Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce: A Guide to Deliciousness

Are you tired of eating store-bought marinara sauce that lacks the authentic taste of fresh tomatoes? Fret not, as making marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes at home is simpler than you think! All you need are a few basic ingredients, some patience, and a love for the rich, tangy flavor of Italian cuisine.

To start, gather a pound of ripe, juicy tomatoes, chop them into small pieces, and place them in a saucepan. Add some finely chopped garlic, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a few leaves of fresh basil for a burst of herbal flavor. Slowly simmer the mixture over low heat for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and form a thick, chunky sauce. Voila! Your homemade marinara sauce is ready to be enjoyed with pasta, pizza, or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks. Read on for some more tips and tricks on how to perfect your marinara sauce recipe.

Ingredients

To make marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes, the following ingredients are needed:

1. Fresh Tomatoes: 5-6 large, ripe tomatoes are required for this recipe.
2. Garlic: 4-5 cloves, chopped.
3. Onion: 1 medium-sized, chopped.
4. Olive Oil: 3-4 tablespoons.
5. Basil Leaves: 5-6 leaves, chopped.
6. Salt: As per taste.
7. Black Pepper: As per taste.
8. Sugar: 1 tablespoon.
9. Red Pepper Flakes: 1 teaspoon.
10. Water: 1/2-1 cup, as required.

Instructions

Now that you have all the ingredients ready, let’s delve into the step-by-step process of making marinara sauce:

1. Prepare the Tomatoes: Start by washing the tomatoes and removing the stems. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and gently remove the seeds with your fingers.

2. Roast the Tomato Quarters: Place the tomato quarters on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add some salt and black pepper as per taste. Roast the tomatoes in the oven at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, until they start to caramelize.

3. Cook the Aromatics: In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped garlic and onion to the pan and cook until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

4. Add the Tomatoes: Once the tomatoes are roasted, add them to the pan with the cooked garlic and onions. Mash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon until they form a chunky sauce.

5. Add the Herbs and Spices: Add the chopped basil leaves, red pepper flakes, sugar, and salt to the saucepan. Mix everything well.

6. Simmer the Sauce: Once everything is mixed, lower the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have melded together. Stir the sauce occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

7. Add Water: If the sauce is too thick, add 1/2-1 cup of water to the pan and mix well to thin it out.

8. Taste and Adjust: Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes as per your liking. Some people like the sauce to be sweeter, while others prefer it spicy.

9. Blend the Sauce (Optional): If you prefer a smoother texture, you can blend the sauce with an immersion blender or transfer it to a blender and blend until smooth.

10. Store the Sauce: Once the sauce has cooled down, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it for up to three months.

Conclusion

Making marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes is a great way to enjoy the natural sweetness and flavor of ripe tomatoes. With a few simple steps, you can create a delicious sauce that can be used for pasta dishes, homemade pizzas, or as a dipping sauce for garlic bread. Try this recipe the next time you have fresh tomatoes, and impress your family and friends with your culinary skills.

How to prepare the tomatoes

Making marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes is simple and the end result is always a delicious sauce that can be used in different dishes. One of the most important things about making this sauce is preparing the tomatoes correctly. In this section of the article, we will look at how to prepare the tomatoes for your sauce.

1. Choose the right tomatoes

The first step in preparing the tomatoes is selecting the right ones. You need to choose ripe, juicy tomatoes for the best results. Fresh tomatoes from your garden or a farmer’s market are ideal for making the sauce. If you can’t find fresh tomatoes, canned San Marzano tomatoes are a good alternative.

2. Wash and dry the tomatoes

Wash the tomatoes under running water to remove any dirt or debris. Dry the tomatoes with a clean towel or paper towel.

3. Remove the stems

Using a sharp paring knife, remove the stems from the tomatoes. This will make it easier to remove the skins later on.

4. Cut an X on the bottom of the tomatoes

Using a paring knife, cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato. This will help to loosen the skin during the blanching process.

5. Blanch the tomatoes

Blanching is the process of briefly boiling the tomatoes to make them easier to peel. Boil a large pot of water and add the tomatoes. Let them cook for about 30 seconds, or until the skins start to split.

6. Shock the tomatoes

Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and immediately submerge them in a bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process and make them easier to handle.

7. Peel the skins

Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove them from the ice water. The skins should come off easily now. Use your fingers or a knife to peel the skins.

8. Remove the cores

Using a small knife, remove the core from each tomato. This is the tough, white part at the top of the tomato.

9. Dice the tomatoes

Cut the tomatoes into small dice. The size of the dice will depend on your personal preference and the texture you want for your sauce.

10. Sauté the tomatoes

Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan and add the diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down. The sauce is now ready for seasoning and using in any recipe of your choice.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

Now that we’ve covered the basics of what marinara sauce is and the advantages of making it with fresh tomatoes, it’s time to dive into the step-by-step guide on how to make this delicious sauce.

1. Gather the Ingredients

Before you begin, ensure you have all the ingredients listed above ready. You want to ensure you have fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, salt, sugar, and dried oregano and basil. If you have fresh herbs, definitely use those instead of dried herbs.

2. Wash And Prep Tomatoes

Wash the tomatoes and remove any stems as well as blemishes. If you want, cut an “X” on the bottom of the tomatoes to make it easy to peel off the skin after boiling them.

3. Boil Tomatoes

Place the prepped tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes until the tomato skin begins to pull away. Once done, carefully transfer the tomatoes to a cold water bath.

4. Sauté Onion and Garlic

Add minced garlic and small diced onions to your pan with olive oil over medium heat. Cook for around 5 to 8 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent.

5. Dice Tomatoes

Once the tomatoes have cooled down, remove the skin and dice up the tomatoes to your preferred size. Then, add them to the pan with garlic and onions, stirring continuously.

6. Seasoning

Add salt, sugar, and dried spices. Stir, then taste to get accurate seasoning. Allow the sauce to cook on medium gentle heat for about 30-40 minutes.

This step also gives you the opportunity to add more herbs or spices to taste.

7. Blend It

If you prefer a smooth sauce, using an immersion blender, blend the sauce inside the pot. If you do not have an immersion blender, let the sauce cool a bit then blend it in batches in a blender or a food processor.

8. Serve

Once done, serve and enjoy! You can serve it with pasta or by itself with a bit of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Table of Ingredients for Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe

Making homemade marinara sauce from fresh tomatoes is no difficult task. Just follow the step-by-step guide above, and you will have delicious and aromatic marinara sauce on your dinner table in no time!

Enjoy Your Fresh Marinara Sauce!

Now that you know how to make marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes, we hope you’ll give it a try. It’s a delicious and easy way to upgrade your pasta dishes, and it’s great for dipping garlic bread into too. Thanks for stopping by and reading our article, we hope you found it helpful. Don’t forget to bookmark our website and visit again later for more cooking tips and tricks that make life a little more delicious. Happy cooking!