Homemade Tomato Sauce For Pasta

Making your own homemade tomato sauce for pasta is super easy and means you know exactly what you’re cooking with. This is a refined sugar free recipe. I only use a little natural honey as sweetner so it is far healthier than store bought tomato sauce.

Homemade Tomato Sauce For Pasta

Like so many prepared products store bought tomato sauce for pasta is just packed with sugar, to say nothing of the other additives in a lot of them.

Try making your own refined sugar free tomato sauce instead for a healthier option. You will find that it tastes so much fresher and has a real tang to it. I first made this to use up a batch of tomatoes that I didn’t want to waste. The more flavoursome the tomatoes you start with the better the sauce will be.

Homemade tomato sauce

Ingredients for tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 3 sticks of celery chopped
• 1 kilo/2 1/4lb tomatoes
• 150ml/5 fl oz dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon runny honey
• Herb bundle of 1 bay leaf, sprig of rosemary, 2 sage leaves and sprig of thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

How to make tomato sauce for pasta

• Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and cook the onion, garlic and celery for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile make a cross on the base of the tomatoes and plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds to remove the skins. Half and scoop out the seeds and then chop the flesh..
• Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Add all other ingredients, stir and bring to the boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Press through a sieve or food mill or whazz in a food processor.
• Pour into a sterilised bottle and pop on the lid.
• This will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.

How much homemade tomato sauce for pasta does this make?

This recipe makes half a litre/ approx 1 pint of sauce.

Additions

You can make this into a hot tomato sauce by adding a chilli to the recipe. I make mine plain as Idgy isn’t into spicy food so I just add some hot sauce to my own dish afterwords if I want to jazz mine up a bit.

How long does this tomato sauce keep?

This homemade tomato sauce will keep for up to a month in the fridge.

How to use this homemade tomato sauce

Serve this over plain pasta or use on a simple pizza base and then add toppings of your choice. Use this on your homemade meatballs, add to stews. Even use it as a dip. Once you’ve tried homemade tomato sauce you’ll never buy store bought again.

Looking for more fun and tasty sauces and dips to make? Then check these out;

Homemade harissa

Super easy homemade raita

Nasturtium Hot Sauce

Homemade hawthorn ketchup

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Finally, if you do try this homemade tomato sauce for pasta recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/rating below. I love hearing from readers and reply to everyone as soon as I can. Want more Larder Love then follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest and sign up for my newsletter too.

PS this Refined Sugar Free Tomato Sauce is just one of the recipes featured in my 50 Easy Homemade Pantry Staples round-up. Honestly making your own store cupboard basics is fun, easy and saves money too.

Print Recipe

Homemade tomato sauce for pasta

Make your own refined sugar free tomato sauce, so much fresher and healthier than store bought sauces

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: condiments

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: tomatoes

Author: Karon Grieve

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 3 sticks of celery chopped
• 1 kilo/2 1/4lb tomatoes
• 150 ml/5 fl oz dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon runny honey
• Herb bundle of 1 bay leaf sprig of rosemary, 2 sage leaves and sprig of thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and cook the onion, garlic and celery for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile make a cross on the base of the tomatoes and plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds to remove the skins. Half and scoop out the seeds and then chop the flesh..
• Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Add all other ingredients, stir and bring to the boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Press through a sieve or food mill or whazz in a food processor.
• Pour into a sterilised bottle and pop on the lid.
• This will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.