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This Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes is one of the best ways to use ripe garden tomatoes. It is thick, hearty, and filled with onions, mushrooms, garlic, fresh herbs, and plenty of rich tomato flavor. Serve it over spaghetti, use it in lasagna, or make a double batch to freeze for an easy dinner later.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“My husband said it was the best pasta sauce I have ever made. The depth of flavor and simplicity was similar to what we experienced in Italy. It will be my go to recipe from now on.” – LuAnne
“By far the best sauce I’ve ever made. The soy sauce in the mushrooms adds a deep richness. You will never regret making this.” – Carolyn
“Absolutely love this recipe! 2nd time I’ve made it this summer, with the abundance of tomatoes my garden has produced. Thank You! This recipe is definitely a keeper.” – Cheryl
Why I Love This Sauce
I have been making homemade spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes for years, especially when our garden tomatoes are coming on faster than we can eat them. The flavor is so much fresher than sauce from a jar, and I love being able to adjust the texture and seasonings as it cooks.
The mushrooms give the sauce a hearty texture, and my little trick of adding soy sauce to the mushrooms brings out a rich, savory flavor without making the sauce taste like soy sauce. Fresh basil, oregano, garlic, and slowly simmered tomatoes finish it off. It takes a little longer than opening a jar, but most of that time is hands-off simmering, and the flavor is well worth it.
This sauce is also very flexible. You can keep it meatless, add ground beef or sausage, leave it chunky, blend it smooth, or roast the tomatoes first for even more concentrated flavor.
🩷 Erica
Table of Contents
- 5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Why I Love This Sauce
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Make It a Meat Sauce
- How to Make Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
- Best Tomatoes to Use
- Roasting Fresh Tomatoes
- No Fresh Tomatoes? No Problem!
- Recipe Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Troubleshooting
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Pairing Ideas
- More Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipes
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Fresh tomatoes: Ripe garden tomatoes give this sauce its fresh flavor, but good-quality canned tomatoes will also work when tomatoes are not in season.
- Olive oil: Used to soften the onion and mushrooms and create the flavorful base of the sauce.
- Onion: A chopped yellow, white, or sweet onion adds a mild sweetness and savory flavor.
- Mushrooms: Fresh chopped mushrooms give the meatless sauce a hearty texture and rich flavor.
- Soy sauce: A small amount brings out the savory flavor of the mushrooms without making the finished sauce taste like soy sauce.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic can be used when needed.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh basil and oregano give the sauce a bright, garden-fresh flavor.
- Brown sugar: Start with a small amount and add more only if the tomatoes taste especially acidic.
- Salt and pepper: Add these gradually and taste the sauce as it simmers.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
This fresh tomato spaghetti sauce is easy to adjust based on what you have in the garden or refrigerator.
- Bell peppers: Add chopped red, yellow, or green bell peppers with the onion.
- Carrots: Finely grated carrots add natural sweetness and help give the sauce more body.
- Zucchini: Stir in finely chopped zucchini for more vegetables and a chunkier sauce.
- Red pepper flakes: Add a pinch for a little heat.
- Red wine: Pour in a splash after sautéing the vegetables and let it simmer for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes.
- Tomato paste: Add one tablespoon at a time when you want a thicker or more concentrated sauce.
- Fresh parsley: Add chopped parsley with the basil or sprinkle it over the sauce before serving.
- Dried herbs: Substitute dried basil and oregano when fresh herbs are not available. Because dried herbs are more concentrated, use a smaller amount.
- No mushrooms: Leave them out or replace them with finely chopped bell peppers, carrots, or zucchini.
- Gluten-free option: Replace regular soy sauce with certified gluten-free tamari or gluten-free soy sauce.
- Vegetarian option: Keep the sauce as written and check that your soy sauce is vegetarian.
Make It a Meat Sauce
You can easily turn this into a hearty spaghetti meat sauce.
Brown about one pound of ground beef, ground pork, Italian sausage, ground turkey, or a mixture of meats. You can cook the meat with the onion or brown it separately and drain any extra grease before adding it to the sauce.
Continue with the recipe as written and let the meat simmer with the tomatoes and seasonings. The longer simmering time helps the meat flavor blend into the sauce.
You can also add cooked meatballs, shredded beef short ribs, or sliced Italian sausage. For another option, try our homemade meat sauce.
How to Make Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
- Blanch the tomatoes. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato. Lower a few tomatoes at a time into boiling water and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the skins begin to loosen. Transfer them immediately to a bowl of ice water.
- Peel and crush the tomatoes. Remove the skins and tough stem areas, then cut the tomatoes into quarters. Pulse them a few times in a food processor or blender until they look like crushed tomatoes. Do not completely purée them unless you want a smooth sauce.
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and garlic, then cook just until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the sauce. Cook uncovered for at least one hour, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot. For a deeper flavor, simmer it longer. When simmering for more than two hours, cover the pot during the first hour, then uncover it so the sauce can reduce.
- Taste and serve. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, sugar, or herbs as needed. Serve over hot pasta or use it in your favorite pasta recipe.
Best Tomatoes to Use
The best tomatoes for spaghetti sauce are ripe, flavorful tomatoes with plenty of flesh and not too much water.
- Roma or plum tomatoes are my first choice because they are meaty, have fewer seeds, and cook into a naturally thick sauce. Fresh San Marzano-style tomatoes are another good option when you can find them.
- Heirloom tomatoes add wonderful flavor, but some varieties contain more liquid. They may need a longer simmering time.
- Beefsteak tomatoes work well, especially when they are fully ripe, but they are usually juicier than Roma tomatoes. Combining them with paste tomatoes gives the sauce a good balance of flavor and texture.
- Cherry and grape tomatoes are naturally sweet and can be added to other tomato varieties. They are especially good when roasted first.
I often use a mixture of whatever ripe tomatoes are coming out of the garden. Tomato size and water content can vary quite a bit, so let the consistency of the sauce guide your cooking time.
For help growing your own tomatoes, take a look at our tips and tricks for growing tomatoes.
Roasting Fresh Tomatoes
Roasting the tomatoes first is optional, but it concentrates their flavor and brings out their natural sweetness. This is especially helpful when your tomatoes are juicy or a little less flavorful.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the tomatoes in half. Scoop out some of the loose seeds and gel, then place the tomatoes cut-side down on the baking sheet.
- Roast until the skins blister and the edges begin to brown, about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size and variety of the tomatoes.
- Pour any liquid from the baking sheet through a strainer and save it.
- Let the tomatoes cool enough to handle, then pull off the loosened skins.
- Add the roasted tomatoes and strained juices to the sauce pot and continue with the recipe.
Small cherry or grape tomatoes can be roasted with chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, and a little olive oil. Their skins are thin enough that you can usually blend everything together without peeling them.
No Fresh Tomatoes? No Problem!
Home-grown tomatoes are delicious in this recipe but fresh, garden tomatoes can be hard to come by year-round. Whenever we can’t use fresh tomatoes, we always use DOP San Marzano Tomatoes. They are THE best alternative to homegrown tomatoes. We even use San Marzano tomatoes before resorting to store-bought tomatoes. For this recipe we use two 28oz. cans of tomatoes. We prefer using whole tomatoes as opposed to crushed tomatoes (most DOP tomato brands only come with whole tomatoes) and simply mash them with a potato masher as the sauce cooks down.
Recipe Tips
- Use a wide, heavy pot. A wider surface helps moisture evaporate so the sauce thickens more quickly.
- Choose very ripe tomatoes. Underripe tomatoes can make the sauce taste sour or flat.
- Do not overprocess the tomatoes. A few quick pulses will give you the texture of crushed tomatoes without turning them into juice.
- Cook the garlic briefly. Garlic can become bitter when burned, so add it after the onion and mushrooms have softened.
- Keep the heat low. The sauce should gently bubble rather than boil rapidly.
- Stir more often as the sauce thickens. Thick tomato sauce can stick and scorch on the bottom of the pot.
- Wait before adding all the sugar. Taste the tomatoes first, then begin with the smaller amount and add more only when needed.
- Salt gradually. Soy sauce already contains salt, so taste the sauce before adding the full amount.
- Blend for a smoother sauce. Use an immersion blender directly in the pot, or carefully blend part of the sauce and stir it back in.
- Add pasta water when serving. A small splash of starchy pasta water can help the sauce coat the noodles.
- Make a double batch. This sauce freezes well and makes an easy base for future pasta dinners, lasagna, and sandwiches.
Frequently Asked Questions
The soy sauce is added to the mushrooms rather than directly to the finished sauce. It brings out their deep, savory flavor, similar to the way I prepare sautéed mushrooms. The finished sauce should not taste like soy sauce. You can use low-sodium soy sauce, gluten-free tamari, or leave it out.
Simmer the sauce uncovered so excess water can evaporate. A wide pot will help it reduce more quickly. You can also add tomato paste one tablespoon at a time or blend part of the sauce with an immersion blender. Remember that the sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
Peeling the tomatoes gives the sauce a smoother texture, but it is not required. You can leave the skins on if you do not mind a more rustic texture. Blend the tomatoes well if you are keeping the skins.
No. I remove the rough stem area, but I do not usually remove all the seeds. You can scoop them out if you prefer a smoother sauce or if your tomatoes contain a lot of watery seed gel.
Yes. Sauté the onion, mushrooms, garlic, and soy sauce on the stovetop first. Transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Leave the lid slightly cracked during the last hour if the sauce needs to thicken.
This particular recipe has not been tested for safe home canning, and it contains low-acid ingredients such as onions and mushrooms. Do not use it as a canning recipe. Use our tested canned spaghetti sauce recipe when you want shelf-stable sauce.
The final amount depends on how juicy the tomatoes are and how long you reduce the sauce. It generally makes about 5 to 7 cups, or approximately six 1-cup servings.
