Around this time of year, all my friends and family who grow gardens are telling me they have an overabundance of tomatoes that are either ripe or about to be overripe. I’ve heard of worse things to happen, but I am happy to come up with some solutions like making some homemade tomato sauce! Beef lover? Add in half a pound of ground chuck for a meatier sauce. 

Cooking tomato sauce is a labor of love, so make a day of it, put on a movie, and enjoy the process. It will take you 4-5 hours in total, but your future self in the Winter will thank you when you’re wanting a quick and easy weeknight meal that’s tasted like you’ve been cooking all day. Grab this sauce out of your freezer and enjoy it all year long. 

You will need: 

½ cup olive oil 

3 quarts ripe tomatoes of whatever kind you have!

2 yellow onions chopped

2 shallots chopped

6 - 8 cloves garlic  chopped

1 can tomato paste

4 tbsp salt

4 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp dried oregano

water

Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by dicing your onion and shallots. Drizzle in your olive oil and toss into the largest pot you have on medium low and cook, stirring occasionally until clear and translucent. (The sweetness of the onions is going to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes!)

 Mince your garlic and add into the pot for a minute or two, cooking until fragrant but not browned. Add in your red pepper flakes, rosemary, oregano, salt, and sugar. Roughly chop all your tomatoes in a large dice and add to the pot and cook for a few minutes. Add in 2 cups of water and stir to combine and ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Fold in one can of tomato paste, then cover the pot with a lid and simmer on the lowest setting for about two hours. Check on occasion and stir to make sure it’s not burning. 

Dip a spoon in and season to taste. You may need more sugar and especially more salt. 

Keep simmering on low, never to boiling for another 2-3 hours. Using an immersion blender, blend until it is your desired consistency. Don’t have an immersion blender? Let it cool then add to a regular blender.

If this sauce is too thick for you, add in some water a bit at a time. Too thin? Add in some more tomato paste.

Serve some over some fresh pasta, and do not forget to jar up the leftovers, and add it to your freezer into quart size freezer containers.