Roma Tomato Sauce recipe that requires no peeling or blanching! This is a easy creamy sauce that’s perfect for growing garden tomatoes! Serve on pasta, or use later by canning or freezing.
It’s August so you know what that means, right? Our tomato plants are giving us pounds of tomatoes to pick every day! Usually I collect the week’s tomatoes and spend hours in the kitchen on the weekend making sauces (sweet and spicy and slow cooker), diced tomatoes, and stewed tomatoes. And of course Fresh Tomato Salsa – what would be a August be without salsa?
My go to favorite homemade tomato sauce is Cherry Tomato Sauce, but this year we only grew Roma tomatoes so I wanted to create a recipe that was 1) easy 2) delicious 3) let the roma tomato taste shine! Let me introduce you to Homemade Roma Tomato Sauce!
How to Make Tomato Sauce Video
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Let’s talk about easy this homemade sauce is. I have amazing news for you. Are you ready?
First, you use fresh tomatoes.
Second… are you really ready for this?
You don’t need to blanch or peel your tomatoes for this tomato sauce! Seriously! High 5!
I really wanted to make a easy sauce. During the Summer, I want to limit my time spent stirring sauces over the hot stove and instead chase my little one around with water balloons. This sauce is simple and doesn’t require any fancy blanching or peeling techniques. We’re just going to use the tomatoes whole. Trust me on this one.
What type of tomatoes should I use for tomato sauce?
Quick answer to a commonly asked question. Do I need to use roma tomatoes? No, you can use any type of tomato you want. You might need to boil them for longer depending on their water content, but any type of tomato will work!
How to Make Tomato Sauce for Pasta
Cut up your tomatoes into about 1-2 inch pieces and add to a large pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Depending on how many tomatoes I have, I will double or triple the batch to make it all at once.
Bring your tomatoes to a boil and watch how they will break down. You can see your tomatoes are already starting to turn into a sauce!
You can see how the peels of the tomatoes started coming off the tomatoes naturally due to the hot temperature. By the way, the tomatoes taste amazing already!
Now mince some garlic.
And measure out your olive oil. By the way, can I just say how good of a deal it is to buy olive oil in a bulk container if you use it often? Olive oil is a must have for our Summer vegetables! We save so much money buying it this way!
Add your olive oil to the pot and grab your immersion blender. It’s another must have item for Summer because it also makes the best tomato soup (recipe coming soon!)! If you don’t have a immersion blender you can transfer to a blender or food processor, but be careful because it’s very hot!
Now give it a few seconds of the immersion blender, and blend until your desired sauce thickness.
I like a sauce that’s slightly chunky but yet still smooth. Does that make sense? I don’t think so, but here’s what my sauce looks like!
PERFECT, right?
You can serve the sauce immediately (on some good pasta!) or store in the refrigerator for a few days. I always make at least one jar to store in the refrigerator to serve for dinner soon.
This sauce is so delicious! I love how the taste of the Roma Tomatoes really shines through!
Alternatively you can also freeze the sauce for later usage (like in a few months!). I always have bags (and bags) of tomato sauce in my freezer so I make quite a number of these. Is there anything better than fresh garden tomato sauce when it’s snowing in January?
This is now my official favorite tomato sauce to make with roma tomatoes!
Now time to go pick some tomatoes and get making sauce! Enjoy this Roma Tomato Sauce everyone!
PS. Have too many? Here’s how to freeze tomatoes.
Tomato Sauce Pinterest Recipe:
Roma Tomato Sauce
PrintIngredients
- 5 pounds tomatoes cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add tomatoes to a large pot. Add salt and pepper and stir. Bring tomatoes to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for 20 minutes. The tomatoes will start to break down and more liquid will form.
- Add garlic and olive oil to the pot and stir. Use immersion blender on low and blend until desired sauce thickness.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator to use in a few days.
- Alternatively you can freeze in freezer bags to use for later months.
Lorraine says
What a great recipe – just made your sauce and it was so easy and fast – will freeze in Zip Lock Bags as you suggested – thank you so much
Mindy says
Can you can this recipe?
Rocco says
I grew Roma tomato’s , basil and oregano in my vegetable garden. I added the fresh herbs and a bay leaf to my sauce. It came out amazing! Thanks for the easy recipe.
Susie says
Can you can this recipe instead of freezing and how would you do it
Pamela says
Hey Susie, yes, we can this recipe! You can either pressure can or water bath can – however you prefer.
Heather says
So if I’m canning the sauce using a water bath how long so I cook? Please give me all the details!
Angela says
Hi Pamela .thanks so much for your prompt response as I ma making your delicious sauce as we speak. It is alright if the sauce sits out for a bit until cooled and should I cover it while doing so? Also, if I do put it in the refrigerator, should I wait a bit before doing so? Lastly, you had mentioned if you wanted the sauce to be thicker, you could add tomato paste. Do you use one small can or not that much? Thanks again!!!
Angela says
Question regarding this spaghetti sauce. What is the best way to cool it down before putting it into freezer bags. Do you put it into the refrigerator or just let it sit out at room temperature until it is cool enough to put into freeze bags.
