How to Make Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce

Late summer and early fall are peak harvest times for tomatoes. You may have visions of steamy August kitchens full of boiling water and mason jars. Or perhaps you think of a countertop overflowing with ripe tomatoes in every corner. While there are a number of crops that show up in abundance this time of year, tomatoes are often at the top of that list. I’m still growing in my canning experience and so one of my favorite low-pressure ways to use an abundance of tomatoes is in a fresh sauce. Today we’ll dive into a quick and easy recipe for fresh garden tomato sauce that works over pasta, in lasagna or even as a pizza sauce in a pinch. 

Harvesting Tomatoes 

When I’m not looking to do a major water-bath canning session, I turn to the next best preserving tool in my kitchen. The freezer. Years ago, I learned from a friend that you can simply wash, core and quarter your fresh tomatoes and stick them in a gallon freezer bag. I put enough in each bag to make a batch or two of sauce, knowing I can pull those tomatoes out of my freezer later when I’m ready.  

While it may be tradition to peel the tomatoes, I find that a good whirl in my blender takes care of the work for me. I figure if I can eat the tomato skin in a salad, I can eat it in the sauce so long as it’s blended well. So far, for the last ten years, it’s worked just fine. However, if every fiber in your being insists on skinning the tomatoes, it’s not too hard to do. A quick 15 second dip in boiling water and then a dunk in a cold ice bath will allow you to easily peel your tomatoes before moving into the quartering and freezing steps.  

Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce 

Ingredients 

• 4 cups fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped
• 1 can tomato paste 
• 1 small onion, diced 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tbsp sugar (optional or can sub 1 tbsp honey) 
• 2 tbsp dried oregano, or 4 tbsp fresh oregano, minced 
• 2 tsp dried basil or 4 tsp fresh basil, minced 
• 2 tsp salt 
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes 
• Olive oil for sautéing 

To Cook the Sauce 

1. To get started with this fresh garden tomato sauce, add cored and chopped fresh tomatoes to a blender. Pulse several times to blend until all the large chunks are gone, and the sauce is mostly smooth. You want about 3 1/3 cups of blended tomatoes.  

2. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and add your onion. Sauté over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the onions start to turn golden. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 minute until fragrant. 

3. Add the tomato paste and sugar, mashing together in the pan with the back of a spoon. Sauté 1-2 minutes. Fill the empty tomato paste can with water and add it to the pot. Bring to a low simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring and scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan.  

4. Add in the fresh, blended tomatoes, fresh or dried herbs and salt. Simmer uncovered for at least 15- 20 minutes to let flavors develop and thicken. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is watery, continue to simmer uncovered until it thickens. You can also add additional tomato paste to thicken it if needed. Some tomatoes contain more moisture than others.  

5. Once the sauce has cooled, it can be frozen in gallon freezer bags or freezer safe containers.  

How to Use the Sauce 

One of my favorite ways to use this fresh garden tomato sauce is to serve it with homemade meatballs. I also like to add in sauteed sweet Italian sausage to make it a hearty meat sauce. If I plan to add sausage, I will sauté the sausage first in an empty pot. Once it’s cooked, I’ll remove the sausage to a side bowl and use the remaining oil from the sausage to sauté my onions and start my sauce recipe. Once I’ve added the fresh tomatoes and herbs (see step 4), I’ll add my cooked sausage back into the sauce and let it simmer.  

If you find that you’ve used all your fresh tomatoes by late fall, you can use canned tomatoes. I’ve made this sauce countless times with 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes in place of fresh tomatoes. It still tastes great and creates a hearty, filling meal.  

A Taste of Summer in Winter 

If you find your kitchen overrun with ripe tomatoes, give this recipe a try. This fresh garden tomato sauce is quick, easy, and so flavorful with very little effort. Despite only cooking for about 30 minutes, it tastes like it’s been simmering all day! In the dead of winter, you’ll appreciate the ability to pull those cored and chopped tomatoes out of your freezer and turn them into a delicious, bright sauce. There’s nothing like a little taste of summer in the doldrums of winter.

What’s your favorite way to use an abundance of garden tomatoes? Share your go-to tomato recipe or preservation tip in the comments below. I’d love to hear how you’re making the most of your harvest season!

Bon Appetit!