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:
- Eggplant and Tomato Sauce
- Angel Hair with Shrimp and Tomato Sauce
- One-Pot Spaghetti Puttanesca
- Angel Hair Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes
- Spaghetti with Sauteed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes
Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups (5 lbs) plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- 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.
I uae an old fashioned food mill, no need to skin, remove seeds
Can this be put in plastic containers and then frozen – anyone know? Please?
Yes, see notes above about freezing.
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.
I tried this recipe. Had no hope for it to be good. But to my amazement it turned out terrific. I have several tomatoes to do and I will use this recipe again. Thank you so much ❤️
Doesn’t get better when you start with fresh ingredients!
made it and love it!
This is absolutely delicious! However, with the fresh tomatoes I used (Better Boys), I had to cook it for much longer than the recipe specified in order to cook out the water and have the sauce be the consistency I wanted. 4 1/2 hours to be exact. It was the best sauce I have ever tasted!
Nothing better than fresh summer tomato sauce!
Very delicious and simple. Love this !
Made this tonight as written. I had a bunch of tomatoes from my garden that needed to be used so this seemed like the perfect fit.
The family thoroughly enjoyed it! This recipe is perfection and so easy!
Love this recipe. I never seeded or skinned tomatoes before, and it is worth it! This sauce is fantastic. I use whatever tomatoes are best at the local farmers market. The first time I made it, we skipped the pasta altogether, served over spinach with wild caught shrimp. Divine!
Question: how long will the sauce stay fresh in the fridge? We have guests coming and I’m trying to decide whether to freeze to not.
4 Days is usually best in the fridge!
I omit the oil, and use my water bath canner and can the sauce instead. You can do pints or quarts, but it’s wonderful to be able not to have to buy store bought sauce with a lot of preservatives and added sugars. I make a huge batch in September, and then we’re good to go for the next year. Two tomato plants, and enough tomatoes to make 8 pints of green tomato relish and 8 pints of this sauce. Thanks for the recipe, Gina!
Oh my! This is heavenly.
This was delicious!!!! Served it on penne pasta with some fresh parmesan cheese
I have tons of regular tomatoes and my Roma’s are just starting. Can I use regular tomatoes and how do I adjust the recipe?
I think it would be too sweet but you can try it!
I do not have plum tomatoes. Can I use regular slicing tomatoes?
Thank you!
How do you seed the tomatoes if you don’t have a machine attachment?
I cut the tomato in half and then squeeze it cut side down. That usually works for me to get the seeds out.
After cooking this sauce can it be canned?
It can be canned, but you have to use a pressure canner vs water bath because of the oil.
And don’t let the thought of a pressure canner frighten you. It’s wonderful once you get past the fear of it. It is one “gadget” in my kitchen no matter how much I downsize I am unwilling to part with. ❤️