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

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

Should you remove seeds from tomatoes when making sauce?

The seeds don't impact the flavor but 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!

Roasted Tomato Sauce

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

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Instructions

Pre-heat ove to 400 F
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 30 minutes. Add the oregano and basil and roast 10 more minutes, or until skins have lifted off the tomatoes.
Let cool, pull off the skins, then pour all the tomatoes and their roasting juices into a bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher. Season with salt and pepper. Sometimes, to bring the flavor around I’ll add a little sugar. This depends on your palate and the tomatoes you are using ( some are sweeter than others). Start with ½ a teaspoon. Taste, adjust.
To use right away, reheat in a pan or pot. Or refrigerate for up to 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: ½ cup
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