heirlooms are favorites. Herbs: Dried herbs are added earlier in the cooking process so they have a chance to rehydrate. Fresh basil and parsley are added just before serving for a fresh flavor. Red Wine: Use a dry wine like Italian Chianti or Pinot Noir. These pair well with the flavors of tomato and are, in general, very good wines to cook with. These wines can also pair well for drinking, so keep those leftovers to serve with dinner!
How to Peel Tomatoes
Peeling tomatoes is optional but I prefer the texture of the sauce with peeled tomatoes. Tomatoes can range in flavor from very sweet to very tart or even bland if they’re not in season. Taste a slice of tomato before cooking. I’ve included some tips in the notes in the recipe below based on the flavor of your tomatoes. If your tomatoes are very tart, you can add a little bit of shredded carrot or finely diced red peppers for sweetness (we do this with marinara sauce too). A pinch of sugar works too. To peel tomatoes, cut an ‘X’ on the bottom of each tomato with a paring knife. Place in a pot of boiling water for 20 seconds and then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop it from cooking. The skins will easily peel off.
How to Make Fresh Tomato Sauce
Tips for Perfection
Ensure tomatoes are ripe and juicy, with a vibrant, tart flavor. Strain the seeds but be sure to collect the juices, it adds lots of flavor to the sauce. For a chunky sauce, skip the blender and instead break up the cooked tomatoes with a spoon or a masher. Thicken the sauce further by cooking it longer. If the sauce is too acidic, add a pinch of sugar, just a little at a time, until the flavor seems “just right.” Fresh herbs are delicate and should be added just before serving.
Storage & Freezing
Store this fresh tomato sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days. Ladle leftovers into a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months.
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