Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce
This is a great way to use up some extra tomatoes from your garden. It makes a delicious sauce for spaghetti.
This is a great way to use up some extra tomatoes from your garden. It makes a delicious sauce for spaghetti.
- Carbohydrate 86.2496961136198 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 7.30354146143963 g
- Fiber 23.968409618798 g
- Protein 18.8847514236843 g
- Saturated Fat 1.03566445458968 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (1920g)
- Sodium 267.889473986822 mg
- Sugar 62.2812864948218 g
- Trans Fat 1.22567754843033 g
- Calories 424 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. Using a paring knife, core each tomato and score a small X in the bottom.
- In batches, carefully add the tomatoes to the boiling water and leave in just until the skins begin to split, 15 to 30 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath.
- Peel the tomatoes and discard the skins. Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out and discard the seeds. Roughly chop.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 1 hour. Stir in the basil and italian seasonings. Use the sauce immediately or freeze it for up to 3 months.
The Blanching Window
Dropping tomatoes into boiling water for exactly 15 to 30 seconds requires absolute vigilance, because leaving them submerged even slightly too long starts cooking the flesh instead of merely loosening the skin. Immediately plunging these hot fruits into an ice bath halts residual thermal energy instantly. Scoring a small X through the skin at the base provides a clean starting point for peeling once the thermal shock takes effect. This brief thermal intervention prevents raw tomato layers from turning mushy before the actual simmering process even begins.Moisture Control and Slicing
Squeezing out the internal seed gel chambers removes excess water that would otherwise dilute the viscosity during the hour-long reduction phase. Cutting the peeled fruit in half exposes the seed cavities for effortless extraction by hand over a colander. Slicing the garlic cloves rather than mincing them prevents scorching in the olive oil over medium heat. When the chopped onions turn tender after 5 to 6 minutes, incorporating tomato paste builds deep umami before the bulk moisture enters the pot.Storage and Dietary Notes
Simmering the mixture until it thickens concentrates the natural sugars without requiring any dairy thickeners or meat additives. Completely plant-based profiles allow this preparation to fit naturally into vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and nut-free meal plans. Portioning the finished batch into freezer-safe containers preserves quality for up to 3 months. Cooling the sauce thoroughly prior to freezing prevents condensation buildup that alters final texture.
