It is fresh tomato season and that means creating!
We are a big pizza family and have been trying to do more homemade ones recently, particularly grilled. I had a quart of paste tomatoes and a few others sitting on the counter from our CSA share and they needed to get used so I figured I would whip up a pizza sauce. It turned out delicious and was SO very easy! The recipe made a bit extra so I decided to freeze it in a mason jar. Nice to know we will have some extra the next time we make pizza!
Homemade Pizza Sauce
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion chopped
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 quart of farm fresh, local, paste tomatoes + 3 large tomatoes ( I used heirlooms - the taste is amazing and the color fabulous).
1 1/2 TBSP fresh Italian Herbs (you could just go with oregano if you desired but I used Garden Gourmet’s Italian Herbs)
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of crushed red pepper (do this to taste)
1 tsp sugar (you can certainly leave this out, I just like a sweet sauce:)
**You can use any combination of tomatoes for this recipe. The reason that I specified using paste tomatoes is because I prefer my pizza sauce a bit thicker. Paste tomatoes are much less juicy than regular and have less seeds. I try to use as many as I can when making sauces and canned salsas.
Directions:
1. Blanch and peel tomatoes.
2. Squeeze out seeds. Chop up tomatoes and set aside.
3. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, herbs, salt, red pepper, and sugar to pot.
5. Simmer, stirring often for about 30 minutes. Tomatoes will cook down.
6. Blend tomatoes to a smoother consistency (if desired). I used an immersion blender for this step. It is perfect for it!
7. Enjoy on a fresh pizza crust or freeze for later use.
**This sauce will not be super thick. To add thickness, think about adding a small can (or fresh) tomato paste or cooking it for longer uncovered. I tend to enjoy my sauce a bit more watery as to keep it as fresh as possible.
We will be enjoying some homemade pizza this week with fresh veggies from the farm. Anything goes! Of course the Briarcroft Farms feta chunk that I got this week will be incorporated somehow. I am thinking peppers, onions, and of course fresh tomatoes.
As for the crust? I have been trying numerous recipes. I gotta tell you, these tips and recipe from Weed ‘Em and Reap are awesome!
What do you love to put on your pizza?
Looks delicious!! And not too complicated either! Definitely pinning this. Thanks for sharing!
You got it! Let me know how it turns out!
Thanks for this recipe! We had to skip getting our CSA last weekend because we are away and are doubling up this week, so I’m anticipating about 6 pounds of tomatoes at our next pick-up. 😉
Carrie recently posted…Back to School Organization (& Giveaway!)
Nice! Never too many for sure!
Yuuuum! Nothing better than homemade sauce!
Colleen (Souffle Bombay) recently posted…Philadelphia Hoagie Pasta Salad
I second that Colleen!
We have a pizza sauce recipe that has gone down in my family…but I have never tackled it…yours looks great!
Heather S. recently posted…Mom Knows Best - Advice for My Growing Boys
Oooh! You should!
Awesome looking tomatoes! I love fresh tomatoes this time of year.
Barb @ Frugal Local Kitchen recently posted…the home manager: preparing for the unexpected
Right?!?! I totally agree!
Your recipe looks fantastic! Simple, but goes a long way. I think I know what’s for dinner tonight!
kim @ DESIGN + LIFE + KIDS recently posted…FASHION: colette kids giveaway
Perfect!
I LOVE homemade sauce and pizza
Sarah @ Finnegan and The Hughes recently posted…Back to School with Balance Bar {Review & Giveaway}
Ditto!
I am definitely going to try this, I love making pizza! Why did I not know about “paste tomatoes”?!
Nichole recently posted…A Day at the Philadelphia Zoo
A nice little tip:) Paste tomatoes make great sauce and salsa!
This recipe seems easy to follow. I am gong to have to try it for my pizza loving family.
Janeane Davis recently posted…5 Ideas for Great Service Which Leads To Great Customers
I know, we love pizza too! I hope they enjoy it!
This so came at the right time. I have tomatoes that need to be made into a sauce…thank you for sharing this.. I will probably put this one our page as well…..thank you
Aida Ingram recently posted…The Four Things You Need To Do NOW To Start Living Your Life On Purpose!
You got it:) Enjoy!
This looks great! I just picked up 12+ pounds of mixed variety tomatoes from our CSA this afternoon. I will be making this recipe and some tomato soup to freeze this week. Thanks!!
Diane recently posted…A couple of days with trains and buggies in Lancaster County
YUM! I’d love to see how your tomato soup turns out!
Those tomatoes are beautiful! Thank you for such a great idea for all of my extra tomatoes
Kelly Benner recently posted…My Crazy is Showing, but I’ll Tuck it in Later
Endless tomatoes…:)
this is exactly what I needed today!
We are cooking up salsa like crazy and will likely have many tomatoes yet. I was thinking pizza sauce would be perfect since we make our own most every week.
pinning this - thank you!
Linda recently posted…How To Make a Frilly Scarf
Oh I am so glad to hear that! I love making salsa too, but it is nice to have some other options as well:)
We have to give this one a try. Again, more motivation for me to save up for a freezer and make a big batch!
Becky recently posted…Tuesday Greens will Return in September
You got that right! Get that freezer!
How many tomatoes would a quart be? Thanks for the recipe. This sounds yummy!
wanting to try this so much. looks so much easier than others ive read. our store had no Italian blend. if I use basil, oregano etc. do you have any idea how much I should throw in of each> 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp?
Hey Kathy! If you are doing dried basil and oregano, I would throw in about a tsp of each for this recipe. But…it is totally personal preference. If you love basil, throw in a pinch more:) Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
~sigh~ im not meant for this lifestyle. I used romas and the 3 heirlooms. followed directions exactly. half hour into cooking it I have a watery mess not a nice thick sauce. it also tastes just like warm tomatoes, not pizza sauce. afraid to add more spice, I know it concentrates as it cooks down. will keep on boiling and hope for the best..
Oh no Kathy! You can always add a bit of tomato paste to the recipe if it is too thin for your liking. I like to keep it super fresh, so I am okay with it being a bit watery. It is definitely not a super thick sauce. Cooking it down uncovered for longer is another option as well. Hope it worked out okay!
lol, well I ended up with only 4 pints. this is my first time canning solo. ive only heard one ping! I added some homemade tomato paste. I probably cooked it down to much. will it make the dough soggy? thanks so much for your help and quick response. if the jars don’t seal ill freeze it.
I always freeze this recipe. I also think 4 pints sounds about right. It doesn’t make a ton so I am sure you cooked it down just right! Enjoy your fresh, homemade pizza!
thanks so much. no matter how it turns out it was fun and rewarding doing it. its a good feeling to make as pure a food as you can for your family. I appreciate all your help.
Oh Kathy I am sure it will taste fabulous for you! And nice work! There is something really great about being able to cook an all-natural food for your family:)