Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce: capture the taste of summer in a jar

08/26/2025

As summer winds down and we start thinking about the cooler, shorter days of fall, it’s the perfect time to prepare homemade preserves that will brighten up the months ahead—when fresh vegetables and fruits aren’t as readily available.
Today, we’re sharing how to make a delicious homemade Italian tomato sauce, a vibrant red sauce full of Mediterranean sunshine that can warm up even the dreariest days. This classic marinara sauce is simple yet packed with flavor, ideal for a wide range of recipes. This recipe comes to us from Cesarina Nicoletta in Milan.

“This is the sauce my mother always made—she never bought jarred sauce. It’s healthy, with no added fats and no frying!”

Cesarina Nicoletta preparing tomato sauce, tomato sauce cooking in a pot, tomato sauce on Margherita pizza, meatballs with tomato sauce and peas

As with all great Italian dishes, the secret is in the ingredients: ripe, flavorful tomatoes harvested in mid to late summer are key to creating a rich, thick, and aromatic sauce. July and August are the best months to prepare this pasta sauce, when the tomatoes have soaked up all the sun’s sweetness.

Once ready, this tomato sauce becomes your kitchen’s best friend: perfect for dressing pasta, enhancing pizzas, adding depth to creamy risottos, or simmering meatballs. Store your homemade sauce in sterilized jars, and enjoy a taste of summer Italian tradition all year long.

Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce

A simple recipe with just a few ingredients for a flavorful and versatile sauce in the kitchen

DifficultyEasy

Preparation time3h

Cooking time2h

Servings6

€

CostLow

Ingredients

1 kg ripe plum tomatoes
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 red onion
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Basil to taste

Method

Cut all the ingredients into pieces and cook them in a large pot, uncovered, over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
While the ingredients cook, use a ladle to remove and save the liquid part.
Pass the tomatoes and vegetables through a food mill to remove seeds and skins: at this point, the sauce is ready!

Tips:

If you want to make a larger quantity to use over time, multiply the amounts as desired.
Regarding the liquid (tomato water) removed during cooking, strain it through cheesecloth or paper towel and use it for a delicious and aromatic risotto-style pasta, to which you just need to add butter and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Storage: to preserve the sauce, place it in clean glass jars and sterilize them in boiling water for at least 30 minutes (for proper sterilization, we recommend following the guidelines of the Ministry of Health).