Fresh Spaghetti Sauce

This year we attempted our first garden. We started with tomatoes, bell peppers, jalepenos, cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, and onions. All that survived were 1 onion, 4 small bell pepper plants, and 5 flourishing tomato bushes. We have been slowly going through the tomatoes, but after picking 20 pounds one weekend I decided it was time to do something with them. I have made this spaghetti sauce recipe before and utilized it with fresh tomatoes. It was a long and messy process, but definitely satisfying in the end.

This recipe was inspired by Bobby Flay's Spaghetti and Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Allrecipes Fresh Spaghetti Sauce. I also followed the tomato prep steps from Pick Your Own.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Yields 3 jars

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

1/3 c carrot OR sweet potato, diced

1/3 c green bell pepper, diced

1/3 c celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, smashed

10 pounds fresh tomatoes

-OR-

2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes and their juices

1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce or paste

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

1/2 teaspoon dried bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon white sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Cook vegetables: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add onions and cook until clear. Add carrots, bell peppers, celery, and garlic, continue to cook until soft. 
2. Meanwhile, prepare fresh tomatoes: remove the skin, seeds, and excess water; add to large pot. If not using fresh tomatoes: mix canned tomatoes and water in a large pot. 
3. Add vegetables and seasonings to tomatoes. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. 
4. Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 
5. Uncover and continue to simmer about 2 more hours or until desired consistency is reached. 

Because I had 20 pounds of tomatoes I doubled this recipe. The prep process went pretty fast once I got into the groove of moving the tomatoes to the ice water, putting 4 new tomatoes into the boiling water, then skinning the cooled tomatoes while the new ones boiled. I don't think I removed quite enough excess water from the tomatoes, so I ended up scooping a few cups off the top once everything started simmering. It took me about 5.5 hours overall, which included research time on how to prepare the tomatoes. I didn't want to truly can and preserve the sauce, so I put two jars in the fridge and the rest I filled 3/4 full and froze. For our family of three I used half a jar for one meal.