Yes. Fully ripe tomatoes may not need much added sugar. You can also add finely grated carrot with the onion for natural sweetness or add a splash of red wine. Taste the finished sauce before deciding whether it needs any sugar.
Yes. Granulated sugar will balance the acidity, but brown sugar adds a slightly deeper flavor. Begin with a small amount of either one and add more only as needed.
Marinara is usually a simpler tomato sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Spaghetti sauce is a broader term and may include onions, mushrooms, vegetables, meat, or additional seasonings. This recipe is heartier than a basic marinara but can still be used anywhere you would normally use pasta sauce.
Yes. Add a splash of dry red wine after the onion and mushrooms have cooked. Let it simmer for two or three minutes before adding the tomatoes so the flavor has time to concentrate.
Troubleshooting
- The sauce is too thin: Continue simmering it uncovered. You can also add tomato paste one tablespoon at a time or blend some of the tomatoes into the sauce.
- The sauce is too thick: Stir in a small amount of water, broth, reserved tomato juice, or pasta cooking water until it reaches the consistency you like.
- The sauce tastes too acidic: Let it simmer longer, then add a small amount of brown sugar or finely grated carrot. Add only a little at a time and taste after each addition.
- The sauce is too sweet: Add more tomatoes, a pinch of salt, or a small splash of red wine or red wine vinegar to bring the flavors back into balance.
- The sauce tastes bland: It may need more salt, garlic, oregano, basil, or red pepper flakes. Tomatoes can vary greatly in flavor, so taste and adjust as the sauce cooks.
- The sauce is too salty: Add more unsalted tomatoes or a little water. Avoid adding more salt or soy sauce until the sauce has reduced.
- The sauce is sticking to the pot: Reduce the heat and stir more frequently. A heavy-bottomed pot will distribute the heat more evenly and help prevent scorching.
- The vegetables are too chunky: Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until it reaches the texture you want.
Make Ahead and Storage
This sauce is a great make-ahead recipe because the flavor gets even better after the ingredients have had time to sit together.
Allow the sauce to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze the sauce, cool it completely in the refrigerator first. Transfer it to freezer-safe containers, glass jars, or resealable freezer bags. Leave room at the top of rigid containers and jars because the sauce will expand as it freezes.
Freezer bags can be laid flat until frozen and then stacked to save space. The sauce can be frozen for up to six months, although the flavor and texture are best within the first three months.
Thaw frozen sauce overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if it has become too thick.
Pairing Ideas
Serve this Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes over spaghetti with Olive Garden Salad, Loaded Cheesy Garlic Bread, or Oven Roasted Green Beans. You can also use it to make Meatball Sub Sandwiches or Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches.
More Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipes
- Meat Sauce
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
- Marinara Dipping Sauce
- Ravioli Sauce
- Homemade Pesto Sauce
- Healthy Alfredo Sauce
- Browse All Our Italian Sauces
This fresh tomato spaghetti sauce is one of my favorite ways to use ripe garden tomatoes. Give it a try, then leave a comment and a rating below to let me know how you served it or what vegetables you added. 🍅🍝
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 12-14 tomatoes, (fresh, garden tomatoes work best- appx. 6-8 lbs. You can also use two 28oz. cans of San Marzano tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms, fresh, chopped
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce, (see notes above)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 10-12 basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oregano, finely chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, (start with 1 tablespoon, taste, and add more as you go along as needed)
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pepper, (or to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato. Place a few tomatoes at a time in the boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the skins begin to loosen.
- Immediately transfer them to the ice water. Peel the tomatoes and remove the tough stem areas. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place them in a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times until they reach the consistency of crushed tomatoes. Do not overprocess. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened and translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and garlic and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for at least one hour, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot. Taste and add more brown sugar, salt, or pepper as needed. When simmering for two hours or longer, cover the pot during the first hour, then uncover it and continue cooking until the sauce reaches your preferred thickness.
- Taste once more and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot over cooked pasta or use in your favorite pasta dish.
Notes
- Tomato size, sweetness, and water content vary, so adjust the simmering time and seasonings as needed.
- For a chunky sauce, pulse the tomatoes only a few times and coarsely chop the vegetables.
- For a smooth sauce, blend the finished sauce with an immersion blender.
- If the sauce is too thin, simmer it uncovered longer or add tomato paste one tablespoon at a time.
- To make meat sauce, brown one pound of ground beef or sausage with the onion, drain any excess grease, and continue with the recipe.
- Two 28-ounce cans of whole or crushed tomatoes can be substituted for fresh tomatoes.
- For the slow cooker, sauté the vegetables first, then cook the sauce on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
- This recipe has not been tested for home canning. Use a tested canning recipe when making shelf-stable sauce.
- Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days or freeze in airtight containers for up to six months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
Do you leave the seeds to the tomatoes?
Yes, you can leave the seeds in! I peel the tomatoes and remove the core/stem area, but I don’t seed them. If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can remove the seeds, but it isn’t necessary for this recipe.
I grate a small carrot into my sauce before simmering instead of adding sugar. It works wonderfully!
Great idea! Thank you for the tip!
Hi, Just a quick question. I am using fresh San Marzano’s but 12-14 of them will be no where near 6-8 lbs. Should I stick to the count or the weight for this receipe?
For this recipe we use two 28 ounce cans of San Marzano tomatoes. We prefer using the whole tomatoes as opposed to crushed tomatoes (most DOP tomato brands only come with whole tomatoes) and simply mash them with a potato masher as the sauce cooks down. They are delicious in this sauce. Enjoy!
Is it ok to eliminate the mushrooms in this recipe. My husband won’t eat anything with mushrooms in it.
Yes, of course. It will still taste great!
I have a ton of fresh picked green bell peppers as well. Could I add them too? I plan on freezing this sauce. Any recommendations?
Absolutely! I wouldn’t add too much because it might change the flavor some but if you love the flavor of green bell peppers, by all means add some! Just cook them down nice and soft with the onions and it will be perfect 🙂
My husband said it was the best pasta sauce I have ever made. The depth of flavor and simplicity was similar to what we experienced in Italy. The only switch I did was a small can of mushrooms for fresh since I didn’t have fresh at the time. It will be my go to recipe from now on.
Wow thank you so much for the rave review! I agree that this is much like some of the pasta sauces we had in Italy, which is why I love it so much! The fresh tomatoes make all the difference. Thanks so much for the kind comment!
Can you can this recipe?
We have not canned this specific recipe. We do have a delicious canned spaghetti sauce recipe that we use and it is so good. I highly recommend! Here is the link: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/canned-spaghetti-sauce/
I like the sauce. It was delicious. Added a small can of tomato paste as others suggested and used home grown tomatoes.
So glad you liked it! Homegrown tomatoes are the best, ours are in abundance right now and we have been making spaghetti sauce on repeat!
After the tomatoes are skinned, can i use a crock pot instead of stovetop to cook the sauce?
Yes! Sauté the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and soy sauce first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. If the sauce is still thin, leave the lid slightly cracked during the last hour to help it thicken.
Can you freeze this?
Yes, freezing this sauce works great.
Are you using fresh basil and oregano?
Yes, I use fresh basil and oregano in this recipe. If you only have dried herbs, you can use those instead, but use less since dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor.
Great recipe but why bother to peel the tomatoes, unnecessarily extra step and loss of nutrients. Unless you are canning you don’t need to remove the skin.
It comes down to personal preference. Both ways work great.
This recipe is the best! I used fresh tomatoes each time I made it. I didn’t have mushrooms and I did add 1 can of tomato paste. It is delicious and my family loves it. Thanks so much!
Thank you, Coretta! I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe. I love it too. Homemade and fresh is always best! 🍅
This sauce was incredible. Definitely recommend this to others.
So tasty! Followed the directions using the canned tomatoes listed. So far, everyone I have made it for has asked for the recipe. I did choose the option of adding meat and used Bison. I also tried the sauce with 1/4 C red wine. Super yummy either way. I have added this to my monthly rotation.
So glad this has become a menu regular!
By far the best sauce I’ve ever made. I did make it into a meat sauce. I made it a few other times, two of those times making into lasagna. The soy sauce in the mushrooms adds a deep richness. You will never regret making this.
Thank you so much for your kind review, happy holidays!
Can you freeze this recipe?
Yes, you can freeze this sauce. Prepare it according to the recipe instructions then let it cool completely. Pour the sauce into an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thanks for asking!
Simple, healthy and delicious 😘🤌
Thanks so much! Glad you liked it!
So delicious. Added some roasted bell peppers.
I did a double recipe and added one small can of paste. Came out delicious. Thanks
So glad it was a hit!
Can you can this recipe?
We have a delicious recipe for Canned Spaghetti Sauce: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/canned-spaghetti-sauce/
If I seal my jars like in canning. O shouldn’t have freeze them correct?
Yes, be sure to see our post on canning spaghetti sauce to make sure you are doing it correctly and safely. https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/canned-spaghetti-sauce/
I made this last year and loved it. What do you think about adding bunches of cherry tomatoes, not blanched, to my standard sized blanched tomatoes?
I haven’t tried that but I don’t see why not! Sounds yummy!
I liked the recipe and am wondering if I leave out the mushrooms is there anything I should add or subtract. Thanks
No, you can just leave them out.
Absolutely love this recipe! 2nd time I’ve made it this summer, with the abundance of tomatoes my garden has produced. Thank You! This recipe is definitely a “keeper”.
So glad you like it!
Loved this recipe, I did add some nutmeg, ginger and celery salt. As my Grandma would add. Fresh is best, didn’t have enough tomatoes as I wanted a larger amount so used 2 -28oz peeled whole tomatoes along with roasting my garden fresh. Got a 5 qt. 3/4 full. Thank you
You are welcome, I’ll have to try your spice additions!
