If you’ve ever dreamed of bottling pure summer sunshine, this Homemade Tomato Sauce is your new culinary best friend. Steeped in sweet-tart tomato flavor, buttery richness, and a hint of fresh basil, every spoonful sings with homemade love—it’s the perfect foundation for everything from weeknight pasta to handmade pizza.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic Italian Flavor: Simmering ripe tomatoes with butter, olive oil, garlic, and basil brings out the perfect harmony of sweet, savory, and herby notes.
- Incredible Versatility: This Homemade Tomato Sauce shines on pasta, pizza, roasted veggies, or even as a dipping sauce.
- Minimal Ingredients, Maximum Comfort: With just a handful of pantry staples, you’ll create an unbelievably rich and satisfying sauce—no jarred shortcut compares.
- Naturally Make-Ahead Friendly: It stores beautifully, so you can make a big batch and have homemade flavor ready in a flash all week long!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of this sauce is how such simple, wholesome ingredients transform into something truly extraordinary. Each element—ripe tomatoes, creamy butter, aromatic onion, and punchy basil—works together to deliver a sauce bursting with homemade Italian goodness.
- Plum Tomatoes (4 pounds, or two 28-ounce cans): Using fresh, ripe tomatoes yields the most dynamic, sun-kissed flavor, but canned whole plum tomatoes are a fabulous year-round stand-in.
- Unsalted Butter (6 tablespoons): Adds luxurious body and rounds out any acidity, creating a sauce that feels utterly luscious without any heaviness.
- Olive Oil (4 tablespoons): For depth and classic Mediterranean taste, olive oil enhances both flavor and mouthfeel.
- Yellow Onions (2, peeled and halved): The secret to balancing sweetness and savor—once simmered and removed, they impart flavor without overwhelming the tomatoes.
- Garlic (4 cloves, peeled and smashed): A few cloves gently infuse a mellow, savory undertone that makes this sauce truly irresistible.
- Salt (1¼ teaspoons): Essential for bringing out the tomatoes’ vibrant flavor.
- Sugar (1 teaspoon): Just enough to offset any acidity and help coax out the natural sweetness in the tomatoes.
- Fresh Basil (2 tablespoons, chopped): A hit of basil stirred in at the end delivers that classic, fragrant finish that no good Homemade Tomato Sauce should be without!
Variations
The beauty of Homemade Tomato Sauce is its flexibility—tweak it to suit your mood, your pantry, or any dietary need, and you can make it your own masterpiece every single time.
- Herb Medley: Toss in a handful of fresh oregano, thyme, or parsley along with the basil for a garden-fresh, herbal twist.
- Spicy Arrabbiata: Add a generous pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced chili for a warming kick—the perfect sauce for those who love a little heat.
- Vegan Version: Simply swap out the butter for extra olive oil or a vegan butter substitute—the sauce will still be deliciously rich.
- Roasted Garlic: For an even sweeter, deeper flavor, roast the garlic first before adding it to the pot.
How to Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Step 1: Prep the Tomatoes
If you’re using fresh tomatoes, start by scoring a small “X” into the bottom of each one. Give them a quick dunk in boiling water, then cool them in an ice bath—this makes peeling off the skins a breeze and keeps all those sweet juices locked in. Once peeled, chop them into half-inch chunks and save every last bit of juice—this is pure flavor!
Step 2: Combine Flavor Builders
Transfer your chopped tomatoes (plus juice) to a Dutch oven or deep saucepan. Add the butter, olive oil, halved onions, smashed garlic, salt, and sugar. This rich combination lays the foundation for the sauce’s signature complexity and depth.
Step 3: Simmer Low and Slow
Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then immediately lower the heat to a slow simmer. Let the sauce bubble away uncovered for 1½ to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally. The aroma will have you swooning! As it cooks, the sauce will thicken, the flavors will meld, and those onions will quietly lend their sweetness before being removed entirely.
Step 4: Finishing Touches
When the sauce looks glossy and no longer looks watery, fish out the onions and discard them. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to crush any remaining large tomato or garlic pieces—aim for a rustic, slightly chunky texture. Give the sauce a taste, adjust the seasoning if needed, and stir in the chopped basil just before serving for a pop of bright freshness.
