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Every summer, we are overrun with tomatoes once our garden starts pumping them out. At any given time, I have at least two GIANT bowls full of them on my counter. Last summer I made roasted tomato soup with them, and this summer I wanted to try a pasta sauce that I could freeze and use throughout the year! After looking at a few recipes, I decided I was just going to wing it because I’m terrible at following recipes anyway. So I took notes as I went & I think I nailed it! Using tomatoes, onions, & basil straight from my garden! Give it a try! And if you aren’t growing tomatoes, onions, or basil this year, try them next year! They’re some of the easiest things to grow!

Start by washing your tomatoes & prepping them by slicing the tops off & scraping out the seeds & pulp with your thumb. Then place them skin side up on two sheet pans lined with parchment paper.

One at a time, put them in the oven & broil on high for about 20 minutes, or until all the skins are blackened. Repeat with the second pan.

If you have two ovens, then feel free to save some time & put them in separate ovens at the same time!

While they roast, add your olive oil & diced onions to a large pot. Sauté on medium heat until the onions are translucent. Then reduce heat to medium-low & add garlic & cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn. Then turn off the heat.

Remove the skins with tongs & discard them. Then add the tomato to a blender and pulse 4-5 times, or until it is a texture you like.

Pour the tomatoes into the pot & add the basil, oregano, sugar, and salt. Stir together bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat slightly and cook at a low simmer for 90 minutes. I know, that seems like forever. But it creates such a beautiful, deep tomato flavor, so don’t rush it. Stir it occasionally so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Gas ranges are more likely to burn, so keep your heat pretty low & check on it often.

After the 90 minutes, remove from the heat & stir in your parmesan cheese until well mixed. Serve over your favorite pasta or let cool & freeze! I portion mine out into quart sized freezer bags with enough for one meal, or you could also freeze in jars!