Tomato Sauce from Canned Tomatoes – Quick and Easy

Need a quick and easy tomato sauce using canned tomatoes? You’ve come to the right place. This is my go to tomato sauce when I can’t get fresh garden tomatoes.

Delicious tomato sauce perfect for topping spaghetti or as an ingredient in other dishes. When fresh tomatoes aren’t available – make this sauce using canned tomatoes.

Also Read: How to Roast Tomatoes for Sauce, Homemade Spaghetti & Meat Sauce, Make Ahead Pasta Bake

This tasty tomato sauce or marinara sauce comes together quickly with affordable, readily available ingredients. It’s perfect for any pasta dish when garden fresh tomatoes are out of season.

Turn these simple, affordable ingredients into a delicious tomato sauce.

It takes about 5 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook down into a delicious sauce for a quick pasta dinner.

The longer you cook the sauce the thicker and more flavourful – but if you need supper NOW – you can use it within 15 to 20 minutes.

Chunky or Smooth?

How do you like your tomato sauce?

Personally, I like texture in my sauce, but my kids do not. So, we compromise. I use an immersion blender to puree away any big chunks of tomatoes. Here are some tips to get your tomato sauce just the way you like it:

  • Pick diced, stewed or whole tomatoes, the smaller the tomatoes, the smaller your tomato pieces will be. My go to is diced tomatoes.
  • After simmering for 10-15 minutes use an immersion or stick blender to puree your sauce to your desired consistency. Go easy – you don’t want to turn your sauce into pure liquid, so just a few pulses will do. Keep simmering your sauce to thicken it.
  • For more chunks, add carrots, celery and more onions at the beginning of the cooking process.
  • You can use a stand up blender – but only fill half way when pureeing hot food and just do a few quick pulses to avoid liquifying your sauce.
Pureed a little bit so there’s no big chunks, but there’s still some texture.

How To Freeze this Tomato Sauce

This sauce freezes beautifully. In fact, make a double batch and plan to put some in the freezer so you have a convenient freezer meal ready to go.

To freeze:

  • Cool sauce completely. This prevents condensation and ice crystal build up. It also prevents warming up the freezer.
  • Label a freezer bag or container. You don’t want to have guess what it is later on.
  • If using a rigid container leave 5-10 cm (1-2 inches) of headspace to allow for expansion.
  • If using a bag, squeeze out most of the air from the bag and lay flat on a cookie sheet or serving tray. Place in freezer to freeze flat.
  • Use within 6 – 12 months.

How To Use This Tomato Sauce

Just in case you’re not sure how, when or where you might use this sauce, here are some ideas.

  • use as is on top of spaghetti or your favourite pasta
  • sprinkle with fresh basil just before serving over pasta, zucchini noodles or gnocchi
  • add meatballs for spaghetti with meatballs
  • use as a base for meat sauce (bolognese) or chili
  • use in any recipe calling for a jar of canned pasta or marinara sauce eg. lasagna, stuffed manicotti, Spinach Pasta Bake, Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
  • use instead of canned tomatoes in braises or stews eg. shakshuka, chicken parmigiana, oven braised beef, etc.
  • use in soups, either in small amounts for added flavor to a broth based soup or as the base for a thick tomato rich soup

Tomato Sauce from Canned Tomatoes 

ladle with tomato sauce pouring over spaghetti
Print Recipe
3.99 from 64 votes

Tomato Sauce with Canned Tomatoes

A quick and tasty tomato sauce made from canned tomatoes and seasoned with Italian herbs and spices. Perfect for any pasta dish.
Prep : 5 minutes
Cook : 28 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Servings: 4 cups
Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 796 ml/28 oz*
  • 1 can tomato paste 156 ml/5.5oz
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/8 tsp hot pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper

Instructions

  • In large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add onions and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.
  • Add garlic and cook for another minute.
  • Add Italian seasoning and tomato paste and cook for a minute before adding tomatoes and hot pepper flakes. Bring to boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer, without lid, for 15 minutes. Keeping it uncovered lets liquid evaporate more quickly. Stir occasionally.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper accordingly. Taste and adjust further as needed – more hot pepper flakes, Italian seasoning or other seasoning as desired.
  • If desired, use immersion blender to puree chunks a little – be careful not to overprocess. If time permits, simmer on low for another 5-10 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

Video

Notes

Use whatever type of canned tomatoes you have. If tomato pieces are too large, chop to desired size with knife or an immersion blender. 
In place of Italian Seasoning use 1tsp basil, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp thyme and 1/2 tsp parsley. 
If too acidic
  • add 1/2 tsp sugar
  • add 1/2 tsp baking soda 
If too runny
  • add 1/2 cup of pasta water and simmer for 5 minutes to allow starch to mix with sauce
  • simmer longer to evaporate more liquid, the longer it cooks, the thicker and more flavourful it will become
Tried this recipe?Mention @GetGettyS or tag #GetGettyS

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 632mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Iron: 3mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: tomato sauce

How will you use your sauce? Keep me posted. When you make this recipe, write me a note or post a photo on Instagram with #getgettys so I can see it and like it!

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.

10 Comments

  1. Step 4
    “ Add Italian seasoning and tomato paste and cook for a minute before adding tomatoes, Italian seasoning and hot pepper flakes.”
    When do I add Italian seasoning?

  2. If I use a can of Italian Chopped Tomatoes or Seasoned Diced Tomatoes, would I still season as you suggest? Thanks.

    1 TbspItalian seasoning
    1/8 tsp hot pepper flakes
    1/4 tsp salt
    1/8 tsp pepper

    1. Hi Gus,
      I would do a taste test and judge based on that. Add as much or as little additional seasoning as you feel necessary. I’d probably add a little bit, but it all depends on the variety and how strong the seasoning in the canned tomatoes is. Good luck.

    1. I am a personal chef. I was out of tomato sauce. I found this recipe and it is a great tomato sauce. Easy and delicious. Much better than the premade canned sauce. I love being able to adjust the spices to my liking. Thanks. Ron

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