Does the tomato juice in the bowl under the strainer get added to the sauce?
And the gel & seeds that are strained out do not go into the sauce?
I’m not sure what you are asking? Are you wondering about straining the tomatoes through a juicer?
I forgot to add the Stars! Five stars all the way.
Thank you so much!!! So glad you liked it!
Made it exactly to recipe! Love it! So good. Everything was fresh right out of my garden.. tomatoes, herbs, etc
Wonderful!
Thanks Christy! Glad you can enjoy those garden tomatoes all year round!
Can you tell me how many days this will stay fresh in the fridge? Or can it be frozen? Made it once and plan to take some to my daughter. Thanks!
It will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge and YES it can absolutely be frozen. Just thaw completely before re-heating. Hope this helps!
omg best tomatoes ever,by roasting them
Totally agree, worth the extra effort!
I’m trying it with the roasted tomatoes
Hopefully it comes out good
Ohhh that’s awful! Im making it tomorrow with my harvest, I would be so sad! 😥
If I understand your directions, seeds are not removed unless I roast the tomatoes?
You can choose whether or not to remove the seeds, whether you roast the tomatoes or blanch them. It really just comes down to personal preference.
What if your family absolutely will not eat mushrooms? Does it work the same without them? Anything else I should add in place of them?
You can totally just leave them out. No biggie!
I’m with Jane – can’t do the mushrooms. So leave out the soy sauce as well?
You can still add soy sauce to give it a boost of flavor 🙂
Like many summer gardeners, I have a bunch of tomatoes all at once. Can I use your recipe, add meat and freeze? thanks.
Yes! You can totally freeze the sauce and it will re-heat great!
What’s the best container to freeze it in? Glass jars, plastic Tupperware?
You can do wither one. I like using thick, plastic Tupperware because it stacks better and I don’t worry about it breaking but a lot of commenters on here have had success with freezing in glass jars. It really depends on your personal preference. I hope this helps!
My mom and I have done freezer spaghetti sauce for years. We have always used vacuum seal bags (do not use off brands). This year I’m going to try this recipe, not completely fond of the other and always end up adjusting it a lot once I pull it out, hopefully doing it today. I have 10 gallons of tomatoes to process. Using the vacuum seal bags, we haven’t had any issue using sauce that was made 2 years ago. Make sure to lay flat to freeze, saves a lot of freezer space. We do the same with enchilada sauce too. And make a green enchilada sauce with all the leftover green tomatoes at the end of the season. Again… they have kept in the freezer for over 2 years.
We absolutely love this recipe! We’ve been making big batches and freezing in portions for weekly spaghetti dinners.
I would love to can it to get it out of the freezer. Have you tried canning this?
So glad you love this recipe, thank you! Yes it can absolutely be canned but it must be pressure canned. Here is a direct link for how to pressure can and at what pressure and times: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/how-do-i-can-tomatoes/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/ Hope this helps!
Had a bunch of tomatoes and was leaving for a trip and wanted to use them up. I tripled the recipe. To add a little depth of flavor, I added some Worcestershire sauce, some red wine, and a Parmesan rind (We save them and keep them in the freezer.). It’s a great recipe. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Christina. I’m glad you liked the recipe. Thanks for sharing your additions!
This sauce is DELICIOUS. I am trying to be patient while it simmers; but, I got a small bowl of it and ate it like soup. It is everything you said it is.
I’m so happy you like it as much as we do! ❤️
12-14 of my tomatoes only come out to about 2 pounds, is that ok? Or do I need 6-8 pounds of them total?
This sauce is AMAZING! I followed the recipe to the letter and it is by far the best sauce I’ve ever made. The recipe made enough for spaghetti night, leftovers the next day and I still had enough to make a mini lasagna. This will be my go-to sauce from now on. Thank you!
I’m glad you feel the same way we do about this sauce. 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment!
I added about 1/3 cup of strong coffee, cut the acidity and brought out such a meaty flavor. Delicious!
Ive never heard of using coffee in spaghetti sauce before, glad it worked out well!
OMG! I had tons of cherry tomatoes, very ripe. I used my onions I grew, yellow bell pepper and mushrooms all sliced cooking in sunflower seed oil. I then added my tomatoes, whole, and then crushed a little right with a potato masher on top of the previous mentioned vegetables not worrying about whether they were crused completely. Seeds remained along with skins. Added garlic, fresh basil, salt and pepper. Then I looked at this recipe and added a little soy sauce and dark brown sugar (this would be about half the recipe listed for all ingredients). Only cooked 45 minutes on low heat until it was thick enough for sauce. Added extra virgin olive oil and served over spaghetti. Adding brown sugar was the key. No need to cook for 8 hours. So good…
So glad it turned out well!
Delicious sauce made with a few changes to recipe. 1) I roasted tomatoes but left skin on, and added the tomato seed and liquid to the sause rather than straining out; 2) Substituted cayenne pepper and added some Thai peppers (diced and sauted with the onion, mushroom, garlic and spices); 3) Added 1# ground beef . Added a can of diced tomatoes (didn’t have crushed) and can of tomato paste.
Complemented with garlic bread, using local bakery’s Italian (or French) bread with butter and garlic powder (or roasted garlic). Excellent!
Some great ideas, glad it turned out well!
Very tasty and easy to make! Reminds me of my Moms homemade spaghetti sauce.
It
Differs a bit by having a few more garlic cloves and Mom used Worcestershire sauce
In stead of soy sauce. I decided to compromise ad use 1 tsp. Soy sauce and 1tsp. Worcestershire sauce…..tastes good and I’ll keep making this recipe with garden tomatoes. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This is easily the best spaghetti sauce I have ever made! I added some hamburger for protein. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. I can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow.
How much does it make?
It should make enough to cover 1 pound of spaghetti noodles!
A lot
This is the first time I’ve loved how a homemade spaghetti sauce turned out. I had a really good “crop” of tomatoes and wanted to try making sauce again and this recipe really hit the ball out of the park! I was skeptical of the mushrooms…never liked in sauce before but it in this recipe it just works! Simmered for 1 hour and it was awesome but looking forward to giving more simmer time to see how it thickens. Sooo good!!!
So glad you liked it! The longer you simmer the better it gets. Also glad the mushrooms worked out for you! My husband doesn’t like mushrooms either but he loves them with this sauce, it just makes it more meaty tasting!
Delicious, I substituted the sugar with one carrot. Thank you, I will make this again and again.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
This beautiful recipe deserves each one of its five star ratings and then 1 million more. The flavors are so perfectly balanced. I’m sure it will be unforgettable for anyone who tastes it.
I want to try this recipe, but I’m also interested in canning some and I’m wondering why the difference in this recipe and your canning recipe? Why can’t I make this recipe and can it?
We have not tested this recipe for canning safety.
Can you do this with frozen tomatoes. My tomatoes are ripening very staggered so I want to freeze them before making a batch?
Is there anything different I should do.
While we have not tried this, I have seen other people freeze the tomatoes before canning. I would recommend still boiling and peeling them before freezing to make it easier!
I just started to simmer it and it already tastes amazing! I’m so excited to eat this.
I added red bell peppers with the onion, zuchini with the mushrooms, and cooked ground beef and a splash of worcestershire sauce at the end. I didn’t remove the skins due to lack of time. I had a ton of romas I needed to use from my garden so I rushed this batch, next time I’m going to try the roasting method.
Thank you!
Do you leave the garlic cloves whole? Do you slice or mince them?
We mince them!
Amazing! Best Sauce Ever!
Easy and worth the wait.
Amazing! Best Sauce Ever!
Easy to do! Roasting the tomatoes made it so much sweeter and tastier. Added all ingredients except mushrooms (allergies). I used my crock pot for slow cooking and it turned out amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank-you for this recipe. I’ve been looking for a good spaghetti sauce recipe, I believe I’ve found it. I will give this one a try.
I haven’t made my own spaghetti sauce in years. When I bought a box of tomatoes from Costco that didn’t meet my slice/eat standards I found your recipe. I had forgotten the difference in taste of a scratch sauce verses bottled. I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes!! I have never posted a comment before for recipes I have found online but felt the need to say thanks:)
So glad you loved this recipe!
I made this sauce. It was so simple and very tasty.
I did add about 1 TBsp. of Fennel seed while it was cooking down, and 1 TBsp. of homemade brown sugar.
I will be using this one for all my to go favorites.
Hello, I’m very excited to try this recipe. I’m planning on making it tomorrow with 4 28oz cans of DOP Marzano tomatoes. Do you think 1lb of ground Italian sausage and 2lbs of ground beef would be a good amount of meat for the sauce? My man doesn’t like sweet, so I’m planning to substitute some red wine for the sugar. Fingers crossed. I also have a little tomato paste left over from a previous recipe. Sometimes I get a lot of ideas in my head but don’t want to do too much and ruin the recipe. Do you think it would be good to add some? Or omit? Thanks!
Yes, you can totally use 1 lb go Italian sausage and 2 lbs of ground beef. It will be very meaty but delicious! Also red wine is a great substitute for sugar. Add it when you are cooking the beef and before you add the tomatoes. Tomato paste I would just add a little at a time for thickening. Hope this all helps!
Never before had I ever put brown sugar nor soy Sauce in a recipe for spaghetti sauce. After adding Calabrian peppers to this recipe, which I followed exactly, I was not disappointed. I would rather put a little bit of brown sugar, for example, half of what it calls for if you wish, than put in wine that I would rather drink. The intensity of flavors highlights, the tomatoes, garlic, Mushrooms (Fantastic )and onions and herbs intensely. To hide the mushrooms from my teenager I simply blend them up till they’re unrecognizable. After eating spaghetti with this sauce, he highly approved and said he appreciated, not having to deal with the rubbery bits of mushroom since they were so small.
