How to Make Your Own Organic Tomato Sauce

If you grow your own tomatoes at home, chances are you have an oversupply. To avoid your excess tomatoes ending up in the compost, turn them into a delicious tomato sauce that is sure to be the talking point of all your dinners.

If you don’t grow your own tomatoes, you can still make this easy organic tomato sauce. Just be sure to source homegrown or pesticide-free produce or use organic tinned tomatoes instead. Not only does it taste better, but it’s also nice to know that your finished product is free from nasty chemicals.

Makes 4 – 16 oz. mason jars

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp organic olive oil
• 2 medium organic brown onions, roughly chopped
• 1 tbs organic salt
• 12 cups fresh or tinned organic tomatoes, halved
• 2 organic red capsicum, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves organic garlic
• 1 organic celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup organic raw or brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, if desired
• 1 tbs paprika, if desired
• 6 cloves, if desired
• 1 cinnamon stick, if desired
• 1-1/2 cups red or white wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Wash and sterilized bottles and lids in boiling water and leave to dry completely.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not caramelized. Add the salt and season well with black pepper.
3. Add tomatoes, capsicum, garlic, and celery to the pan and increase to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring until tomatoes have broken down and vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
4. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a food processor and process until partially pureed. Strain mixture through a strainer into a jar to remove seeds and tomato skin. Return to the bowl of a food processor and process until finely pureed.
5. Return mixture to the saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, cloves, and cinnamon stick; cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens.
6. Add the vinegar and continue cooking until the mixture is slightly runnier than your desired result as it will thicken as it cools. Remove the cinnamon stick. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Transfer sauce to a heatproof jar. Using a funnel, pour sauce among the glass bottles. Allow sauce to cool in the bottle, then seal tightly with screw-cap lid and label. Store sauce, unopened, for up to 12 months. After opening, store in the fridge for up to 12 weeks.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Homes to Love