Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe With Fresh Tomatoes

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Italian tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes is usually very simple, I only add some basil and preserve it in glass jars for the winter. I can add seasoning afterwards depending on the recipe I want to make. However, I never add a lot of flavours, I like a simple tomato sauce recipe, flavoured with just garlic and basil leaves.

What tomatoes are good for tomato sauce

To make the classic Italian tomato sauce recipe with fresh tomatoes you need to use long tomatoes, the best are the San Marzano growing in the South of Italy specifically around the Etna in Sicily or the Vesuvio in Naples.

There are 3 natural factors that make those tomatoes so tasty and sweet:  the sun, the sea being close by and the volcanic earth where they grow. That is why, even if tomatoes are not originally from Italy, in these Italian regions they achieve a perfection of flavour.

If you cannot find San Marzano, Roma tomato or any general long tomato will do.

This year I planted tomatoes in my garden and if you want to know more about planting tomatoes you can read detailed articles from my friend Beth: How to start a garden

The Italian tradition of making tomato sauce

For many Italians, making canned tomato sauce is a yearly event, an excuse to get family or friends together.

I invited Eliana De Matteis to make the sauce together, it is fun and we had plenty of time for a good chat.

My cousin in Italy, for example, invites a couple of friends over and the garden transforms into a canning tomato factories where jars get sterilized in barrels.

If you want to know more, you can read the article here:

THE TRADITION OF CANNING TOMATOES SAUCE IN A BARREL

Do you have to peel tomatoes to make sauce?

There is no skin in the tomato sauce but you don’t necessarily have to peel them as there are grinder machines that will do that for you.

In this recipe, I use a KitchenAid vegetable grinder and you can find out more about it on my page review. I use it also to make gnocchi and jam. Though it is expensive.

Another cheaper option is the manual grinder that you can find in any kitchen shop. It is perfect for small quantities, but if you need a grinder and plan to use it regularly you may want to invest in an electrical one.

How to peel a tomato

If you really do not want to spend any money or you are cooking in a remote place with no utensils, there is a simple way to peel a tomato.

1. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes
2. Leave the tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes
3. Take them out with a ladle
4. Make a cut with a pointed knife
5. The entire peel will come off easily

To make the sauce (only recommend for small quantities)  boil the peeled tomatoes for 1 hour, they will eventually break apart. You can make the sauce just by mixing it with a wooden spoon or a fork.

Cleaning and boiling the tomatoes

1. Wash them thoroughly in cold water
2. Cut them in half removing any green or any damaged parts
3. If you don’t have a grinder, peel the tomatoes as described above and remove the seeds
4. Cover, and let them boil until the tomatoes become soft

Grinding the tomatoes

1. Drain the water
2. Grind the tomatoes through the grinder
3. The skins will be removed automatically…but it can be messy!
4. Reprocess the skins twice as there is still a lot of pulp in the skins
5. When all the pulp is gone, the skins will look dry

Making tomato sauce or preserving it

At this point, the tomato sauce recipe made with fresh tomatoes is ready to use for your recipes. You can make a simple tomato sauce for pasta as it shows in the video and you can find the recipe here.

I always like to prepare a large amount so that I can it and use it during the entire winter until the next summer season yields more fresh tomatoes.

It is very easy and really worth the effort, although you really need to follow all the procedures below to make sure the jars are sealed, properly sterilized and a vacuum created inside the jar to preserve the sauce.

Preparing the sauce and filling the jars

1. Prepare the jars by sterilizing them. I just wash them in the dishwasher at high temperature and use new silicon sealers
2. In the meantime boil the tomato sauce for 1 hour
3. Put a basil leaf in each jar and fill it with the sauce
4. Seal it tight

Sterilizing the jars

There is one more step to take if you want to preserve your tomato sauce for the winter, sterilizing the jars.

1. Once the jars are filled and sealed, place them in a large pan
2. Put some tea towels or dish cloths around them so that they do not bang against each other
3. Fill the pan with water until the jars are covered and boil the jars for 1 hour
4. Leave the jars in the water and let them cool down until the next day

How long will preserved fresh tomato sauce keep?

It will keep for years but I like to use it within the year. It is very important that you leave the jars in the water to cool down, as that is when the vacuum forms inside the jars.

When you open the jars you will notice that it is difficult to open, that is why there is a little tongue on the silicon seal. You pull the tongue to fill the vacuum with air so that you can open the jar.

If the jar is difficult to open, you know the vacuum has been created and the tomato sauce has been preserved.

Once the jar is open, it is recommended to use the sauce within a few days and store it in the fridge.

What jars to use

I like to use jars with a silicone seal so that I can better control if the food is still preserved in a vacuum.

I also like to use different dimensions so if I need only a small amount of sauce I can open the small jars.

Always remember to label the jars with the date and the contents.