Thank you for this fantastic recipe.
I’m making it again today with 15 pounds of our own homegrown heirloom white tomatoes, and can’t wait to see how it turns out.
My auntie was Italian (Reggio Calabria) and she never put sugar in her sauce. My mum lived in Ostuni for quite a while, and no one there put sugar in their sauces, either, brown or any other kind. Around 1/2 a cup of wine did the job: Sangiovese, Chianti or Merlot in the cooler months; Verdicchio or Sauvignon blanc for warmer times.
As it heats, the acidity in wine will break down to let the sugars of the alcohol take over, and in turn soften the acidity of the tomatoes, while adding tons of umami. You get the same effect with Coq au Vin or Boeuf Burgundie.
Just made this recipe tonight for my family. My kids, who are usually picky, said it was the best spaghetti sauce they’ve ever had! We food processed all vegetables, onion, and garlic so they wouldn’t get suspicious and it turned out perfect! You can really play with it and add in additional ingredients. We added in some bell pepper tonight. Will certainly make again!
Ok. So I’ve never made homemade spaghetti sauce before, although I have eaten a few meals with it. This stuff…. magic. Easy as heck and tastes out of this world. Will be my go to for sauce recipe, forever. BTW, no need to alter this in ANY way people. Stick with the program. You won’t be disappointed. I promise.
Love the versatility of this recipe for incorporating fresh veggies from the garden. I made the following changes: add 1/2 cup wine to the sautéed onions and garlic, and reduce down before adding tomatoes, chopped sweet red peppers, grated carrot, zucchini, and 1/2 – 1 cup fresh chopped parsley. I substituted 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon for the tablespoon of salt. My family thought this was pure heaven!
I made this with 12 Early Girl tomatoes. I roasted the tomatoes per the note above. I added no extra vegetables. I used an immersion blender in the pot and made it smooth. It is amazing!
I am wondering this: what becomes of the seeds with preparing the tomatoes in water? Thanks!
They get blended up in the blender!
For the firstvtime ee I harvested my garden tomatoes and made this recipe. It is far better than bottled or canned sauce.
Recipe looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it. Is there a way to do it without the mushrooms? Would I just pass that entire step? Thank you!
Yes you can just omit the mushrooms!
I didn’t add mushroom. I didn’t add anything but the tomatoes, and it is amazing.
Best I’ve ever eaten! I picked 10 lbs of various tomatoes from our work garden. Peeling is a chore but the outcome is well worth the effort. Used sweet onions and Baby Bella mushrooms.
A great tasting spaghetti sauce!! I always enjoy being able to use my fresh herbs from the garden or farmers market.
This is an easy recipe to make and wonderful tastes!!
I want to try this but I noticed you have this recipe and another one that is a much larger quantity that you mention your Uncle Larry. That one has tomato paste and this one doesn’t, but this one looks much easier as it doesn’t make as much.
This spaghetti sauce tastes amazing! Can it be preserved using the water bath canning method?
I’ve tried many, but this is the best ever!
This was delicious! I roasted the tomatoes and blended it all again after simmering so there weren’t onion chunks and we all loved it! I have two jars in the freezer and plan to make more wi tv the plethora of tomatoes my one plant is producing!
Do you think you could simmer in crockpot instead of all day on the stove?
I LOVE this recipe. Many many thanks. I would like help when it comes to your basil and oregano ingredients. What would be an equal amount of dried basil and oregano? Thanks for the help.
If you are using dried, use 2 teaspoons of each!
How many servings is this?
6 servings!
I wonder if you have to remove the seeds after cutting the tomatoes into quarters, or do you add them to the sauce?
We don’t usually remove the seeds.
The recipe turned out great, despite some inconsistencies. Are the cloves of garlic to be used WHOLE or cut up? I used a combination of tomatoes from my bumper crop: large tomatoes beefsteak (Kellogg’s Breakfast, etc.) as well as cherry tomatoes (Matt’s Wild Cherry, SunSugar, etc.). Are the mushrooms ok to be shredded instead of chopped? I cooked the mixture for about two hours and the result was still a great spaghetti sauce.
I responded to your earlier comment about the garlic. The mushrooms are find to be shredded. Thanks for making our recipe!
Very, Very delicious. I used 8 1/2 pounds of both full-size beefsteak tomatoes and patio tomatoes. I also chopped the onions in a Cuisinart food processor. As for the mushrooms, I think I should have chopped them by hand, rather than place them in the Cuisinart, since they came out shredded rather than chunky. As for the garlic, I put into the mix twelve garlic cloves, whole; did you want us to crush them first?
The bottom line is the taste of the sauce: delicious.
If you crush the garlic before you add it, it will release more flavor!
I was going to go by weight.
What is the weight of tomatoes use when you double it.
The weight says the same for
1x, 2x & 3x. Thank you.
It is just double – so 50 lbs.
A wonderful way to use fresh tomatoes. We made a fabulous chicken cacciatore with it. I used half the amount of brown sugar because we are cutting carbs and it tasted wonderful. Thank you for this great recipe.
AWESOME SAUCE!
Quick question- could I can this recipe with a pressure canner? The temperature should be warm enough to make the sauce shelf stable, right?
I did make 11 quarts of the canned recipe you mentioned in the comments, but we liked this one better.
We haven’t testing this recipe for safe canning, so I can’t recommend it.
12 – 14 tomatoes is 8 – 10 pounds? What the heck tomatoes are you using? I just weighed 2 Roma tomatoes – 1/2 lb . So 10 lbs would need 20 tomatoes – assuming all a good size.
I’ve made chutney, salsa, etc over many years. This # tomatoes/ weight is wrong – unless you are using huge beefsteak tomatoes!
That is why we put the amount in weight because it all depends on what kind of tomatoes you are using.
Can this recipe be canned using a water bath canner?
We have not tested this recipe for canning. You can freeze it! If you want a canned spaghetti sauce recipe with fresh tomatoes try this one: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/canned-spaghetti-sauce/
So good, I bookmarked it. The soy sauce was a surprise ingredient, it added a umami flavor that I absolutely loved. I made a huge pot of sauce and my family loved it. Thank you!
How much basil and oregano do I use in the sauce
As listed in the recipe, it is 10-12 basil leaves and 1 tablespoon of oregano.
Wonderful and easy!
Should I simmer covered or uncovered?
We usually simmer it uncovered. If it is getting too thick, you can cover it.
Delicious! Thick and flavorful!
I made a small batch with regular tomatoes from the farmers market that needed to be used up, small onions from farmers market, and homegrown green pepper, basil and oregano. No mushrooms (none on hand) but I added soya sauce. I did not remove the tomato skins. Restaurant quality. Delicious. Served on farfalle. My tummy thanks you.
Does this recipe used fresh oregano or dried oregano? It says finely chopped but the link goes to dried oregano. Also, I REALLY appreciate the recipe adjustments for 1X, 2X, etc. For some reason, though, the 2X recipes uses the same weight of tomatoes as a single batch. Both say 8-10 pounds.
You can use dried or fresh! And for the 2x recipe it would be 16-20 lbs of tomatoes. The recipe card doesn’t double it automatically because it isn’t an exact amount. Hope this helps!
First time It was simmering and I tasted a spoon full and bama good. Could not wait to get this on some spaghetti.
Absolutely incredible sauce, this is my 2nd time making it; using fresh tomatoes and herbs and mushroom, I added in green pepper this time, it’s simmering now and by the time we eat dinner it will have simmered for over 3 hours, my house smells like Italy and I love it!!! Thank you for this recipe!! My kids like to help with the tomato process so that’s a plus too! 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
Thank you, Jessie! We are so happy you love this recipe as much as we do! Way to get the kids to help – love it! 😉
This recipe is SO good but i used over 50 tomatoes … some Roma some bigger ones and i didn’t get enough for my family dinner of six . But the flavor is outstanding!! Just need a LOT more tomatoes!!
Great tasting sauce . my sauce turned out a bit chunkier than my wife likes but she soldiered through :). I did roast the tomatoes.
Everyone works at their own pace in the kitchen!
Dan, I totally agree with you. I, too, made this recipe following the directions as stated. No way is prep time 15 minutes. For me, it was approximately two hours before I got all the ingredients into the large skillet to cook.
Wow – I was skeptical of the five star reviews but this is damn good. I think the key is fresh tomatoes. Made recipe as listed but did not use oregano (just not a fan) and added some fresh rosemary. The recommendations to let it cook down are right but we ate if after about 90 minutes of simmering. Grilled Conecuh sausage separately and served with sauce on spaghetti. Wife who is not a big tomato person said best sauce she has ever tasted…
This was my first time making pasta sauce, and it is so awesome! I have been growing Roma tomatoes specifically to try making pasta sauce for the first time. I also had basil and green peppers from my garden to add to the sauce. Next year I will grow onions and oregano to make it all come from the garden. But this was such a good use for my tomatoes. I also add a 1lb of ground turkey and pair with my favorite Merlot.
I forgot to buy mushrooms, so I made it without. Still crazy good! I roasted the tomatoes as suggested in the notes. Will do the same next time. Didn’t seem like any extra effort.
OMG!!! Had a bounty of fresh tomatoes from the garden and my first time making spaghetti sauce and boy is this delicious 😋. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Can plum/Roma tomatoes be used?
Yes!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times, both with homegrown tomatoes and canned San Marzano tomatoes and it is *phenomenal*. Thank you for the tip on the mushrooms — I’ve been doing that ever since I made the first batch, and you’re absolutely right, it adds a definite ‘oomph’ to the umami of the ‘shrooms. Great way to use my garden herbs, too, and it freezes wonderfully. Nothing like enjoying summer tomato freshness in the middle of December!
Thank you for sharing!
