This homemade tomato sauce is a classic tomato sauce with distinct Italian flavors! It’s made with tomatoes (canned or fresh) and everyday pantry ingredients. Use it for pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, and ALL things Italian! This tomato sauce recipe includes Crockpot instructions too!
Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe
Classic tomato sauce is America’s favorite kitchen staple for getting a quick dinner on the table.
We know how easy it is to buy packaged tomato sauce, and I always have some on hand for hangry emergencies.
But, have you ever made your own tomato sauce? It’s so easy and puts you in control of your ingredients, like salt and sugar. Nuff said! Let’s DO this!
How to make basic tomato sauce
Step 1: saute garlic and onion in a saucepot on medium-high heat
Step 2: add tomatoes (canned or fresh), tomato paste, and seasonings.
Step 3: adjust heat to high long enough to bring to boil
Step 4: reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring as needed.
* See the full recipe below
How to make tomato sauce in the crockpot
Step 1: saute garlic and onion in a saucepot on medium high heat
Step 2: transfer to a crockpot
Step 3: add tomatoes (canned or fresh), tomato paste, and seasonings.
Step 4: set crockpot on high for 2 hours or low for 4-6 hours and let it do the magic, stirring as needed.
* See the full recipe below
Benefits of making homemade tomato sauce
- No added sugar and no salt overkill. YOU control the ingredients.
- It’s vegan AND gluten-free for the win!
- Tastes better than anything you’ve had in a jar…promise!
- Meal prep and freeze it for tons of convenience.
- Save money! This recipe costs .09¢/oz, while retail tomato sauce averages .29¢/oz. WOW!
- The crockpot version cooks itself and doesn’t heat up the whole kitchen (great during summer!)
- Use it for pasta, pizza, lasagna, and meatball sliders…so versatile!
Speaking of meatball sliders, we first tested this very recipe on 25 people after a local, holiday parade.
We put 75 cooked, meatballs and 4 quarts of my cooked marinara sauce in a big Crockpot, turned it on LOW for several hours, went to the parade, and returned to a self-serve, meatball-slider extravaganza.
Everyone loved the sauce and it couldn’t have been any easier.
Tomato Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh garlic
- onion
- canned tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes)
- tomato paste
- oregano
- crushed red chili pepper (optional)
- salt and pepper
- ground fennel
- bay leaf
Tools I use for this recipe:
- chef knife and cutting board (for garlic and onions)
- 3-quart soup pot or 10″ skillet
- slow cooker / crockpot
Want more freezer friendly recipes?
Fall Apart Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Soup is the one where the chicken doesn’t get dried out after cooking all day. Winning!
Easy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili is everyone’s favorite Southwest chili!
Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 large Onion finely diced
- 2 28-oz cans No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes keep juice
- 1 6 oz can No Salt Added Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Dried Oregano or 2 Tbsp fresh
- 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper optional
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Ground Fennel
- 1 Bay Leaf
Instructions
Tomato Sauce (stove instructions)
- In a 3-quart sauce pot, heat OLIVE OIL on medium heat until shimmering (about 2 minutes).
- Add ONION and GARLIC; sauté until slightly tender; stir as needed (3-5 min).
- Add TOMATOES, TOMATO PASTE, OREGANO, CHILI PEPPER, SALT, and PEPPER; stir in sautéed onions and garlic.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about an hour, stirring as needed.
Tomato Sauce (crockpot instructions)
- In a 10" skillet, heat OLIVE OIL on medium heat until shimmering (about 2 minutes).
- Add ONION and GARLIC; sauté until slightly tender; stir as needed (3-5 min).
- Meanwhile, to a 3+ quart slow-cooker, add TOMATOES, TOMATO PASTE, OREGANO, CHILI PEPPER, SALT, and PEPPER; stir in sautéed onions and garlic.
- Cover and turn heat to HIGH (2 hours) or LOW (4-6 hours).
Serving and Storage instructions
- Sauce will be thick and chunky, feel free to puree using a stick blender if needed.
- If freezing, allow to cool completely, package into freezer bags or containers, and freeze.
RECIPE NOTES
Nutrition
Traci Antonovich
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