Is it okay to leave the skin on tomatoes when making sauce?

Yes, when using fresh tomatoes, the tomato skins are often tender and full of vitamins and nutrients! You can also slip the flesh off after roasting the tomatoes.

Should you remove seeds from tomatoes when making sauce?

The seeds don't impact the flavor, but if you want a smooth sauce, you can remove them.

Do Italians put sugar in tomato sauce?

If the tomatoes are not fully ripe, such as near the end of the season, a pinch of sugar can cut the acidity and balance the sauce. Taste first! Your tomatoes may be sweet enough!

How to can roasted tomato sauce?

The tomato sauce must be acidified (with bottled lemon juice or citric acid) and processed in a boiling water bath or pressure canner. This recipe is not tested for canning, so for long-term storage, we recommend freezing instead. Follow a trusted, tested source if you’d like to can it.

Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce Recipe

Name: Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 4- 6 cloves garlic, whole; 1 shallot, sliced or diced; 3 lbs (med-large) tomatoes, cored and cut in half ( for small tomatoes, see notes); 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried, or use Italian seasoning); 1-2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn or chopped; 1 ½ teaspoons salt (or salt to taste); Black Pepper to taste; ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)

Description

An easy recipe for Roasted Tomato Sauce made with fresh summer tomatoes, garlic and herbs. Extend summer’s harvest into winter- can be made ahead and frozen or canned. Watch the video!

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 tablespoons olive oil
4- 6 cloves garlic, whole
1 shallot, sliced or diced
3 lbs (med-large) tomatoes, cored and cut in half ( for small tomatoes, see notes)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried, or use Italian seasoning)
1-2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn or chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or salt to taste)
Black Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

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Instructions

Pre-heat ove to 400 F
Prep the sheet pan. Drizzle a large, rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic and shallot. Place the sliced tomatoes cut-side down on the sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes. Add the oregano and basil and roast 10 more minutes, or until skins have lifted off the tomatoes.
Peel. Let them cool, pull off the skins using your fingers, then pour all the tomatoes and their roasting juices into a bowl.
Mash or blend. Mash with a fork or potato masher. You can also use a food processor and pulse.
Season to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. If too tart, add a little sugar. This depends on your palate and the ripeness of the tomatoes you used (some are sweeter than others). Start with ½ a teaspoon of sugar and adjust.
To use right away, reheat in a pan or pot with a vented lid. Cook down the liquid to thicken the sauce. Or refrigerate for 4- 5 days, or freeze (see notes).

Notes

If roasting small tomatoes, feel free roast whole and blend the sauce with the skins on. They may not need as long in the oven, check after 20 minutes.

If canning the tomato sauce, follow these instructions:

Prepare boiling water canner. Heat a quart-jar in gently simmering water until ready to use, do not boil. Wash lid in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the hot, 4-cup, quart jar, (or 1 tablespoon to a pint jar) ladle hot tomato sauce into a hot jar leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the jar rim clean and seal lid to fingertip tight.
Place jar in boiling water canner and process for 40 minutes. Turn off heat, let jars sit 5 minutes in the water. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
This Canning Link is helpful!

If freezing in a mason jar, make sure jar and lid are clean and sterile. Let sauce come to room temperature. Fill jars leaving 2 inches headroom at the top of the jar, to prevent jar from breaking- because sauce will expand as it freezes. Thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours.

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 63
Sugar: 3.7 g
Sodium: 389.7 mg
Fat: 4.6 g
Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Fiber: 2.9 g
Protein: 1.3 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg