Homemade Tomato Sauce

When using minimal ingredients on Pesach, tomato sauce can be a great way to add flavor.

Pesach is a time when we get creative in the kitchen. For those who use minimal or no processed products, it’s also a time when we appreciate the year-round conveniences of canned tomato sauce and tomato paste, and store-bought ready-to-use sauces and spices. 

I know, by now,  many if not most people use many of the products readily available on the market. But some don’t. Like me. I find myself scratching my head and wondering how to bring flavor to the dishes we eat year round. 

And so, I started making my own tomato sauce. 

Tomato sauce adds flavor and depth. Think of how we add a tablespoon of tomato paste to a soup or to a marinade, right? And yes, I did research “how to make tomato paste” and was rewarded with a very interesting lesson in food production (highly recommended!) but yes, tomato paste was not gonna happen. Tomato sauce, on the other hand, was doable. 

The only downside? You need A LOT  of tomatoes to make about 2 cups of sauce.

While researching and reading about tomatoes and sauce I learned that the best way to peel a tomato is actually by first freezing it first.

I admit I was skeptical at first, and then, once I tried it, I was so excited with the results and I shared the news with everyone I knew. Sadly, not many people were enthusiastic about tomatoes peeling like a dream, but the few that shared my joy ended up using the peeled tomatoes to make tomato sauce too, and that was enough for me. 

So back to freezing tomatoes. Yes, the nice thing is you can use tomatoes on the vine which are tasty and juicy but impossible to peel with a peeler. With this method, you will gain all of the tomato flavor. Just remember to remove the stem before freezing (unlike me) as this will make it even easier. 

So, pop those tomatoes in the freezer overnight, and the next day, simply run them under warm water and watch the skin magically slide off. You won’t even need a knife to help you. 

Once peeled, place the tomatoes (whole) into a pot with a bit of water, sugar and salt, lemon juice and some cloves of garlic (if using). 

Cover and bring to a simmer for about 1 hour, then uncover and continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. 

Blend until smooth. I find that it’s easier to blend when you transfer the mixture to a tall jar vs. directly in the pot, but it’s up to you. If you’re storing in the jar anyway, it’s just as convenient.

I use this tomato sauce to season my cholent (we don’t use ketchup), to add flavor to baked chicken and any roast, or to make a sauce for tongue (not pickled). Beef chili is another popular Chol Hamoed dinner (adapt this recipe here) or good old meatballs (served with mashed potatoes, of course!). You can also make Moroccan fish with it, or a shakshuka for brunch. 

Also, use tomato sauce to deepen and flavor vegetable soups and stews. Your tomato sauce can be refrigerated for about a week or frozen until ready to use.