Have a bounty of garden tomatoes to use up? I had an abundance of Roma and cherry tomatoes this season, so I made a classic homemade tomato pasta sauce from scratch. This Garden Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce is a simple, zesty marinara that relies on a few fresh ingredients and slow simmering to develop deep, savory flavor.
This easy sauce comes together with minimal prep and is perfect for weeknight dinners or a leisurely weekend meal. It pairs beautifully with spaghetti, rigatoni, or your favorite pasta, and can be adapted into a meat sauce or prepared in a slow cooker. Allow time for a long, gentle simmer to concentrate the flavors and thicken the sauce.
What I love about this Garden Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce (from Scratch)
This homemade marinara balances bright, ripe tomatoes with sautéed bell pepper and onion, fresh basil, and a splash of red wine for added depth. Red pepper flakes give it a subtle kick, while flexible seasonings let you adjust the profile to suit the family. Kids and adults alike enjoy it, and you can easily add browned ground beef for a heartier meat sauce.
Equipment Needed for homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Food processor
- Large skillet, Dutch oven or slow cooker
- Serrated or sharp knife
- Cutting board
You can customize this sauce with whatever vegetables and herbs you have on hand. I used Roma and cherry tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, garlic, and fresh basil. If you like heat, add jalapeño or crushed red pepper to taste.
How many Tomatoes do I need?
For this batch I used about 14 Roma tomatoes plus 2½ cups of cherry tomatoes, which yielded roughly 5 cups of crushed tomatoes. If you prefer to use canned tomatoes as an alternative, this gives you a good reference point. You can scale the recipe up or down—if you double the tomatoes, consider increasing the onion, peppers, and seasonings proportionally.
How to make this Traditional Tomato Marinara Pasta Sauce from Scratch with Fresh Tomatoes
Step 1: Prep vegetables
Core and seed the bell pepper, peel the outer layer of the onion, then quarter both. Add the quartered onion, bell pepper, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Lightly sauté the blended mixture in olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot until softened and fragrant.
Roughly chop the tomatoes and process them separately in the food processor until mostly smooth. If you prefer, you can substitute one or two large cans of crushed tomatoes instead of fresh.
Step 2: Combine and season
Stir the processed tomatoes into the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Add about ½ cup of red cooking wine, torn fresh basil leaves, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Finish with Italian seasoning to taste—garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, rosemary, or any combination you prefer.
Step 3: Simmer
Cover and simmer on low until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. I simmered mine for about 5½ hours, stirring occasionally. It was enjoyable after two hours, but the longer it cooks, the deeper and more concentrated the flavor becomes, and the sauce will thicken as excess liquid evaporates.
Alternative Method: Make it a Meat Sauce
If you want a meat sauce, brown ground beef (or a blend of beef and pork) in a separate skillet, drain excess fat, then add the browned meat to the sauce before simmering. Simmer for about 20–30 minutes to meld flavors; because the meat adds richness, you may not need to simmer as long as a plain marinara.
Storage: Cool leftover sauce and store it airtight in the refrigerator for several days or freeze portions for future meals.
How to prepare this Sauce in the Slow Cooker
Sauté the blended peppers, onion, and garlic first, then transfer them to the slow cooker. Add the processed tomatoes, wine, herbs, and seasonings, and cook on low for about 6 hours. Slow cooking yields a deep, mellow tomato flavor with minimal active time.
Serving Ideas for this Simple Homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce
This sauce pairs well with a simple mixed green salad or a caprese-style spinach salad and is delicious alongside homemade bread or garlic bread for mopping up any remaining sauce. Top with grated Parmesan, crumbled feta, or shredded mozzarella to suit your family’s preferences. For picky eaters, a bit of melted mozzarella on individual servings is often a win.
Have fresh herbs? Consider drying or preserving them to use year-round.
Make sure to PIN IT!
Like this scratch-made recipe? Try these ideas
Easy Smoked Salsa
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Garden Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce (from Scratch)
10
6
6 servings
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 Dutch oven, large pot or slow cooker
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp serrated knife
Materials
- 1–2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 medium Green Bell Peppers (or red)
- 1 large sweet onion
- 14 Roma Tomatoes (*see notes)
- 2½ cups Cherry Tomatoes (*see notes)
- 3–4 large cloves of garlic
- Fresh Basil or other herbs
- ½ cup Red Wine (I used Cabernet)
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Seasonings of choice (garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper)
Instructions
- Core the green pepper and remove seeds and pith. Peel the outer skin of the onion. Quarter the onion and pepper, then blend with garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Lightly sauté the blended onion, pepper, and garlic in olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot until softened.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and pulse them in the food processor until mostly crushed.
- Add the processed tomatoes to the Dutch oven with the cooked vegetables. Stir in about ½ cup red wine.
- Add fresh basil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme, and other seasonings to taste.
- Cover and simmer on low until you reach the desired flavor and consistency, stirring occasionally (I simmered about 5½ hours).
- Serve warm over spaghetti or your preferred pasta.
For Meat Sauce
- Brown your choice of ground meat, drain, then add to the sauce before simmering. Simmer until flavors meld; meat will enrich the sauce’s texture and taste.
Notes
If using a slow cooker: Sauté the peppers and onions first, then add all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low about 6 hours.
