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–+ servings
overhead shot of tomato sauce with white cheese cloth, fresh herbs around, wooden spoon, and tomatoes around

Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Author: Traci Crossland
Simple, quick, and full of flavor! This one pot Homemade Tomato Sauce is the cozy and healthy recipe you'll want all year long. Perfect for stirring into pasta dishes, topping pizzas, adding to casseroles, or just serving on it's own like soup! It's so simple, but the possibilities are endless.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped yellow or white onion
  • 12 cups whole canned tomatoes
  • 1 head garlic minced
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh oregano
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ cup fresh basil

Instructions

  • Sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt.
  • Bring to a bubble (not a full rolling boil).
  • Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add basil and cook an additional 5 minutes.
  • Use an immersion blender to carefully puree the sauce.

Notes

Substitutions:
  • You can use fresh tomatoes in this recipe. 
  • Dried herbs can be used in place of fresh, but the amounts will need to be adjusted! Use about 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and 1 teaspoon of dried basil. 
 
Helpful Tips For Making This Tomato Sauce
  • 12 cups of tomatoes is equal to one 102 oz. can of whole tomatoes. You can also use seven 15 oz. cans of chopped/diced tomatoes.
  • If you use fresh tomatoes, it's best to peel them first.
  • You will get the freshest flavor from fresh herbs.
  • The herbs do not need to be chopped before adding to the sauce.
  • If using dried herbs, add them at the beginning to allow them time to rehydrate and add flavor.
  • You can adjust the amounts of garlic, red pepper flakes, herbs, and salt to suit your taste.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, you can put this in a blender or food processor. Just be very careful!
  • If you like your tomato sauce a little more on the rustic side, crush the tomatoes before you add them and skip the puréeing at the end.
  • This recipe is naturally gluten free, vegan, keto/low carb friendly.
  • To thaw, just place on the counter at room temperature for about 30 minutes or run it under some water for 3-5 minutes and place it in a pot over low heat to fully reheat.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 39kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 318mgPotassium: 256mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.