Hey!! I left a comment a little earlier. Said the sauce was so thin. However, letting it cook longer to evaporate the juice from the tomatoes worked perfectly!! Love it! 55 years old and for the first time used some salad tomatoes that were getting soft for fresh sauce. Brilliant!!
Thank you for this simple base recipe!! #EAHWP
Love this sauce!
Any thoughts on adding meat?? if so, how and when? 🙂
Yes! Ground beef or sliced Italian sausage are some of our favorites. We cook it in a separate pan and add it right before serving.
I made this using fresh tomatoes during the summer but now we are into winter I must use canned tomatoes. My conversion chart indicates 1 pd of tomatoes = 14.5 oz diced canned tomatoes. Since I want to make the max of 10 lbs of fresh tomatoes, this would be 5 – 28oz cans of diced tomatoes. Is this correct? I question this because the recipe indicates it is for 6 servings which does not seem right.
We love this recipe! If you want a tasty sauce this is it. I believe the soy sauce is the secret ingredient. I do add an 1/8 tsp ground fennel. My husband suffers from acute pancreatitis and this doesn’t cause a flair up. I do cook the sauce longer then the recipe calls for. I simmer about an hour covered so tomatoes break down, then about 2 hours uncovered.
Flavor is great! As a first timer, easy to make..
This is the best spaghetti sauce recipe I have made and I was really happy to find a “big batch” recipe.
The only things I did a bit differently were to add 2 additional 12 oz cans of tomato paste (total of 24 oz), simmered for about 6 hours to get to my desired thickness, and I asded 2 packets of dry IGA brand spaghetti sauce seasoning just because I had gotten it for free and needed to use it so I threw it in.
Other than that I made it as is and it turned our perfect! Thank you!!
this is a great recipe. i love it just as is,,,,i didnt add anything else to it,,,love it thanks so much
This sauce was amazing! Very flavorful. I grow my own tomatoes and had a bumper crop this year. I have never made my own pasta sauce though. This was very easy to make. I just used a mix of different tomatoes (Rio Grande paste, Early Girl, Brandywine, Mountain Fresh and even a Yellow Boy). I followed the recipe to a “T” except for the garlic. I used garlic powder. Let it cook down for about 4 hours. My husband was blown away. I am going to make the puree and freeze it so I can do fresh sauce all winter. No idea how I will ever eat grocery store jarred sauce again. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
Can this recipe be canned? I was worried about mushrooms. I use water bath.
This recipe has not been tested for canning but you can freeze it! Make a double batch of this glorious sauce and freeze it in a freezer safe Tupperware-type container, a large freezer-safe Ziploc bag or a glass jar. If you do go the glass jar route, make sure to leave an inch or two of space at the top of the jar so the sauce doesn’t expand and break. When freezing, make sure to cool the sauce completely in the fridge before freezing.The sauce will stay nice and fresh in the freezer for up to six months.
Ca this be frozen?
Absolutely!
This was my first time making this and its absolutely delicious
Having been raised by an Italian Mom and my Nana we always made pasta sauce from scratch. The best tomato to use (I’m growing then now) are San Marzana Tomatoes, 2nd best are Roma tomatoes. My wife and I make spaghetti alla Puttanesca (a dish to die for) the recipe calls for anchovies, capers, kalamata olives, garlic and tomatoes. You can look up the meaning, recipe and history of this authentic sauce. It takes as long as it takes to cook the pasta. I also make my own pastas, breads and so on.
This is all great information! Thank you for sharing with us. I am sure your bread and sauce is amazing!!
First time making Spaghetti Sauce using my homegrown tomatoes. My husband said it was the best sauce he ever ate and that we will no longer purchase store bought Spaghetti Sauce, and he meant it. Guess I better get to making more and freezing it. Thank you for a great recipe.
Wow! That is impressive! Way to go!! This homemade spaghetti sauce is so easy to make. Glad that you all loved it!
I made this with the suggested ‘roasting’ in the oven for the tomatoes. I loved it but the recipe was too sweet for husband and I so I’ll make it again w/o the sugar. I cooked it for 5 hours
Am trying this now with the roasted tomato option. Am wondering if I should cover the pot or not while it simmers. I’m using a cast iron pot.
Leave the pot uncovered. Hope you enjoy the sauce!
I love this recipe. I wanted to share a way to do mushrooms that also truly takes them to another level.
Dry cook them first. I truly mean throw them in a pan sliced your desired way completely dry. My friend learned this in Italy and it has taken every mushroom recipe I make now to an out of this world level. The texture and flavor I can’t put into words. When I make them people can’t keep their hands outa my pan so I tend to make extra. Add your soy sauce once cooked to draw out even more flavor or a little garlic salt. Add your sautéed onions separately to the sauce.
If you have never cooked mushrooms this way give it a shot. I promise you will not be disappointed.
Definitely will do it that way. Thank you
Real italians would never use sugar or soy sauce. Even mushrooms and onion are a matter of taste. When I make sauce (or gravy) I make it the italian way and people love it.
Soy sauce is just a different way of adding salt. Onions and basil provide sweetness, but there is nothing wrong with adding an extra pinch of sugar if needed. Mushrooms are internal of course, but add a lot of flavor.
My sister in law makes sauce “the Italian way” like her Italian grandmother. It is very simple, with almost nothing in it. She cooks it all day. It comes out perfectly smooth, with no texture or taste. There are no onions or visible herbs. I assume she adds garlic. But it is so bland.
Yet everyone raves about it! Why? Because it tastes amazing? No. They rave because they are expected to love what supposedly is “Grandma’s real Italian gravy”.
Who said this was supposed to be “Real Italian” It is one person’s recipe and you can like it or not. She calls it “Homemade Spaghetti Sauce.” Publish your own recipies. This was a great sauce as is.
With all respect, I don’t think anyone particularly cares what so-called ‘real Italians’ would or would not use. If you don’t approve of the recipe, don’t use it, but I really hate it when people just post on sites without having tried the recipe in any way and have nothing constructive to add.
From my perspective as a Southerner, I find it utterly ridiculous that people call spaghetti sauce ‘gravy’, anyway.
Well, not all of us are Italian, looking for that truly authentic Italian sauce. I, for one, am big on a sweet sauce and prefer to add sugar to it. We all like things differently.
OMG this is FANTASTIC ! My husband loved loved loved this recipe. He said and I agree best spaghetti sauce EVER ! This is my “wanna impress our friends who come for dinner recipe” and by the way that would be tomorrow, lol.
Saw some nice Roma maters on sale and mine are slowly coming in so what the ****- let’s make some sauce. I used forty or so leaves of fresh Basil from the back deck and double the recommendation of Oregano, also fresh picked. No mushrooms for us, diced three huge white onions finely and the flavor is amazing. I used an immersion blender. The sauce is thin but has boatloads of flavor. I’ll use this recipe after my garden harvest of Romas is done.
Awesome sauce! Love it!
Just made this recipe tonight. I do not like mushrooms so I used green peppers. The taste is great. The next time I make this recipe I will reduce the amount of salt a little, this of course, is my preference.
Love, love, love this sauce! My family is spoiled now because they do not want the jar kind anymore!
I thrown tomatoes in a ziplock bag into the freezer. when frozen drop in hot water for about 10 seconds and the skin comes right off. Then thaw in bowl, core and boil seeds and all.
Why does everyone peel and deseed tomatoes that is where the excellent taste of tomatoes is incased in….to me that is like skining and deboneing a chicken
Not me I like all that stuff
I have a ton of small romas. Have you ever tried not blanching and peeling them? Seems like a ton of work for the smaller tomatoes but I’d love to try this recipe.
I haven’t tried that specifically, but let us know how it goes if you try it!
Tried recipes using 2 tbsp of brown sugar, we find it too sweet. Is there a way to fix it please.
If you don’t like it as sweet, you can leave out the sugar!
We find lemon juice enhances the tomatoes. Alternatively, a bit of balsamic vinegar.
I pick my tomatoes, wash and cut each end off, then dry them off and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze a few hours or overnight. Take them out and thaw. They will be soft. Put tomatoes in a food mill and squish them thru it. They will have no skins nor seeds. Make what you want out of the fresh sauce. This takes planning ahead but at least you don’t have to blanch and peel them and as an added feature… no seeds.
I haven’t made this yet but definitely will–such rave reviews! I’m wondering if this would freeze well. I have lots of tomatoes (hooray!) and would like to make several batches but don’t want to can it for a variety of reasons. Freezing would be my preference. Has anybody tried that?
Yes you can freeze it! We have done it before and it works great!
Brilliant xx
This is an amazing sauce. I eliminated mushrooms and soy sauce, but that is just personal preference. We love it and will be making it again!
Oh yum!!! I’ve been simmering this recipe for an hour and a half now and just snuck a taste… this is delicious!!! Made it exactly like the recipe calls for! Will be making a bigger batch for canning!!!
I will never buy spaghetti sauce again! This recipe is a winner! The sauce is so tasty and I love that it’s made with fresh tomatoes. Thank you!
So fresh and delicious! I will definitely make this again!
This spaghettie sauce had so much flavor we loved it!! Everyone loved the sauce, it was the star of the dinner!!
Made a batch earlier in the week and making my second today. Absolutely delicious. I made it was roasted fresh tomatoes from the garden. Great because very little sugar is needed and my hubby is diabetic. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your comment and 5-star rating! I’m so happy you like this recipe!
I’m making sauce today and want to roast the tomatoes. Did you peel tomatoes before roasting?
Made this yesterday with our garden tomatoes. It is wonderful. I can never leave a recipe allow so I did make a few changes. I roasted the tomatoes as some suggested but did it on the bbq since our temp today is 110 so don’t need the oven on. Also added extra mushrooms since I had them and love mushrooms, added one can tomato paste for my doubled recipe. Best sauce I’ve ever had. Meat not needed. We froze extra in ziplock bags rather than canned the sauce. Hope we have more tomatoes for this season so I can make more.
