Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Homemade spaghetti sauce is my favorite way to use fresh garden tomatoes. This thick, hearty sauce is filled with mushrooms, onions, garlic, fresh herbs, and rich tomato flavor.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 128kcal
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.
Video
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
Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1292mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2100IU | Vitamin C: 37.3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.4mg