How I Made Pasta Sauce from Garden Fresh Tomatoes

The tomato plants in our garden have been bursting with deliciously ripe tomatoes. We've been giving some away and still have more that we know what to do with. This seemed like the perfect time to take to the kitchen and try some new tomato recipes.

Since pasta is such a popular meal in our household, I decided to use some of our Roma tomatoes and fresh herbs to make a tasty tomato sauce. This recipe requires only a few ingredients and is so rich and healthy. Even if you don't have tomatoes to pick straight from the vine, fresh tomatoes from your local farmer's market or grocery store are great too.

My youngest son has a severe milk allergy, so one of the perks of this sauces is that it does not contain milk. I know you're probably thinking...

What? Milk in tomato sauce?

Yes, most pasta sauces bought at a store contain milk, and not just the ones with cheese in them. Grab that can or jar from your pantry and check. You might be surprised to see all that's in there. The ingredients in this sauce are fresh, few, and wholesome.

Are you ready to make this delicious sauce for your next meal? Grab some tomatoes and let's start cooking!

Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 cups Roma tomatoes (cored and chopped)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic or 1/8 tsp. garlic powder (optional: chopped onion)
• salt to taste (pepper if desired)
• fresh basil and parsley

Directions

1. Pour the olive oil into a large saute pan with the stove set to medium/high heat. Add the garlic and/or onion. Cook that for a few minutes.
2. Place your chopped tomatoes into a blender or food processor. Pulse them until they reach the desired consistency. If you like a chunkier sauce, you'll want to blend it very little.
3. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Once the sauce begins to boil, change the temperature to the lowest setting and let the ingredients simmer together for 15-20 minutes.
4. While the sauce is simmering, season it with salt (and pepper) to taste.
5. Chop up 1/4 cup basil and 1/4 cup parsley. You can also use other herbs that you have growing or even dried seasonings if you don't have fresh. Set the herbs to the side.
6. Remove the sauce from heat and mix in the herbs. Stir until they are incorporated into your sauce.
7. Pour the sauce in with cooked pasta. It is also great served over fish or chicken.

On the Side

For a side dish, I used some of the cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. I chopped them up together and added some seasonings for a delicious side salad! It's fresh, delicious, and healthy!

Happy cooking!