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Rotina Diária

Sauces

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Make homemade tomato sauce with peeled fresh tomatoes, sautéed onion and garlic, and a slow simmer. Makes about 1 liter for pasta, pizza, and meat.

  • Total time 1 h
  • Prep time 20 min
  • Cooking 40 min
  • Makes about 1 liter, enough for 6 servings of pasta
  • Difficulty Easy

Ripe, deep-red tomatoes make the best sauce: they have more natural sugar and less water. Roma tomatoes are ideal because they have more flesh and fewer seeds.

The skins come off easily after a quick blanch: boil for 1 minute, then transfer to cold water. A slow simmer evaporates excess water and concentrates the flavor; add a pinch of sugar only if the tomatoes are too tart.

Ingredients

Amounts for 6 servings (about 1 liter, enough for 6 servings of pasta).

Equipment

  • Pot
  • Large bowl
  • Knife and cutting board
  • Wooden spoon

Instructions

  1. Step 1 Blanch the tomatoes

    Cut an X into the bottom of each tomato. Place them in boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer them to a bowl of ice water.

    • 10 ripe Roma tomatoes
    • 2 liters of water for blanching
    • 1 liter of cold water

    About 3 min

  2. Step 2 Peel and seed the tomatoes

    Peel the tomatoes starting at the cut; the skin should come off in one piece. Cut them in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and chop the flesh.

  3. Step 3 Sauté

    Heat the olive oil in a pot and sauté the onion until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 chopped onion
    • 3 cloves of minced garlic

    About 6 min

  4. Step 4 Simmer

    Add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Simmer over low heat with the pot partially covered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and crushing the pieces, until the sauce thickens. Taste it; if it’s too acidic, add the sugar.

    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon sugar

    About 30 min

  5. Step 5 Finish

    Remove from the heat and stir in the basil leaves, torn by hand. For a smooth sauce, blend with an immersion blender.

    • 1 sprig of basil

Tips for success

  • Add some grated carrot to the sautéed onion to cut the acidity without using sugar.
  • Don’t cover the pot completely; the water needs to evaporate so the sauce can thicken.
  • Make a double batch and freeze it in portions; this sauce freezes very well.

Substitutions

Fresh tomatoes
2 cans (28 oz each) of peeled tomatoes; skip the first two steps and cook for just 20 minutes.
Basil
Dried oregano, added with the tomatoes.

How to store

Keeps for 5 days in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Allergens

None of the major allergens are listed among the ingredients.

Packaged ingredients may contain traces of other allergens. Always check the labels of the brands you use.

Published October 13, 2026. US measurements: 1 cup = 240 mL, 1 tablespoon = 15 mL, 1 teaspoon = 5 mL; 1 oz = 28 g.