Crockpot Tomato Sauce

This slow-cooked tomato sauce is rich, rustic, and made with fresh garden tomatoes — no peeling required. A long, gentle simmer in the crockpot develops deep flavor, while dried herbs bring balance and fresh basil adds brightness at the finish. It’s a versatile base for pasta, pizza, lasagna, or casseroles, and it freezes beautifully for later use.

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Prep Time 12

Cook Time 12

Ingredients

4-6 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped skins left on Roma, plum, or mixed garden
1 medium onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp pure cane sugar
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp tomato paste (optional, for richness)
1 medium carrot, finely grated (optional, for natural sweetness)
1/4-1/2 fresh basil, chopped (stirred in at the end)

Instructions

Prep tomatoes: Wash, core, and chop — no need to peel.
Load crockpot: Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, dried basil, oregano, and any optional add-ins (bay leaf, tomato paste, carrot).
Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW 10–12 hours (or HIGH 4–6 hours), until tomatoes break down and flavors meld.
For a thicker sauce, vent the lid slightly during the last 1–2 hours to let excess liquid evaporate.
Blend: Remove bay leaf. Use an immersion blender for smooth sauce, or leave chunky if you prefer texture.
Finish: Stir in fresh basil before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.
Serve or store: Refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze up to 6 months.

Notes

Leaving skins on saves time and adds extra nutrients, giving the sauce a more rustic texture.
Venting the lid near the end helps thicken the sauce in most slow cookers.
This recipe is not safe for water bath canning as written. For shelf-stable tomato sauce, use a USDA-tested canning recipe with added acid.

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