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In the summer, there’s nothing better than homemade, fresh garden tomato sauce – perfect for your favorite pasta dish!
Garden Tomato Sauce
I have a backyard garden, and every summer I end up with more tomatoes than I know what to do with. There’s nothing like a pot of fresh tomato sauce simmering on the stove—especially when it’s made with ripe, garden-picked tomatoes. My version uses sweet plum tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a touch of olive oil for a simple, vibrant sauce you can enjoy right away or freeze for later. Whether you grow your own or pick them up at the market, this garden tomato sauce is a summer staple you’ll make on repeat. And if your garden is overflowing with grape or cherry tomatoes, try my grape tomato sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Fresh Tomato Sauce
- Made with ripe, seasonal tomatoes – Natural sweetness and garden-fresh flavor.
- Simple, wholesome ingredients – Just plum tomatoes, fresh herbs, olive oil, and a pinch of seasoning.
- Versatile – Perfect for pasta, pizza, lasagna, or as a base for soups and stews.
- Freezer-friendly – Make a big batch now and enjoy summer flavor year-round.
- Customizable – Swap in grape, cherry, or heirloom tomatoes, or roast them like this roasted tomato sauce for deeper flavor.
How to Peel Fresh Tomatoes
The most labor-intensive part of making homemade tomato sauce is peeling the tomatoes. First, slice an “X” on the bottom of each tomato and then drop them in a pot of boiling water. Once the skin cracks after a minute or two, remove them and let cool. Peel off the skins and dice the tomatoes.
How to Make Fresh Tomato Sauce
While, yes, opening a jar of Italian tomato sauce is super easy, making it from scratch isn’t very hard, and the results are definitely worth the extra effort! Once your tomatoes are prepped, follow these three simple steps:
- Remove the skin of the tomatoes by cutting an x on the bottom, then blanching until skin starts to peel. Let them cook and peel off.
- Sauté garlic over medium heat, add the red pepper flakes and then the tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
- Partially cover the pot and cook on low for 25 minutes.
- Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.
- I like a chunkier sauce, if you like a smooth sauce, you can puree the sauce after.
How to Store and Freeze Fresh Tomato Sauce
This recipe is perfect for doubling or tripling if you have a surplus of tomatoes. Let the sauce cool, then transfer to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love:
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 /2 cup
Cook Mode
To peel the tomatoes, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Slice an X on the bottom of each tomato.
When boiling, drop the tomatoes in the water to blanch 1 to 2 minutes, or until the skin cracks.
Quickly remove from the water and let them cool a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle, the skin will come right off.
Dice the tomatoes fine.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. When hot add the garlic and saute until golden brown.
Add red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Partially cover and cook low heat 25 minutes.
Add the basil and remove from heat. I like it chunky, if you like it smooth, you can puree part of the sauce after. Serve over your favorite pasta.
Last Step:
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Serving: 1 /2 cup, Calories: 61 kcal, Carbohydrates: 9 g, Protein: 1.5 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Sodium: 157 mg, Fiber: 2 g
