Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe (2024)

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Todd

Rather than grate the tomatoes, immerse them for three to five minutes in a very hot bath and then watch the skins glide away from the tomatoes. Probably a lot cleaner and there's less waste.

Rami

I buy 60-80 plum tomatoes. Quarter, salt, lots of olive oil. Roast at 400 degrees for 2.5 hours, moving the tomatoes around. Using immersion blender or potato masher soften the mix and return to oven at 350 for another hour. Remove, mash some more. I store in 2 cup boxes (yield is about 5)in the freezer. Tweak the sauce depending on dish: ginger, onion, garlic and garam masala for indian dishes, sumac for a med touch, garlic for pasta sauce and eggplant Melanzane and many others.

mdurphy

Sorry Mr Tanis, but we all think we know the best way for this recipe, and I think it is a rustic, quick, fresh sauce: no tomato paste or long simmering please. Use very ripe heirloom/beefsteak tomatoes, chunk them into 1/2" or bigger pieces (the skins add flavor, nutrition and texture); briefly saute 1 clove garlic (at least)/2 pounds tomatoes in EVOO; add tomatoes and turn up the heat to high to reduce rapidly to half: 10 min max. Salt to taste. Basil is optional.

Tonia

I’m a surgeon who operates on diverticulitis. Please be reassured that tomato seeds do NOT cause diverticulitis! Feel free to enjoy this recipe.

Anne Smith

America's test kitchen abolished the idea that you discard tomato seeds as bitter. They found that the seeds and the jelly had the most taste of any part of the tomato. So leave them in and go for it...

Charles Michener

Grating means you don't lose juice and pulp on the cutting board. With a box grater, using the largest tomatoes you can find (the size of your palm, if possible) makes grating easier and less dangerous to your fingers. Ripe "outdoor" tomatoes that are fairly firm means they won't turn to mush in your hand. Fresh ground black pepper added early contributes depth and complexity. A swirl of butter before tossing with pasta adds richness and body.

Nancy

A 1/8 cup serving seems pretty small, which is how the nutritional information is set up. 1/4 cup seems the minimum possible, which would make it 10 servings, not 20. And that's for those who prefer minimal sauce.

anne

Both skins and seeds DO make a sauce bitter...When I first moved to Italy 37 yrs ago, that was exactly what I read in Italy's premier cookbook magazine...and tomato seeds are not good for one's intestines, they can get caught in the diverticulum that everyone, starting in middle age, have in their intestines and can create an infection...Anyways a tomato mill will do the job in only a few minutes, of course it depends on how many tomatoes are to be processed...

B.A.

Not sure if someone already mentioned this, but I scoop out the seeds and liquid over a small-holed colander placed in a bowl. The liquid goes through the colander and into the bowl, and the seeds get caught and can be discarded. I love this sauce!

Judy

I made this, just cut up the tomatoes and threw everything in the pan. Extra garlic, no bay leaf. Doubled the tomato paste by mistake, but it was perfect, and ready within about 30 minutes. I didn't even use good tomatoes, just beefsteaks from the grocery store, and the sauce was fantastic!

Carol

It takes 25-30 minutes for the sauce to reduce by half.

Dan

I enjoyed grating the tomatoes on the box grater. Cheap thrills, I guess.

michael

I add freshly grated carrots to add a touch of sweetness

Ryan K

Nice method with the tomatoes - very easy. Tomato paste is key here because the fresh tomatoes alone are still a bit thin after 15 mins of reducing. This provided enough sauce for 4 adult servings - 1 lb of dry pasta.

Enrica Z

Made this with home-grown San Marzano tomatoes. Instead of grating, I used my Cuisinart's julienne disk since I thought the grating disk was too small. This contained all the seeds and juices, which I used in the sauce. I added red pepper flakes and used a fresh Bay leaf. It took about 45 minutes to cook down, but completely worth it. This is the best and easiest sauce I've ever made!

jude

Found myself licking the ladle clean after storing the sauce and felt like a comment must be warranted lol… used very ripe tomatoes from the garden and dried basil because that is all I had. Took about 25 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce, as opposed to the 10-15 recommended. The sauce is bright, flavorful and tangy. This is a very simple recipe that relies on a few ingredients to produce big results. Very pleased with the results and look forward to adding this to the rotation.

M

Here in Northern California in November I still have tomatoes and basil in my garden (Green tomatoes can be brought inside to ripen). I couldn’t see the sense in grading to remove the seeds as science has proven, so I blanched to peel, then cut the tomatoes. Put them in a pan and voila! Alovely tomato sauce!

