Delicious and rich in flavor, infused with herbs, this easy homemade tomato sauce is made from fresh tomatoes in just 15 minutes. Use it as tomato base on a pizza, as a pasta sauce, or serve alongside meat. It’s quick, fresh, fragrant and sweet, but without added sugars.
Friday night is pizza night at our house. My boys love healthy homemade pizza so much that missing it on Friday feels like a crisis. Sometimes we eat late or stay out, but no matter what, pizza must be served—sometimes even at 11 PM.
For our favorite pizza I always make a simple tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes. If you’re using store-bought canned sauces full of added sugars and preservatives, try this instead. Homemade tomato sauce is faster and fresher than you might expect, and it tastes far better. This recipe contains no added sugar or additives — just ripe tomatoes, olive oil and herbs. You can easily adjust the seasonings to suit your taste and personalize each dish.
For this batch I used big beef tomatoes — meaty, juicy and full of flavor, perfect when they’re in season. To remove the skins, briefly boil the tomatoes until the skin begins to split, then plunge them into cold water and peel. If you’re in a hurry, you can also peel roughly with a knife. I prefer a chunky sauce: chop the tomatoes into pieces, put them in a saucepan and use a fork to break them down as they cook. If you want a smoother sauce, pulse the tomatoes in a food processor or blender before cooking — a few pulses for slightly chunky, or longer for silky smooth.
To season the sauce I use a classic Italian mix: oregano, rosemary and basil, plus freshly chopped parsley and a pinch of salt. I always pick very ripe or even overripe tomatoes — the softer they are, the sweeter the sauce. Ripe tomatoes pack natural sweetness, so there’s no need to add sugar. If you prefer a sweeter finish, a little neutral sweetener such as agave will work without overpowering the tomato flavor.
Cooking time is short — around 15 minutes for the tomatoes to soften and the sauce to begin thickening. Shorter cooking gives a brighter, fresher tomato flavor and a thinner sauce; longer simmering concentrates the flavor and thickens the sauce. When done, transfer the sauce to a clean glass jar and refrigerate; it will keep for up to a week. Use it as pizza base, toss it with pasta, or serve it alongside meat.
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Recipe
Easy homemade tomato sauce
Ingredients
- 2 – 3 pcs big ripe tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
- Himalayan salt to taste
Instructions
- Put whole tomatoes in boiling water for about 1 minute, until the skins begin to wrinkle and split.
- Remove tomatoes from boiling water and plunge them into cold water.
- Drain and peel the tomatoes.
- Chop the tomatoes into small pieces. Transfer to a saucepan and add olive oil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook for about 15 minutes until tomatoes are soft and the liquid is reduced. Stir occasionally with a fork for a chunky texture.
- Stir in the herbs and salt, and cook another 1–2 minutes to combine the flavors.
- Transfer the hot sauce to a sterilized glass jar and seal. Refrigerate and use within a week.
Don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment. I would love to hear what you think.
Nutritional information is approximate and can vary. I have aimed to be as accurate as possible.
Have you tried making homemade tomato sauce? Leave a comment — I love to chat.
Love,
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Check out my other healthy recipes 😉
Zucchini Corn Black Bean Rice
Soy Marinated Chicken Skewers
Beef Meatballs in Gravy Sauce