Pro Tips for Making Homemade Tomato Sauce
- Tomato Selection Magic: If you’re using canned tomatoes, opt for San Marzano or any high-quality, whole plum variety for their rich, naturally sweet flavor.
- Butter & Olive Oil Synergy: Don’t skip the butter! The blend of butter and oil is what elevates the sauce to silky perfection and tempers any sharp acidic notes.
- Patience Is Key: Simmer the sauce uncovered and resist turning up the heat—slow and low draws out nuanced flavors and creates that thick, jammy texture.
- Herb Finish: Always stir in fresh basil right at the end to preserve its bright, verdant flavor—cooking it too long will dull its magic!
How to Serve Homemade Tomato Sauce
Garnishes
A handful of chopped fresh basil or a scattering of flat-leaf parsley makes for a vibrant, herbal shower over the sauce. For extra richness, fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or a drizzle of your best olive oil just before serving is pure bliss on a bowl of pasta or warm bread.
Side Dishes
This Homemade Tomato Sauce absolutely shines over your favorite pasta, but don’t stop there—use it to top roasted chicken, spoon over polenta, or pair with crispy garlic bread and a crisp green salad to round out an Italian-inspired meal.
Creative Ways to Present
Layer your sauce inside a lasagna, serve in little dipping bowls with mozzarella sticks, or use it as the base for homemade pizza night. For a rustic presentation, bring the sauce to the table in a big ceramic bowl with a ladle—let everyone help themselves family-style!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Let any leftover Homemade Tomato Sauce cool to room temperature, then spoon it into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor just deepens as it sits, making leftovers even better!
Freezing
Homemade Tomato Sauce is a freezer superstar. I love ladling cooled sauce into freezer-safe bags or containers (leave a little room for expansion), where it’ll keep beautifully for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to label it for easy grab-and-go meal planning!
Reheating
Thaw frozen sauce overnight in the fridge, then gently reheat it over low heat in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. If it thickens a bit too much, just add a splash of water to achieve your desired consistency—good as new!
FAQs
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Can I use regular tomatoes instead of plum tomatoes?
Absolutely! While plum tomatoes are naturally less watery and have fewer seeds, you can use any ripe, flavorful tomato. Just be sure to remove any tough cores and excess seeds for the best texture.
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Is it necessary to remove the onion after simmering?
Yes, this is a classic Italian trick! Simmering the onion whole infuses the sauce with subtle sweetness and depth, but removing it keeps the texture beautifully smooth and lets the tomato flavor shine through.
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Can I double this recipe for batch cooking?
Definitely! Homemade Tomato Sauce only gets better in big batches—just use a larger pot, increase all ingredients proportionally, and enjoy easy homemade meals all week (or month!) long.
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What’s the best pasta shape for this sauce?
This beautifully thick, slightly chunky sauce hugs almost any pasta shape, but it’s especially wonderful on spaghetti, rigatoni, or classic penne. It also nestles perfectly into the folds of stuffed shells and lasagna!
Final Thoughts
There’s a certain magic that happens when you create something this delicious from simple ingredients—and this Homemade Tomato Sauce is truly a labor of love worth making. Whether you spoon it over pasta, swirl it into soup, or tuck it away in your freezer for a rainy day, every bite will remind you why homemade always wins. I can’t wait for you to try it!
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Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: About 1 quart (enough for 1½ pounds of pasta) 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Learn how to make a rich and flavorful homemade tomato sauce that’s perfect for pasta dishes. This recipe uses fresh plum tomatoes but provides an option for using canned tomatoes as well. With a few simple ingredients and some patience, you’ll have a delicious sauce that beats anything from a jar.
Ingredients
Fresh Tomato Option:
- 4 pounds plum tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Canned Tomato Option:
- Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled plum tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- If using fresh tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Score an X on the bottom of each tomato, blanch in boiling water, transfer to an ice bath, peel, and chop.
- Cooking the Sauce: Combine tomatoes, butter, oil, onions, garlic, salt, and sugar in a pot. Simmer for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, mashing occasionally until thick. Remove onions, mash large tomato pieces, adjust seasoning, and add basil before serving.
- Make-Ahead: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- You can customize this sauce by adding other herbs like oregano or thyme.
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree it to your desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