Made this with roasted Cherokee Purples and volunteer Kamuela (I live in Hawaii) tomatoes, and I have never tasted a better tomato pasta sauce in my life! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Liz I’m in Michigan and my husband grows an over abundance of tomatoes every year. This is the first year he grew Cherokee purples while they grew they grew terribly! Every single one was severely cracked and split even though the tops were still green. What we managed to salvage which wasn’t much but were very tasty. Any suggestions on what he can do to make them better for next season?
I haven’t grown Cherokee purple tomatoes, but from what I know about them, the tops are supposed to be green. Most people pick theirs when the tomato is half green and let them ripen the rest of the way on the counter to prevent splitting. I hope this helps!
Don’t be afraid of that soy sauce addition…it’s delicious
I made this homemade spaghetti sauce and it was absolutely delicious. Taste way better than the jar spaghetti sauce. The directions was easy to follow. I roasted my tomatoes first.
I definitely want to try the roasted tomato next time
Do you have to saute green peppers and onion first? Can.t they
simmer with the tomatoes raw?
I think sautéing them brings out the flavors more, but you could just put them in with the sauce too.
Hi Vicky, I pureed my green pepper and onion instead of sauteing.
This recipe, and the tip on roasting the tomatoes first, led to the most delicious sauce that I have ever tasted! This was my first attempt at spaghetti sauce from scratch. Thx so much!
I made this sauce with some Roma tomatoes I froze whole this summer. It was awesome. My husband lived it.
I made this sauce tonight. It tastes great. I let it simmer down for about 4 hours. Nice thick consistency. Can’t wait to have it over pasta tomorrow.
Lovely recipe as it is. Second time around, I halved the sugar, added finely chopped carrots and celery, and cooked and chopped some hot Italian sausage with a bit of dried fennel seed, but only added the meat to half of the sauce, to please different tastes. But, the basic sauce is genius. Freezing it in small batches for later use as well.
I’d like to add some sausage also. Do you just use it as a spaghetti sauce that way over pasta? Or make lasagna? Trying to figure out what to do with it after I make it!
This was my first time attempting to make fresh tomato sauce. I followed the recipe, except I omitted the mushrooms and had to take out the seeds because of a medical issue, and used less brown sugar. I also added tomato paste to thicken the sauce. It was delicious, my husband loved it. In fact I’m back to making another batch for my lasagna. After tweaking to my taste this sauce is the bomb!
Love the recipes Thanks
Can you use canned tomatoes for this recipe?
Sure!
It had great consistency and texture, but a little too sweet. I will definitely make again, but with less brown sugar.
I made this exactly as per the recipe. It was delicious but a little too sweet for me. I would start with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and add to taste next time.
It says in the recipe to start with 1 tbls of sugar and add more to taste.
This is a superb spaghetti sauce, I was surprised it was so satisfying without meat. The mushrooms are a perfect toothsome substitute for sausage or beef. You can add vegetables, herbs and spices according to what’s in your cabinet or garden to build on this terrific sauce!
How do I roast my tomatoes in oven
Has anyone tried adding red wine to Sauce, and if so, how much?
I always add red wine to my sauce whenever I make it. I usually do about 1/4 cup or so, the sauce will be more liquidity initially, I add a couple TBLS of tomato paste and simmer mine for 4-6 hours and it comes out just the way we like our sauce. Not too liquidity and not too thick.
By the way, this is the best and most perfect sauce recipe I have found!!!
So go ahead and add that wine😉
What kind of wine?Red chianti?New to making sauce I want it to come out great.
What kind of red wine brand if poss.
Do you remove the seeds first?
We usually just leave them in!
Let me say first…I’m a meat-a-holic. I see a recipe or dish and wonder “why would you eat that? There’s no meat. ”
So. I made this sauce as directed but cut in half to accommodate the fresh tomatoes I had.
As I was frying the hamburger, I tasted the sauce. OMG. Should I add the burger? So I spooned up a bit of sauce and a bit of burger. Nope!
Don’t do it! If you want Prego, get Prego; add meat. Save yourself a couple of hours.
BUT…if you want something truly delicious…just follow this recipe as written!
Can you can this recipe?
This particular recipe for canned spaghetti sauce hasn’t been “officially” tested for water-bath canning. However, after MUCH research, we’ve found that if you omit the mushrooms and add lemon juice to the jars this recipe is acidic enough for canning. Tomatoes are in the “gray area” of having enough acidity, so they might be just fine on their own. But adding a bit of lemon juice ensures their acidity. If you’re still worried, you can pressure can them or add more lemon juice or red wine vinegar.
I made this with fresh tomatoes from my mom’s garden and added a pound of spicy Italian sausage (fairly lean). I fried off the sausage (casings removed) with about 2 tbsp butter, and added the onions to that to cook down. With the fat from the sausage and the butter, I omitted the oil. After that, I followed the recipe as written. Delicious! Note that I’m in Canada, and meat is generally significantly lower fat than in the US, so mileage may vary.
Could the simmering be done in a crock pot?
Sure!
This is a really deeply flavorful sauce without being oily. I got a little carried away adding some red pepper flakes so it was a little more on the arrabiata side. SO GOOD. (And my house smells so good, too.)
Can you add meat to this recipe?
Be really careful when adding or omitting ingredients to a canning recipe. You are usually fine adding spices but when it comes to adding more produce, meat or anything else it could throw off the acidity levels, thus making unsafe for canning.
This was my first even making my own sauce from scratch. I had more tomatoes than I could deal with from my garden (not complaining!) I didn’t weigh or measure the amount of tomatoes, and I didn’t have soy sauce. I added garlic salt to taste.
I LOVE the taste and so did my spouse! It made enough for a large pot of spaghetti. I simmered for 2 hours like recommended.
Thank you for helping make dinner a little extra special. I will definitely be using this recipe again. 🙂
Just wonderful. Thank you!
Never comment on any recipes before. But this is so good!!
I had tons of cherry tomatoes on hand, so was using that in combinations with some canned tomatoes I had to use. Add 2 lemon juice (the cherry tomatoes too sweet). Roast the tomatoes, then blend, and cooked for 2 hours+. Best thing I ever made.
I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks for the kind comment!
This is simply superb. Have prepared this recipe twice. I added beans, carrots, capsicum, celery and pak choi stalks. Also put in some chilli flakes. Thanks so much for sharing. My husband loves it when I prepare pasta using this sauce. Also I can give this to my 1 yr old happily.
Best sauce I’ve ever had! I liked the tomatoes blended more. So good!
Thank you for the 5-stars and for your comment! So happy you liked the spaghetti sauce!
I planted a vegetable garden. My beefsteak tomatoes are overpopulating lol. I had so many I had to think of something to make. I found this recipe, and I’ve never made homemade sauce. This was so good! Even my picky 8 yr old ate it. I will make again for sure.
Absolutely amazing! This sauce is delicious. I’m so happy for this recipe. My neighbor gave me 9 tomatoes from his garden and I tried to figure out what to do with them. I followed every step of this recipe and it was so worth it. Thank you for the written and visual instructions!
I just wanted to comment and say THANK YOU. I made this with 8 pounds of our homegrown tomatoes (a combination of Better Boy, Celebrity and a couple of kinds of cherry tomatoes), one of our homegrown green bell peppers and our own fresh basil and oregano and it was hands down the absolute best spaghetti sauce we’ve ever had. (As my dad’s family would say, ‘one of the best things we’ve ever stuck a tooth in’. 🙂 )
I didn’t roast the tomatoes, just did the hot water bath and slipped them out of the skins, then pulsed them a few times in my blender. I was a little worried when I saw all the juice, but I cooked it down slowly for 2 1/2 hours and the texture was absolutely perfect.
I served it over fresh angel hair and lightly seared chicken thighs, but even though the thighs were good, I really wish I’d just done the sauce — it would have been beautiful just on its own, no meat at all.
Thank you, thank you, for a terrific recipe!
I’m so happy your family loved this recipe as much as we do! It is truly the best spaghetti sauce EVER! Thank you for leaving a comment!
Did you skin the cherry tomatoes as well?
Way after the fact, but yes, I did remove the skins, though I didn’t remove the seeds. I hadn’t planned on using them in the first place, but I didn’t quite have enough of everything else and I did have cherries that we couldn’t use up quickly enough. It took a while, but it worked!
I love this recipe! I’m not much of a fan of mushrooms so left those out. My favorite ingredient was the soy sauce; it really elevated the flavor of the tomato sauce. I also added about a quarter cup of Pinot noir and a dash of balsamic vinegar and it turned out great. Definitely making again.
That sounds amazing!!
When do I add the ground beef to recipe? Didn’t know if it should simmer with sauce the 2+ hours. Thanks
I would add the ground beef right after you saute the onions and brown it before the next step! Hope this helps!
When did you put the garlic cloves in? You have them listened in the “ingredient” section but neglected to include them in the directions?
The garlic is in step 5 of the directions, after the soy sauce. Hope this helps!
If I make a large batch and put it in canning jars how long will it last
Canned goods will usually last a year on the shelf!
Made recipe exactly as printed except my wife and I love mushrooms so I used a 16oz. package of fresh mushrooms. Awesome taste and great flavors.
Here is a tip my sister shared with me that will keep you making this delicious sauce with homegrown tomatoes all year long. I grow quite a few types of tomatoes so that I have extra to freeze. I just throw whole tomatoes in a gallon freezer baggy (only the stems removed), date them and toss them in the freezer. When it is time to use, throw the frozen tomatoes in a colander and run a little cold water over them. The skins slip off as they thaw. They work great for tomato bisque all winter long as well.
