I do not take the skins of the tomatoes I use, for me it is not worth the extra step especially since I will be blending the sauce. I can hardly taste or see the skin after it’s blended. If you want to do this step please feel free to do so! Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cut a shallow X on the bottom of the tomato. Place the tomato carefully into the boiling water and simmer for one minute. Remove the tomato and place in the ice bath. When cool enough to handle, peel the skin; it should remove very easily, coming off section by section.
Clean the tomatoes from the cores then quart all of your tomatoes and add them directly into a large roasting pan or a large pot that’s oven safe. Peel the garlic and onion, give them a rough chop then add them to the roasting pan
Add the fresh herbs then drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, the sugar, salt, and pepper
PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 400FMix everything in the roasting pan uncovered. Bake in the oven at 400F for 2 hours (Keep an eye on the tomatoes while they are roasting, every oven is different. You don’t want them to burn) Take the pan out of the oven,( use oven mitts) then transfer the tomato’s into a pot, use an emersion blender to blend the sauce till it’s smooth. If you do not have an emersion blender you can use a blender as well.
Once the sauce is smooth and has the consistency of tomato puree, place the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil, turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Be careful the sauce may splatter. Taste, and add salt or black pepper if more is needed.
STERILIZE THE JARS AND LIDSWhile to marinara sauce is simmering, sanitize the jars and lids by either boiling them or placing dry jars into the microwave for 2 minutes. The lids HAVE to be boiled. Do not place them in the microwave! Transfer the sauce while it is still hot into the jar, leaving some headspace. Work carefully- the jars will be hot.
Clean the rims of the jar with a paper towel dipped in vinegar. Then close the jars finger tight with the lids
Fill the canning pot with water and bring it to a simmer, then place the closed jars into the water, making sure the jars are morethan halfway covered by water. Boil for 10 minutes.
Using a jar lifter, take the jar out of the canning pot onto a towel on the countertop, tighten the lid, then place it upside down on the towel. Flip the can away from your face. Let the jar cool down completely before you turn it over.
And the homemade sauce using natural ingredients is done! enjoy this delicious easy homemade marinara sauce over zucchini noodles, homemade pasta noodles, or in homemade lasagna!