Christa

This sauce was flavorful and relatively easy, but I wouldn't call it "quick," as my tomatoes must have been watery. I do love David Tanis' recipes, however, and love his One Good Dish cookbook. And as Yotam O. memorably said in one of his cookbooks, "The Freezer Is Your Friend": I used to be skeptical of the freezer, but I have been pleasantly surprised by how flavorful food, sauces, and stocks still ate even after freezing.

Kiki

Tomato seeds have lots of nutrition, so I always leave them in and it doesn't interfere with flavor or texture, not bitter at all. I personally like much more garlic and basil, and no tomato paste, which, to me, makes tomato sauce taste more bitter than the seeds do. Sometimes a bay leaf is nice, but in the summer I prefer not to use it. I boil the skins off when using fresh, but I really like Jovial brand whole tomatoes, they're sweet and make really good sauce.

Carol

I make it all the time and freeze it in small jars. I add a little extra tomato paste, extra basil and some fresh oregano, and of course extra garlic. I freeze with the garlic in the jar, but not the greens. It’s great.

Brewer

I make this all the time. I love to add other flavor elements like onion, dried sweet pepper flakes, and roughly chopped garlic. When the sauce has reduced, I push it through a fine mesh strainer, put the solid bits in my dehydrator at about 140 degrees for a couple of days, and then grind the dried residue in my spice grinder. The result is an absolutely fabulous flavoring element.

Meg McAlister

Put quartered ripe tomatoes, whole garlic cloves, and quartered onions on a sheet pan. Add whole sprigs of rosemary, thyme and oregano on top. Drizzle everything well with olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Bake in 300 degree oven for a couple of hours to reduce the moisture. Remove the herb sprigs. Put everything into a heavy-bottomed pot and cook uncovered on stovetop to desired consistency; stir occasionally. Add chicken stock and red pepper flakes if desired. Puree it.

Scott W

Thought my go-to easy recipe for tomato sauce came from Ferran Adria's Family Meal cookbook, an invaluable resource, but it's not there. Regardless, place a half dozen med tomatoes, a head of garlic w/ top lopped off, and a med onion on a sheet pan. Bake at 350º until the onion goes bubbly. Let it all cool. Skin the onion, halve, & toss that, the tomatoes, & the squeezed out garlic cloves into a blender. Purée. Add olive oil, salt & pepper to taste. Your done. Perfect base sauce for everything.

Sam VA

This is a wonderful way to make fresh sauce. Another, slightly different approach is to slice the fresh tomatoes in half and cook them (with basil and salt) until soft, about 15 to 30 minutes. Pour off the "tomato water" that accumulates in the pot. Puree the cooked tomatoes and run them through a food mill or sieve to remove the skins and seeds. You will end up with a bright red, incredibly fresh tasting sauce that is already fairly thick so needs very little additional cooking.

Ann E

Great, but to lift the flavor a bit add a Parmesan rind to the sauce while simmering and just before it’s ready add a few god turns from the pepper mill and a handful of fresh chopped parsley.

Paula

I added sliced white mushrooms, used a variety of garden fresh tomatoes ( some yellow cherry). Delish!

linda

Very tasty but I used a food mill and it made it really thin. Let it simmer for a long time and it didn’t thicken First put garlic and a shallot in olive oil, then all the tomatoes Used maybe a dozen tomatoes from the garden.

Colleen

This recipe is simple and delicious. We tried the grating method but found it much easier for our second batch to simply roast the tomatoes at 450 for 20-25 minutes and then remove the skin. I used a stick blender when the sauce had cooked down to get the right consistency.

Diana

When grating cheese, tomatoes or mangoes, I use a Microplane glove from Amazon https://www.microplane.com/cut-resistant-glove. It really helps cut down on finger scrapes. I love this recipe - it is so easy to prepare, and since I have my own garden tomatoes, the taste is wonderful. I froze what sauce and tomatoes I did not use, and enjoyed them through the winter. Thank you Mr. Tanis, for another great recipe. You have helped me become a good cook!

Cheryl Sorenson

Really easy and tasty. I did not remove the seeds, but I did remove the skins. Never thought of using a box grater, but it worked well with no waste. I added a bit more seasoning: season salt and pepper to my taste. I used many different varieties of tomatoes from my garden: heirloom (because they split) cherry, Roma... I left it chunky and froze what I didn't need. Perfect.

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Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good tomato sauce? ›

Starting with good quality tomatoes and crushing them by hand offers great flavor and texture later on. The combination of butter and oil releases fat-soluble aromatics and gives the sauce a creamy texture. Slowly cooking the sauce in the oven creates rich caramelization without burning.