Hi can i use canned mushrooms ? I don’t have fresh mushrooms right now 🙁
Sure!
What to add if I don’t have enough home grown tomatoes, I only had 5-6 lbs but used recipe for 8-10lbs
You can either reduce the recipe, or add some store-bought tomatoes. You could also see if there are any farmer’s markets in your area that have tomatoes available!
Hi again! I’m trying to make this sauce but am having to substitute canned tomatoes and dried spices. How much dried basil should be used? It says 10-12 basil leaves but I have no idea what that breaks down to in regard to dried basil. Should I start off with 1/2 tsp and then check or should it be less than 1/2 tsp to start with? I’m really looking forward to trying your recipe! Are dried mushrooms okay? I have some mushroom powder as well as dried mushrooms. I think they are porcini but will have to double-check.
Two teaspoons of dried basil will work in place of 10-12 fresh basil leaves. Also, dried mushrooms should work great in the sauce. Thank you for asking!
I have a suggestion for those who don’t mind the extra time it might take. I started roasting my fresh tomatoes last year for canning and wow! what a difference that made! The natural sugars come out and it also concentrates the tomato flavor. I cut them in half, remove as much of the seeds/gel as possible into a strainer with a bowl to catch the juices and then place the halves cut side down on a large cookie pain (I place parchment paper down first). Even though you remove a lot of the seeds/tomato get before roasting, you will get a lot of liquid from roasting. Save it all and strain it. Roast the tomatoes until the skins start turning color. I can’t remember what temperature I used but I believe between 350 and 400. When the skins are browned, I remove the tray from the oven and drain the liquid into the strainer with the seeds/gel. Let the tomatoes cool somewhat and remove the skin. I find it is easier to remove the skins while they are still pretty warm. You can then add the tomatoes and the strained liquid/gel to the pot and process them the way you would for sauce or canning. You have eliminated the majority of the seeds that way as well as the skin. The roasting concentrates the tomato flavor remarkably. I won’t process my tomatoes for canning any other way after tasting the difference in the final product. If using fresh tomatoes processed this way for this recipe, you may not need to add any sugar…it makes that much of a difference! Roasted Sun Golds are like candy after halving and roasting. I just half those, add chopped onion and garlic, red bell pepper, and some olive oil. Those I roast at about 325 since they are small and the skins are thin. No need to remove seeds or skins…just whiz in the food processor or using a stick blender. You can add whatever spices you want to finish the sauce off…Mexican, Italian, etc. I’m serious about that Sungold sauce…you can eat it by the spoonful after roasting! No meat or spices needed!
Thank you so much for this suggestion, Diana. Since we won’t have garden tomatoes in the fall, I won’t be able to try this myself until then. I added your comment under the “suggestions” section of the post so all of our readers can see it. This sounds so delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
I think you will be shocked at how concentrated the tomato flavors become by roasting them. I certainly was! I originally was looking for a way to use a huge number of Sungolds and stumbled across the recipe for roasting them. It turned out so well that I thought about applying that method to regular tomatoes that I was going to can. My aunt and my mom requested that I can for them this past summer (they’re in their mid-80’s) and I was happy to do it for them. My aunt has not stopped raving about how great the canned tomatoes turned out, especially when used for spaghetti sauce. It is time-consuming and more hands-on, but I believe worth every minute of it, especially in those months when you’re longing for a good tomato taste in the dead of winter…lol! I think you will be very happy with the results! You can always try making a trial run and then make a fresh tomato sauce with that method. Because you roast the tomatoes, you don’t have to spend a long time simmering it later. I’d love to know what you think after you try that method! It made a day and night difference for me.
Hello,
If I want my sauce to be spicier, what’s the best spice for that?
Thank you!
When I want a spicier spaghetti sauce I usually use dried red pepper flakes! That seems to match the spice profile the best.
Such a great recipe! I used fresh tomatoes from my garden and it was a hit. My only suggestion was to remove the brown sugar as they found the sauce a little too sweet. I added cooked ground chicken to the recipe but I have way too much sauce now. How long can I freeze it for?
You can freeze it for 4-6 months! Thanks for the 5-star rating!
What type of tomatoes would you recommend to use with this recipe. I will be trying it but will need to purchase the tomatoes from the store. Any recommendation is appreciated. I was thinking due to the meatiness to use Roma but then to add another variety for a bit more depth. Not sure which would be best.
We’ve found that the best substitute for fresh tomatoes is 2 cans of canned crushed tomatoes.
Thank you! I actually made this recipe yesterday from Roma tomatoes. I found the prep time to be much much longer than what was shown when you include the peeling of the tomatoes, etc. The simmer time is not near long enough, even at 2 hrs. I cooked for 3 hrs yesterday, then placed in fridge overnight and started it up again today. I still thought it was a bit too bland for me and it could be just because the tomatoes may not have been the richest/sweetest ripened as they were purchased from the store. I ended up doctoring it later this afternoon to get it finished. I added some canned paste, used my blender to cream up about 4 ladles of my mixture, then added it back. I then added some canned tomato sauce as well as a splash of Red wine, more spice, 2 chicken bouillon and 1 beef bouillon cubes to flavor a bit deeper. I do appreciate the recipe base and I’m sure I it must have been the tomatoes — I just was not getting the richness I desired.
Having made this recipe with homegrown tomatoes, I’m pretty sure that was the problem. With homegrown tomatoes, it’s beautiful. I can definitely see how canned tomatoes would not work as well, though — there’s not enough juice to be able to let them cook down as long.
If you can get hold of homegrown, though, do try it — it’s worth it.
Can I freeze this? Making it today and have tons of tomatoes from my garden.
Yes! Put it in a freezer safe Tupperware-type container, a large freezer-safe Ziploc bag or a glass jar. If you do go the glass jar route, make sure to leave an inch or two of space at the top of the jar so the sauce doesn’t expand and break. When freezing, make sure to cool the sauce completely in the fridge before freezing.The sauce will stay nice and fresh in the freezer for up to six months.
Haven’t made it yet, but I have noticed that you never comment on removing the seeds from the tomatoes. Do you remove the seeds before processing?
Nope, we don’t remove the seeds. We don’t even really notice them. You can remove them if they bother you though!
Delicious!!!
Thank you for giving me the confidence to try spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes. I have always used Prego or made sauce from “scratch” with canned tomatoes and sauce. The tomatoes were so liquidy after processing I thought it would take all day to boil down to a sauce, but less than one hour at high heat worked great. I had 1/2 beef 1/2 Italian sausage in with it. It’s simmering now for dinner tonight!
So glad you took the leap and made it with fresh tomatoes. It makes all the difference, right? Thank you so much for the kind comment and for the 5-stars! What a compliment!
Absolutely Hearty & Delicious!! The tip on adding the soy sauce was brilliant as it brought out the best in the chopped mushrooms. Would highly recommend!!
Thanks Lena! So glad you liked this sauce. I’m so glad you didn’t leave out the soy sauce, it makes such a huge difference!
When simmering sauce, should I put lid on or keep off.
You will want to keep the lid off so it can reduce. With the lid on, it will gather condensation and drip back down into your sauce and it won’t reduce. Hope this helps!
How much sauce do you get from 8-10 lbs of tomatoes? Is that the same amount as 5 jars of store bought spaghetti sauce? (I know this one will taste 100 times better, I’m just trying to compare apples and apples.)
It really depends on how much the sauce is reduced and if you are weighing the tomatoes before or after you are peeling them… you should get close to 3-4 store-bought sized jars with 8-10 lbs. Hope this helps!
Hello! Is the high sodium from the soy sauce? I’m trying to make from scratch as much as possible due to 1 kidney. Thank you.
You can use low-sodium soy sauce if you are concerned. It does raise the sodium levels a bit. Hope this helps!
I made this today from our garden tomatoes. I have tried several recipes before. I was skeptical about a few of the ingredients, but I was so wrong. This was the MOST AWESOME sauce I have ever tasted. I cut the brown sugar in half but didn’t change anything else. Thank you! I will definitely make this again.
Hi Karen- I am so happy to hear you liked this recipe! Thank you for trusting me 😉 Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment, and thank you so much for the 5-stars! 😀
Hello – If I use canned crushed tomatoes do I still simmer for two hours?
Even if using canned tomatoes, I would still simmer as long as you can, just so those delicious flavors have a chance to cook together and combine. Hope this helps!
Super awesome/simple recipe! I’ve made many marinara recipes, and this is by far my family’s fave…Thank you!!
So glad you and your family enjoyed it! We are honored that of all the recipes you have tried, our was your favorite! Thank you! You made my day 🙂
I haven’t made this yet. I was wondering, if I leave out mushrooms should I also leave out the soy sauce?
You can go either way. They purpose of the soy sauce it to enhance the flavor of the mushrooms but it also brings out the flavor in the tomatoes. Totally up to you!
Can I jar this?
Yes, you can pressure can this or if you want to use a water canner you will want to actually use this recipe:
https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/canned-spaghetti-sauce/
This has been tried and tested for canning and is just as delicious!
Can I add meat like sausage and ground beef or will it take away from the original flavor
Meat is a great addition to this sauce! We don’t recommend canning the sauce with meat in it, but you can make it and eat it fresh or freeze it with the meat. Hope this helps!
Why am I using brown sugar?
It helps balance out the flavors and makes it taste more rich. You will love it, I promise!
Hi can I use regular sugar instead of brown sugar?
You can, but we find that the brown sugar gives it a richer taste!
If fresh herbs were are not available, would dried be okay? I searched the grocery stores and no fresh was available anywhere….making this today since I have garden tomatoes that need to be used up before they go bad.
Yes, you can definitely use dried! I only use the fresh herbs because they are readily available. You are fine just using whatever you have on hand. Dried will be great. 😀 Hope this helps!