Angela says
Question regarding this spaghetti sauce. What is the best way to cool it down before putting it into freezer bags. Do you put it into the refrigerator and just let it sit out at room temperature until it is cool enough to put freeze.
Pamela says
Hey Angela, you can do either. If I just don’t have the time to cool down and bag that day, I’ll put it in the fridge until the next day to do. Hope that helps! 🙂
Lyn Williams says
I would like to put the sauce in litter sealers Do I need to do a water bath
Holly says
This is amazing my family loves it. I just keep taste testing it!!
Brian m says
I found Roma tomatoes on sale and this recipe is exactly what I was hoping to find, I followed exactly and added a touch fresh basil after the blending step! It was soo good I will definitely repeat!!
Kara S says
Question: I like this recipe, but I would like to thicken it by cooking it for a longer time. How much longer can I cook it before it turns to paste?
Joy says
Just stumbled across this and I had loads of tomatoes that I picked this morning. Delicious – smooth like silk. I added lots more garlic and fresh basil. I could eat it with a spoon!!!
S. Deppen says
I am making this for the first time but don’t have a scale. About how many cups of cut up tomatoes do you think ONE round of this recipe is?
Lori Esau says
I love that you don’t have to peel them! I’m going to try my VitaMix. 😎
Do you have a spaghetti sauce recipe?
Pamela says
I have quite a few Lori, my favs are the roasted cherry tomato sauce and roma tomato sauce, here’s a link: (enjoy!!) https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/?s=tomato+sauce
Suzanne Newland says
Love this recipe, made it right after I saw it. My husband and son couldn’t believe how few ingredients were used said it is much better than store bought. Can’t wait to use it for personal pizzas.
Cyndi says
So easy to make and tastes AMAZING!! I’m kinda sensitive to spices, so I put in fresh rosemary in place of the garlic – so good!
Sharon Sanderson says
Hiw do you get rid of the tomato skin?
Liz. Nolan says
This turned out great. I will definitely be making it again and again. Love the fresh taste.
Ann says
How do I thicken the sauce.?
Pamela says
You could add tomato paste to thicken, or boil to reduce the liquid.
Elle says
You can thicken the sauce by cooking it down ala “reduction.” Use a wide skillet for this rather than a pot to allow for faster evaporation. As it reduces it will thicken and become saltier too.
Paul says
Following your recipe, mine (garden-grown-only tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions) turned out great! Thank You, that was awesome and now I’m exploring other recipes like Wow the Amish Stuffing! Thanks so much!
Jenna says
So, why do we even ever have to take off peels, or skim scum, or any of that? Why did my grandma remove the seeds with that turning thing? Is it for lack of an immersion blender? My tomato sauce mind wonders!!
Elle says
I am guessing they removed seeds and skins for aesthetics and texture. I like keeping all that on because it’s less work and zero waste.
danleep11 says
I won’t comment on your grandmother’s methods of saucing tomatoes, but I can give a hint that is wonderful, time saving and has no waste. When preparing your tomatoes, and one can use any tomato, ie, red, yellow, purple, etc. beefsteak, roma, volunteer, cherry, etc…clean the tomatoes and remove the green stem and if the stem end on the tomato is very large and tough, remove it (a little bit of waste). Note: different colored tomatoes will provide different colored sauce, ie, yellow tomatoes result in a yellow sauce, etc…all good and tasty. Cut the large tomatoes into chunks leaving the smaller tomatoes as is, and place them in a good blender…skins, seeds and the tender stem ends…and wiz them into a sauce, as smooth as one likes. (Food processors and hand blenders will not create a smooth sauce.) Dump into your cooking pot and continue until all tomatoes are processed. Season your sauce as desired. Cook, caring not to burn the bottom of the pot. Preserve the sauce as desired, ie, freeze, can, etc. I am finished in half the time, half the expended energy and with an end product that is just as good or better than any other method!
Beth says
Thanks!
Lindsay says
This was such a great recipe! So easy, but it tastes like it took all day. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
Pamela says
So happy to hear you liked this sauce Lindsay! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
JoAnn says
This is my go to recipe for tomato sauce. Thank you!
Kelli says
Do I need to give this a hot bath if I can them?
Robert says
Used as a guide for a quick reminder of how to cook up my mini romas.
Thank you
Mary Miller says
Can this recipe be canned for shelf life instead of freezing?
Pamela says
Yes Mary, you can can this recipe. Enjoy!
Kelli says
If I can these, will it require a hot bath?
David says
Stupid question: To boil the tomatoes, do you put them in water, or will they boil in their own juice?
agross says
not a stupid question but no one answered it. now what? i know tomatoes have a lot of water, so perhaps no? please advise. why comment if no one is there?
Pamela says
Hey agross, no water is needed, just the tomatoes! 🙂 Enjoy the sauce!
Pamela says
Hey David, the tomatoes will break down into sauce, no water needed! Hope this helps, enjoy the sauce!
SUSAN says
Have you made this in a slow cooker? If so, can you tell me how you did it?
Thanks!
Pamela says
Stay tuned for a slow cooker tomato sauce recipe this Summer!