I love to make tomato sauce in large quantities. It’s just as easy to make a large batch as it is to make a small batch and it freezes beautifully.
It’s great to have on hand when you need a quick meal and equally great when you’re making a more complicated dish, like lasagna, because it’s one less step for you.
I’ve got a number of tomato sauces that I like to make, like this San Marzano Pasta Sauce, but this is the first time I’ve made tomato sauce in the slow cooker. I have to say, it was so easy and it tastes amazing!
The sauce has a lovely deep tomato flavor and depending on how much red pepper flakes you add, it also has a nice little spicy kick. It gets pureed at the end, so nothing needs more than a quick rough chop and then you let the slow cooker do all the work for you.
Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months.
Your kitchen will have an amazing aroma and when it’s done, you’ll have about 3 quarts of sauce ready for pasta, chicken parm, lasagna or whatever you happen to be making that needs sauce.
Recipes That Can Use Fresh Tomato Sauce
Fresh Tomato Sauce in the Slow Cooker
This slow cooker tomato sauce is so easy and delicious. Plus it's agreat way to use summer's fresh tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 7 lbs fresh tomatoes
- 1 large onion
- 8 cloves garlic crushed and peeled
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup torn basil leave, divided
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and onions.
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker, EXCEPT for 1/2 cup torn basil and 1/4 cup chopped parsley.
- Stir until ingredients are well combined,
- Cook on high for 7-8 hours, until tomatoes are very soft and breaking down.
- Puree sauce with an immersion blender, if you have one. Otherwise, puree in batches in a blender of food processor.
- Stir in remaining basil and parsley.
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months.
Notes
- If the sauce is not as thick as you'd like it, add cornstarch that's been mixed with a little water, 1 tbsp at a time, until it starts to thicken.
- I like to freeze the sauce in 2 and 4 cup containers
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 120Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 3g
Krysta
Friday 29th of September 2023
I’m trying this recipe right now, I only used fresh just picked tomatoes, a candy onion, evoo & Italian seasoning. It’s in my crockpot and on low just now all night long till about 8-9am tomorrow. I hope it turns out as good as it smells, I’ll can it in the morning so it will keep longer.
Mexican Avocado Stuffed tomatoes
Monday 31st of July 2023
[…] Fresh Tomato Sauce in the Slow Cooker […]
Mary Sue
Friday 4th of November 2022
How many cups of chopped tomatoes does 7 lb make? I don't have any way to weigh them.
Linda
Tuesday 19th of September 2023
@Mary Sue, I made half a recipe, and it was 10 cups. It pretty much filled my crock pot about 3/4 of the way up, so good luck making a whole recipe, unless you have a huge crock pot....lol.
Donna
Sunday 23rd of October 2022
I add the cornstarch to make a little thicker still seen to watery
Tara
Tuesday 11th of October 2022
I’m going to try this today, if I don’t have fresh herbs could I use dried?