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Pasta Sauce Recipe is a red, tomato based pasta sauce that is simple and easy to make. This recipe can be made using fresh, garden tomatoes or canned tomatoes. This recipe freezes well, if needed. Never buy another jar of red pasta sauce again!
Pasta with Pasta Sauce is always a kid-friendly meal!
There might not be anything better than sitting down to eat dinner with your crazy kids and hearing nothing but beautiful silence (and chewing). Amiright?
This 100% happened last night when we ate Alfredo for dinner. It was Brielle’s very first time eating Alfredo and her very first time trying to use a plate. If you follow me on Instagram, you saw how that went on my stories.
If you don’t follow me (yet! Go follow me!) I’ll try to do it justice. She stuffed her face into the plate, totally bypassing her hands and just went for it! It was the best thing ever!!
I just can’t wait for her Birthday (in 2 weeks! Cue the tears!) and her smash cake. You know I’ll post pictures. ?
Even better than that? My picky 5 year old ate a bowl of spaghetti with this pasta sauce. Like, he tasted the sauce and then brought me a bowl and asked for some.
That hardly ever happens. Like ever. That, my friends, is the biggest stamp of approval a dish could ever have!
How to make Pasta Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
This pasta sauce recipe will probably be a little different than most you’ve seen.
That’s because I might be awesome and I have figured out a way to make pasta sauce with no blanching or peeling! #dreamcometrue
The first step is to prep the tomatoes. You’ll want to take the top of the tomato out, the place where the tomato is attached to the stem.
I use my strawberry huller, but you could use a knife just as easily.
I then quarter the tomatoes and toss them into my blender. Skin and all!
The reason I leave the skin on, is because it is the tomatoes natural thickener! More on that in a minute.
Pour the blended tomatoes directly in a large pot or Instant Pot. I like to use my Instant Pot, as it is much faster and has zero babysitting.
Add in an onion (also blended!), basil, oregano, garlic, and salt.
Stir together well.
Cook on Manual HIGH for 10 minutes, NPR 10 minutes.
If cooking on the stove top, simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes.
When the sauce is done cooking (either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot) It will look a little like salsa, the tomatoes are a little chunky. Like the picture below.
Use either an Immersion Blender (I don’t have one! Totally on my birthday list, though!) or your regular blender and bled the sauce until smooth!
I poured the hot sauce right into my Blendtec and pulsed it a few times.
Notice there is no tomato paste in this recipe.. This is because of those tomato skins we kept on!! After they have been cooked down and then blended together, they thicken the sauce!! Its pretty amazing!
Now, all tomatoes are different. Some are much more juicy than others, some are more acidic etc.
So at this point, taste the sauce and adjust from here.
If your sauce is still to thin, either add in some tomato paste or simmer until the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency.
If your sauce is very acidic, add sugar 1 tsp at a time until the sugar cuts through the acid.
If your sauce is too sweet, add vinegar 1 tsp at a time until the vinegar cuts through the sweetness.
This sauce freezes beautifully. I usually freeze in 1 cup portions because that is how much pasta sauce I need to make Creamy Ziti. ?
How to make Pasta Sauce using Canned Tomatoes
Pour the crushed tomatoes into the cooking vessel (Instant Pot or pot for the stovetop) along with the other ingredients.
Follow the rest of the instructions above.
Canned tomatoes generally produce a thinner sauce, so you may need to add some tomato paste or simmer to thicken.
Pasta Sauce Recipe
Pasta Sauce Recipe is a red, tomato based pasta sauce that is simple and easy to make. This recipe can be made using fresh, garden tomatoes or canned tomatoes. This recipe freezes well, if needed. Never buy another jar of red pasta sauce again!
Ingredients
- 36 oz tomatoes, blended about 7 fresh garden tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, blended about 1 cup
- 2 tsp dried minced garlic or 8 cloves fresh garlic
- 3 tsp dried basil or 2 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Core and blend the tomatoes until smooth.
- Pour the tomatoes into the Instant Pot liner (if cooking on the stovetop, see below).
- Add in the blended onion, garlic, basil, oregano and salt. Stir well.
- Cook on Manual HIGH for 10 minutes, allow for 10 minute NPR and then release the remaining pressure manually.
- To cook on the stovetop: simmer all ingredients for 1 hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes.
- Either use an immersion blender or pour the sauce back into the blender and blend until smooth.
Recipe Notes
All tomatoes are different, so it is important to taste the final product and adjust from there.
If your sauce is still to thin, either add in some tomato paste or simmer until the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency.
If your sauce is very acidic, add sugar 1 tsp at a time until the sugar cuts through the acid.
If your sauce is too sweet, add vinegar 1 tsp at a time until the vinegar cuts through the sweetness.
Try this Pasta Sauce in these recipes!
Instant Pot Creamy Ziti
Shredded Chicken Parm Sandwiches
I LOVE seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! Take some pictures and TAG ME!
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Pasta Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 36 oz tomatoes, blended, about 7 fresh garden tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, blended, about 1 cup
- 2 tsp dried minced garlic, or 8 cloves fresh garlic
- 3 tsp dried basil, or 2 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Core and blend the tomatoes until smooth.
- Pour the tomatoes into the Instant Pot liner (if cooking on the stovetop, see below).
- Add in the blended onion, garlic, basil, oregano and salt. Stir well.
- Cook on Manual HIGH for 10 minutes, allow for 10 minute NPR and then release the remaining pressure manually.
- To cook on the stovetop: simmer all ingredients for 1 hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes.
- Either use an immersion blender or pour the sauce back into the blender and blend until smooth.
I can’t wait to make this. My 4-year-old has a garden and grows tomatoes. He is so excited to eat some spaghetti sauce with his tomatoes in it.
How cute!! I hope he loves it!
Every good Italian knows that there is only 1 type of tomato to make sauce with. Marzanos or Plum tomatoes. FYI, I always do my tomatoes the exact same way as you. Blender on puree for as long as i desire.