Roma Tomato Sauce Recipe - Easy Made With Fresh Tomatoes! (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to peel Roma tomatoes for sauce? ›

Same goes if you're canning tomatoes for a later time, when they'll probably be turned into a sauce. Though it's completely a matter of preference, for the smoothest, mellowest sauce, you might consider peeling.

Roma tomatoes are perfect for this easy homemade fresh tomato sauce. With only 10 ingredients, you can toss it with your favorite pasta shape or even spread it on pizza. Because roma tomatoes have more flesh and less seeds, they are my go-to for making sauce during tomato season.

You can also chop the tomatoes by hand, run them through a food mill, or purée them with a stick blender after they've been cooking. How long to cook the sauce? I give a cooking range of 30 minutes to 90 minutes (1 1/2 hours).

Italian Tradition

Even a very simple tomato and basil sauce is made with peeled tomatoes, so this product is a staple in Italian pantries.

Tomatoes may be frozen raw or cooked, whole, sliced, chopped, or puréed. Tomatoes do not need to be blanched before freezing. Frozen tomatoes are best used in cooked foods such as soups, sauces and stews as they become mushy when they're thawed.

Roma tomatoes develop few seeds and dense flesh. This makes them perfect for a food processor. And with a low water content, Romas are ideal for spreads, ketchup, and sauces. These tangy tomatoes are just as great served fresh on bread and in salads.

Tear in the basil (stalks and all). Scrunch in the tomatoes through your clean hands, then swirl a little water around each tin and pour into the pan. Bring the whole lot to the boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Since fresh tomatoes can cost more–especially during the fall/winter/spring–you're better off using canned/jarred tomato products for dishes in which the texture of fresh isn't important, such as pasta dishes, pizza, lasagnas, curry, soups, stews, and casseroles and you want that PEAK of season flavor and nutrition.

What can I use if I don't have canned tomatoes? ›

Mix 4 tablespoons of tomato paste with 1 1/2 cups of water , 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. It will be watery when “raw” but once added into a dish like Bolognese, it thickens as it cooks (it only takes 3 minutes to thicken). This makes 400 grams (14 oz) which equates to 1 standard can of tomato.

To ensure a uniform, smooth texture. Tomato skins are tough and hard to chew, so removing them before you make sauces – especially canned sauces – is important. Avoid bitter flavor.

Most tomato sauce recipes are based on canned tomatoes, and canning companies carefully regulate the pH level of their products. So, the need to add sugar to tomato sauce is declining, but there may still be exceptions. It's best to make your sauce without sugar at first, then taste it and add a pinch if necessary.

Fresh tomatoes: Try to stick with plum tomatoes, like Roma, San Marzano, and cherry tomatoes. Be sure to peel the tomatoes (and remove the seeds, if you like, but it's not necessary). White sugar: The sugar will balance out the acidity and give the sauce a hint of sweetness.

Here's the obvious one: Tiny tomatoes don't need to be peeled. Large heirloom varieties, with their tender skin, don't need peeling either. Hearty beefsteaks and those varieties bred for canning (such as plum or roma) have a pretty thick skin that wouldn't be welcomed in smooth sauces or soups.

For a perfect ragù the only type of tomato that should be used is tomato purée; no peeled or fresh tomatoes, which would release too much water and give the preparation a less intense taste.

Yes, and it takes extra time. But it is important and time well spent for safely canned tomatoes. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, “Most bacteria, yeasts, and molds are difficult to remove from food surfaces.