Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce

This recipe is so easy, it might not even need to be called a recipe. You literally throw some stuff in a slow-cooker or pot and walk away for overnight or even 24 hours, then blend and voila: a freezer-worthy quantity of umami-packed goodness! I first started doing this one year when I accidentally planted 80 tomato plants and panicked during September when I had pounds of tomatoes to use up each day. At one point I had a slow cooker going plus two pots on the stove round the clock for a week. It’s great for using up the last bounty of tomatoes or a bunch scored on sale. Roma tomatoes work best for thicker sauce, while slicers or heirlooms will make a thinner batch.

I personally have never minded tomato seeds (natural pectin!), skins, or even the tomato core in my sauce, although I do cut out (most) rotten or black spots because I’m not that hard core. (Pun! Unintended!)

If you aren’t a fan of seeds, skins, or cores, feel free to remove them, but keep in mind that removing the seeds will give you less liquid and a thicker final product—you will need less cooking time and more careful watching so as not to burn the sauce.

My favorite tomato washers, circa 2021.

Ugly beauties, ready for sauce.

SLOW-COOKED TOMATO SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

—tomatoes (3-8 pounds or more)

—salt

—olive oil

—garlic (optional)

DIRECTIONS

—Place a slow-cooker on high, or put a large pot on the stove.

—Wash your tomatoes, then throw them in the slow-cooker or pot. If using a pot on the stove, turn it on medium low.

—Drizzle some olive oil over the tomatoes, about 1 T for each 2 lbs of tomatoes (every 6 tomatoes), or more or less to your taste.

—Sprinkle salt over the tomatoes, about 1 tsp per 2-3 lbs of tomatoes (every 6-8 tomatoes), or more or less to your taste.

—Add peeled, smashed cloves of garlic (optional), about 1 clove per each 3 lbs (6-8 large) tomatoes.

—If using a slow-cooker, let the mixture cook on high in the machine for 6-8 hours, then up to 12 more hours on low, periodically checking to make sure the tomatoes aren’t turning black. If there is too much liquid, feel free to remove the slow cooker lid at any point to cook off some of the liquid, or you can spoon it out if you want a thicker. Leave the liquid in if you want a thinner sauce, or even a soup. Once the tomatoes look totally and sufficiently roasted, slumped and browned, blend with a stick blender (or in batches in a food processor/blender) until desired smoothness. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for up to one year.

—If using a pot on the stove, let the mixture cook down on medium low for 4-6 hours, covered. You can check it periodically and stir. If it’s time for bed, just turn off the pot and leave the lid on overnight without touching it, then turn back on in the morning on medium low for another few hours or until it looks roasted and the tomatoes are slumped and brown, removing the lid if you’d like to cook off some of the liquid. Blend with a stick blender or in batches in a food processor/blender until desired smoothness. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for up to one year.

Enjoy!