Tips for making the best tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes

• Use long tomatoes, San Marzano are the best if you can find them
• Make it an annual event and invite friends and family to help
• There is no skin in the tomato sauce but you don’t necessarily have to peel them as there are grinder machines that will do that for you.
• If you don’t have a grinder you can peel the tomatoes by immersing them in hot water for 5 minutes. The skin will then come off very easily.
• Remove the green or damaged part of the tomatoes before pre-boiling them.
• Drain the pre-boiled tomatoes before grinding them, otherwise, the sauce will be too watery.
• When you grind them, make sure no skin falls back into the pan with the sauce.
• Re-process the discarded skin at least twice as there will still be plenty of tomato pulp to be recovered.
• To can the tomato sauce follow exactly all the procedures to make sure the jars are sealed, properly sterilized and a vacuum created inside the jar to preserve the sauce.
• You need to sterilize the glass jars before using them. The easiest way is to wash them in the dishwasher at a high temperature. Otherwise, you can just boil them
• While you can reuse the glass jars, every year you should buy new silicon sealers.
• Make sure the jars are covered with water when you boil them. If the water goes below the level of the jars, add more but it has to be boiling water.
• Once you boil the jars filled with tomato sauce, it is very important you leave the jars in the water to cool down as that is when the vacuum that preserves the sauce forms inside the jars.
• Once the jar is open, it is recommended to use the sauce within a few days and store it in the fridge.
• Use jars of different dimensions so that if you only need a small amount of sauce you can open a small jar.
• Always remember to label the jars with the date and the contents.

How I use my Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe With Fresh Tomatoes

Because there is no seasoning in the tomato sauce jars, I can use these sauces for any recipes. The most common is a simple tomato sauce recipe that I make in this video.

I also use it for bolognese sauce, lasagna or pasta with eggplants sauce.

If you are making the Tomato Sauce Recipe With Fresh Tomatoes, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

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5 from 5 votes

Tomato Sauce Recipe With Fresh Tomatoes

Italian tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes is usually very simple, I only add some basil and preserve it in glass jars for the winter. I can add the seasoning after depending on the recipe I want to make. However, I never add a lot of flavours, I like a simple tomato sauce recipe, flavoured with garlic and basil leaves.

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

resting1 d

Course: Canned & Jam

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: canned tomato sauce, fresh tomato sauce, tomato sauce

Servings: 6 jars

Calories: 1797kcal

Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients

• 22 lbs fresh long tomatoes
• 10 fresh basil leaves

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

Boiling the tomatoes

• Buy a crate of matured long tomatoes.
• Washed them thoroughly in cold water.
• Cut them in half removing the green and any damaged parts
• Cover, and let it boil until the tomatoes become soft

Grinding the tomatoes

• Drain the water
• Grind the tomatoes through the grinder
• The skins will be removed automatically...but it can be messy!
• Reprocess the skins twice as there is still a lot of pulp in the skins
• When all the pulp is gone, the skins will look dry

Preparing the sauce and filling the jars

Video

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Notes

Tips for making the best tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes

• Use long tomatoes, San Marzano are the best if you can find them
• Make it a yearly event and invite friends and family to help
• There is no skin in the tomato sauce but you don't necessarily have to peel them as there are grinder machines that will do that for you.
• If you don't have a grinder you can peel the tomatoes by immersing them in hot water for 5 minutes. The skin will then come out very easily.
• Remove the green or any damaged part of the tomatoes before pre-boiling them.
• Drain the pre-boiled tomatoes before grinding them otherwise, the sauce will be too watery.
• When you grind them, make sure no skin falls back into the pan with the sauce.
• Re-process the discharged skin at least twice, there is still plenty of tomato pulp to be recovered.
• To can the tomato sauce follow exactly all the procedures to make sure the jars are sealed, properly sterilized and a vacuum created inside the jar to preserve the sauce.
• You need to sterilize the glass jars before using them. The easiest way is to wash them in the dishwasher at a high temperature. Otherwise, you can just boil them
• While you can reuse the glass jars, every year you should buy new silicon sealers.
• Make sure the water in the barrel completely covers the jars
• Put a weight to prevent the jars from floating
• Once you boil the jars filled with tomato sauce, it is very important you leave the jars in the water to cool down, that is when the vacuum that preserves the sauce forms inside the jars.
• Once the jar is open, it is recommended to use the sauce within a few days and store it in the fridge.
• Use jars of different dimensions so if you need only a small amount of sauce you can open the small jars.
• Always remember to label the jars with the date and the content.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tomato Sauce Recipe With Fresh Tomatoes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1797 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 499mg22%

Potassium 23650mg676%

Carbohydrates 388g129%

Fiber 120g500%

Sugar 262g291%

Protein 88g176%

Vitamin A 83336IU1667%

Vitamin C 1367mg1657%

Calcium 998mg100%

Iron 27mg150%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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