How to make fresh tomato sauce Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Cook garlic: In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Add tomatoes: Add red-pepper flakes (optional) and tomatoes, breaking them up as you go. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Simmer sauce: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer.
Aug 11, 2023

How do you make homemade tomato sauce taste better? ›

If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.

Why do we add sugar to a fresh prepared tomato sauce? ›

The reason for sprinkling a pinch of sugar into a simmering saucepan of tomatoes is simple: sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and creates an overall more balanced sauce. The exact acid levels in tomatoes can vary quite a bit depending on whether they're fresh or canned, the tomato variety, and the time of year.

How do you deepen tomato sauce flavor? ›

To double down on tomato flavor in your sauce, heat up a spoonful or two of tomato paste in a couple tablespoons of oil until softened and caramelized before pouring in the sauce and whisking to combine.

Why add baking soda to tomato sauce? ›

Even a small amount of baking soda significantly raises the pH of the sauce. While this reduces acidic taste, it also tamps down on the brightness that gives the tomato complexity.

Do you have to peel fresh tomatoes for sauce? ›

In a salad or sandwich, you don't need peeled tomatoes. But, if you're making a fresh tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes, the tomatoes should be peeled, cored, and seeded. The result will be a smoother sauce without any seeds, core, or peel in it. Don't worry, it's an easy and quick process.

Do you put sugar in fresh tomato sauce? ›

Cane sugar – It offsets the acid of the tomatoes and vinegar, creating a delicious, well-balanced sauce. Dried oregano and fresh basil – For fresh, aromatic flavor. Red pepper flakes – They add a little heat. And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

How do you make Jamie Oliver fresh tomato sauce? ›

Peel and finely slice the garlic, then place in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir regularly until lightly golden. Pour in the tomatoes, either scrunching them through your hands, or breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer on a low heat until your pasta is cooked.

What does adding butter to tomato sauce do? ›

Add butter

Yes, that's right. Toss in a few tablespoons of butter, and let it melt into the sauce. If you've never tried it before, it might seem strange, but a little butter makes tomato sauce rich and smooth, and also balances out too much acidity, which is common in jarred sauces.

Why do you put lemon in tomato sauce? ›

"Lemon zest adds a brightness," he told me. "Without adding additional acid (already provided by the fresh tomato).

Does cooking tomato sauce longer make it taste better? ›

Tomato sauce deepens and intensifies the longer you cook it. Tomato sauces can be cooked in 10 minutes or for 4 hours, and they can all be delicious. Cooking sauces for a long time don't inherently make them better, but it does intensify the flavor.

Do real Italians put sugar in their tomato sauce? ›

"A pinch of sugar is a Southern Italian trick that was used when the sauce was made with end-of-season tomatoes that did not get ripe, or the tomatoes were so tart they needed to be balanced," Chiarello explained to Epicurious.

What makes tomato sauce better? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Canned Spaghetti Sauce
  1. 1 - Extra virgin olive oil. Adding a good amount of a flavorful olive oil will go a long way in infusing flavor into your sauce. ...
  2. 2 - Fresh garlic. ...
  3. 3 - Meat. ...
  4. 4 - Hot pepper flakes. ...
  5. 5 - Red wine. ...
  6. 6 - Fresh or dried herbs. ...
  7. 7 - Cheese. ...
  8. 8 - Cream and/or butter.
Feb 26, 2018

Why does my homemade tomato sauce taste bitter? ›

Leaf states that this can be due to burning the sauce in the pot or simply dealing with a batch of produce that are overly acidic or metallic from canning or cooking. This can also come from under-ripe or low-quality tomatoes, as well as stirring in a hefty amount of tomato paste, per Boss The Kitchen.

What makes tomato taste better? ›

Yes, there are other ways to make your tomatoes taste even better and increase the acidity. There is lemon, vinegar, or my personal favorite, balsamic. Just imagine a tomato bruschetta with a balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top.

What are the qualities of a good tomato sauce? ›

Bright red: the importance of color

The color of tomato sauce can tell us a lot about its quality. The tone of red must be bright and intense. We can learn two fundamental characteristics by looking at the color: 1) The intensity comes from ripeness and the tomato's time under the bright Italian sun.

What does adding milk to tomato sauce do? ›

Add a little milk to tomato sauce for a sweeter taste to offset the acidity of the tomatoes. This is a well-kept secret amongst Italian grandmothers. In northern Italy, Bolognese sauce is never made without milk! It can be added at the beginning or end of cooking.

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