Best Homemade Tomato Sauce

This Best Homemade Tomato Sauce recipe is the sauce you’ve been looking for! Everyone needs a good tomato sauce to go with their favorites – Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Parmesan, or just a bowl of pasta. THIS is that go-to tomato sauce!

What Is the Difference Between Tomato Sauces?

Tomato Sauce. Everyone loves a good tomato sauce. But they are not all created equal. I’m not going to get into the vast variety of sauces here, here are a few tips and facts:

Canned Tomato Sauce (US). This is simply cooked purée of tomatoes that is unseasoned. Basically, put some tomatoes in a blender, heat them on the stove, then let it cool. This is flavorless and great as an ingredient, but not the hearty sauce for meatball and pasta.

Jarred Tomato Sauce. There is a huge variety of tomato based sauces you can get in a jar. They usually have preservatives and a lot more sugar than homemade sauces. I do have some on hand for those times I either don’t have a stock of my own sauce, of if I only have frozen and need some sauce in a pinch. I typically only use 

Homemade Tomato Sauce. This is hands down the best option, especially if you use a good recipe like this one. You control what goes into it, so you control the flavor. If you store it properly, it can last a long time.

Best Homemade Tomato Sauce FAQ’s

What Ingredients Are in Best Homemade Tomato Sauce?

• 3 28-oz. cans of Tuttorosso “New World Style” Crushed Tomatoes with Basil
• 4 ½ cups Water
• 2 cups Sweet Onion (about 3-4 medium onions)
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 cup Light Olive Oil, plus more
• 3 6-oz. cans Tomato Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Crushed Tomatoes – I have tried different brands of canned crushed tomatoes to see if there is a difference.  While the flavor is mostly the same with all of them, there is one that is clearly above the rest: Tuttorosso “New World

Sweet Onion – I prefer sweet onions to avoid needing to add sugar since they will add a natural sweetness. You can substitute yellow onions or Vidalia onions.

Tomato Paste – look for one that does not have a lot of sugar.

How Is Best Homemade Tomato Sauce Made?

1. In a large stock pot, begin simmering the crushed tomatoes and water over low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom form burning. Adjust the heat if needed.
2. Cut the onion in quarters and place it and the garlic in a food processor. Pulse to process to a coarse purée and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the tomato paste. Fold in the oil and keep adding oil slowly, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the paste stops absorbing the oil. Add the paste to the stock pot.
4. In the same sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and scrape up the remaining paste. Add the onion and garlic purée, oregano, parsley, and basil. Again, fold in olive oil, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until no more can be absorbed.
5. Add the seasoning mixture to the sauce using a spatula to get all of the mixture out of the pan. Next add the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and whisk to distribute the seasonings and cheese throughout the sauce.
6. Allow to simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours, stirring every 10 minutes or so. You may need to lower the heat to prevent burning. There should be a light froth and some bubbles on the surface of the sauce. Taste after 30 and 45 minutes and adjust seasoning if needed.

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Best Homemade Tomato Sauce

Course Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Keyword asparagus, pasta, pasta sauce, tomato sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 10 Cups

Ingredients

• 3 28-oz Cans of Tuttorosso “New World Style” Crushed Tomatoes with Basil
• 4 ½ cups Water
• 2 cups Onion (about 3-4 medium onions)
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 cup Light Olive Oil, plus more
• 3 6-oz Cans Tomato Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, begin simmering the crushed tomatoes and water over low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom form burning. Adjust the heat if needed. 

2. Cut the onion in quarters and place it and the garlic in a food processor. Pulse to process to a coarse purée and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the tomato paste. Fold in the oil and keep adding oil slowly, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the paste stops absorbing the oil. Add the paste to the stock pot.

4. In the same sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and scrape up the remaining paste. Add the onion and garlic purée, oregano, parsley, and basil. Again, fold in olive oil, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until no more can be absorbed. 

5. Add the seasoning mixture to the sauce using a spatula to get all of the mixture out of the pan. Next add the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and whisk to distribute the seasonings and cheese throughout the sauce.

6. Allow to simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours, stirring every 10 minutes or so. You may need to lower the heat to prevent burning. There should be a light froth and some bubbles on the surface of the sauce. Taste after 30 and 45 minutes and adjust seasoning if needed.

Recipe Notes

I have tried different brands of canned crushed tomatoes to see if there is a difference.  While the flavor is mostly the same with all of them, there is one that is clearly above the rest: Tuttorosso “New World Style” Crushed Tomatoes with Basil.  Feel free to use what you have available locally. But this one is definitely our favorite.