I would just recommend, if using dried herbs, to use half as much as the “Fresh” amount.
I have a clarifying question before I make this. What is the amount of tomatoes in pounds? This measure is much easier because of variation in size of tomatoes. I know you have 10-12 pounds of tomatoes written, but that can’t be right. I am making tomato sauce right now from 4 lbs of tomatoes and I used about the same amount that you listed.
It really depends on the size of your tomatoes. In the recipe card we have 8-10 lbs of tomatoes. The measurements provided are also the weight pre-peeled. This recipe is extremely forgiving– you can use a variation of tomato amounts and still be totally fine. Hope this helps!
I’ve tried making sauce from fresh tomatoes before and wasn’t impressed. I tried this recipe because I have so many tomatoes. It was delicious. My family loved it also. Definitely keeping this recipe. Thank-you
I’m so glad you and your family love this recipe as much as we do! Thank you for sharing your success!
My local farmer had “pick your own vegetables” day so I stocked up on tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Trying this recipe was my first attempt at making homemade spaghetti sauce and it turned out perfect! I made a double batch and let It simmer for 8 hours. It was so thick and flavorful. I will never use jarred sauce again! I had it with breaded eggplant and vegan meatballs. Thanks for sharing this recipie!!
So so glad to hear you liked this spaghetti sauce! The best way to use up garden tomatoes IMHO 😉 love your idea of sides, too! That sounds delicious!
Does the texture if the mushrooms change when you freeze?
If you are worried about getting a weird texture, you could always just chop the mushrooms really small. That way you get the flavor without the texture. Hope this helps!
Making this now and it smells amazing! I added beef and roasted red peppers. I also used the entire tomato and blended it raw in the vitamin first. Cut back on tons of time. Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Great idea to use the entire tomato! So glad you liked this recipe, thanks for coming back to let us know!
Delicious! It tastes so fresh. I also had a much longer prep time than 15minutes, but maybe I’m just slow. Nevertheless, I’m definitely making this again!
So glad you liked this recipe Kimberly! Sorry the prep took so long! What part did you find was the most time consuming? Trying to figure out how I can adjust the time to make the prep time more accurate. Thanks for the 5-stars!
Hi hopeing to make this sauce tomorrow,l have plenty of ripe small plumb tomatoes 🍅 do I
Still need to skin them?
Skinning them is totally a personal choice. Skins will soften if you decide to keep them on, I just like them skinless. I have used cherry tomatoes (well, Sun Golds) in this recipe with skins on and it is AMAZING– the skins are so thin you don’t even notice them. If you are fine with cooking the skins, I would say go for it!
This sauce is delicious!
Thank you! 😀 So glad you liked it!
I used this recipe and followed it to a T, ended up with tomatoe soup. It was very time consuming and VERY frustrating to end up with something that went in the garbage. Wasted home grown tomatoes 😡!
Hi Lydia- my guess is that the sauce didn’t reduce enough. You can simmer it as long as you need until it reduces. I am so sad to hear it went in the trash! It probably just needed more time or a little extra tomato paste.
I am assuming the recipe is calling for fresh herbs? Can you use dried herbs in this recipe?
Yes and yes. Fresh or dried herbs will work just fine! You can just add the herbs to taste and you will be totally fine. Hope this helps!
This sounds delicious! Do you mince/chop the garlic cloves or use them whole?
Hi Jen– you will want to mince the garlic. Hope this helps!
Can this sauce be canned
You will want to keep an eye out for acidity levels when canning. However, we actually have a canned spaghetti sauce recipe right here that is just as delicious! https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/canned-spaghetti-sauce/
Excellent sauce! I followed the recipe with a couple of exceptions – I added fried mushrooms and ground beef after the sauce had simmered for a couple hours. I also simmered for about 3 1/2 hours, as it was too thin after even 2 hours. This sauce has great flavor.
So glad you liked it. Definitely the longer you simmer it the thicker (and better) it will be. Glad you kept simmering! Thanks for the 5-stars, Sam!
I just made this and it turned out great. It’s a very nice thick sauce. I didn’t use the soy sauce or mushrooms and I removed the seeds from the tomatoes. It will be perfect for my homemade meatballs! It’s a keeper, thank you!
so glad you liked this recipe, even with the omissions! Adding meatballs will definitely give it that “meaty” taste that makes this sauce so good. Thanks for the 5-stars!
Had to add tomato paste
I was wondering about the seeds…I left them in, there are a LOT! But sauce tastes great
I love this sauce. I tried 2 others that we’re just ok, but this one was perfect for me. I have had a double batch simmering for about 4 hours and will do it tomorrow too. My husband is obsessed with putting wine in sauce and wants to add some. Have you tried that? I’m wary of ruining the perfect mix of flavors.
Hi Emily- so glad you liked this recipe! A little bit of cooking wine won’t hurt at all, you can throw it in with the mushrooms and it will probably be delicious. I wouldn’t overdo it but a few Tbsp. of cooking wine won’t hurt at all. Hope this helps!
I’m trying this recipe today and was hoping you could tell me app. How many cups of fresh tomatoes I’m looking for?, my tomatoes. Are very sizes. Thank yu
An average sized tomato can range anywhere between 3/4 c. and 1 c. IF it were me, I would just round up for sake of ease. So I would say 12-14 cups of tomatoes. Hope this helps!
Thank you for specifying that it’s 12-14 CUPS of tomatoes. I was looking at the recipe thinking there was no way my 12-14 tomatoes were going to equal 8-10 lbs LOL. This was exactly the comment I was looking for to clarify 🙂
Glad it helped! Sorry if it was confusing in the post!
Amazing! I used a mix of Roma’s and celebrities and fresh herbs. Delish! Question: if I do not want it as thick… May I add water? Also has anyone tried canning this yet?
Hi Brittany- I wouldn’t add water, I would just simmer it for less time. It will be pretty watery if you don’t let it simmer as long. Hope this helps!
Just made this recipe it is now simmering, I will simmer at least 5 hours and let you know how it turns out ..rachel
I’m excited to hear how you like it! A 5-hour simmer will be perfect! Yum!
I just got mine put together and it is simmering on the stove. My husband came home for lunch and when he walked in he immediately said how great the house smelled. I plan on letting it simmer for several hours and will probably not have it until tomorrow night (I think sauces always are better the next day)
Oh man, if he thinks it SMELLS good, I can’t wait for him to TASTE it!
This is wonderful sauce! I let my tomatoes drain a bit, similar to what I do for salsa, and used red bell pepper in place of mushrooms. My family is asking for more! I plan to can some to enjoy this winter.
So glad you like this recipe! Great idea adding some red bell pepper. You can definitely add more vegetables to the sauce to bulk it up. We have added carrot before, too, and it is wonderful!
This spaghetti sauce was so good! We had a good crop of tomatoes this year and were looking for other ways to use them. I came across this recipe and gave it a try. Very easy, and we had all the ingredients at home already. I did let it simmer for the 2 hours recommended, and it turned out great!!
So glad you liked it! Simmering it down is key. It makes all the flavors combine beautifully. Thanks so much for the 5-stars!
The whole family loved the recipe! I also added chopped carrots and bell peppers! Amazing, Amazing, amazing! I allowed the sauce to simmer for 1hr 45ish mins and turned out just fine! Thank you so much for sharing! This is the only way I’ll eat spaghetti now…from now on.
Yay!!! I am so glad that you liked this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and for the 5-stars!
Excellent recipe. Hard to believe there’s no beef in the ingredients. My only complaint is that the
15 min. prep time is way off. It took me at least 30 min. to blanch, peel, core and quarter the tomatoes, and I still had to chop the onion, mushrooms and basil. I think a 45 min. prep time is more realistic.
Hi Belle– thank you so much for letting me know how long it took you to do this recipe. I will re-evaluate the time and make some changes. Thanks for the 5-stars! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
You can always add browned ground beef or sausage after the sauce has been made. Keep some separate for vegetarians, though!
Absolutely! That would be delicious!
My family looved it!!
So easy to make and remember Ingrid’s.
I love this recipe!!! It is a keeper! I used fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs from my garden and doubled the recipe. I was so impressed I did it again the next day so I would have plenty to freeze. I let it simmer uncovered for several hours to reduce the liquid. Perfect. My hunt for the perfect sauce is over with.
Thank you so much for this wonderful comment! We are so excited that your hunt for the perfect sauce ended with us! Thank you! 😀
I was thinking of putting it in the crockpot for about 4 hours. On low with lid on. Do you think that would be to long , would it thinkin up that way also.
That should actually work nicely! That’s a great idea!
Do you have to remove the seeds???
I’m doing mine in a crockpot. Question – do you saute the garlic listed in ingredients? Not mentioned in recipe to even add it.
Oops the recipe instructions DO say add garlic to onions sautéing. My bad. Thank you. ,
Loved this great way to use my end of the season tomatoes only problem I had was too much soy sauce ..next time I will add more mushrooms
I made this Sunday and it was so amazing! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks for the 5-stars Jennifer! We are so glad you liked it!
Outstanding. I used less salt. So fresh tasting and soy sauce adds depth! Will make often
So glad you liked this spaghetti sauce! Thanks so much for the 5-stars and the nice comment 😀
How much does this recipe make?
It makes about 6-8 servings depending on your serving sizes. Hope this helps!
I’ve been making this for about a year and half now. This has become me and my husband’s favorite meal to make. It’s delicious and better than anything you can get at a restaurant around where we live. Love, love, love l!
I really enjoyed this recipe and will be making it again, I didn’t use brown sugar and I found that half a carrot grated into the sauteed onions adds more than enough sweetness
Great idea! Awesome way to cut out sugar without having to cut out the sweetness. Thank you for sharing!
Can you freeze this sauce
Yes! It freezes great!