Last Updated on January 12, 2023 by Anne-Marie

An easier and tastier version of Alton Brown's tomato sauce recipe. Double this homemade tomato sauce recipe and freeze half.

Why this recipe works

When I came up with my version of Alton Brown’s Tomato Sauce recipe, it was because I was overwhelmed by all the tomatoes that were growing in our garden.

I knew there was no way I could use all those tomatoes in a salad.

This recipe is also for anyone who is a fan of Alton Brown’s spaghetti sauce from his TV show.

So if you’re looking for an easy tomato sauce recipe made from tomatoes in your garden.

Or that you couldn’t resist buying at your farmer's market or supermarket, this is the easy homemade pasta sauce recipe for you!

I hope you enjoy my version of Alton Brown’s homemade tomato sauce recipe.

Why use this recipe for Alton Brown’s Tomato Sauce?

When you have an abundance of tomatoes, making homemade tomato sauce recipes is the most logical idea.

Yet until I saw Alton Brown's Good Eats Tomato Sauce episode, I never came across a tomato sauce recipe I liked, especially one that was this easy and tasty.

Usually, tomato sauce recipes have you slow roasting or baking the tomatoes for a full day. And you have to use a huge amount of tomatoes just to get a pot of sauce.

My feeling is that other recipes have you cook the tomatoes too long, which is why you have to use so many of them. Instead, Alton has you bake the tomatoes for only 2 hours.

How many tomatoes should you use in this recipe for tomato sauce?

I've had several readers ask me what does 20 tomatoes mean? Well, Alton Brown  used Roma tomatoes on his episode.

I looked up Roma tomato conversions. Each Roma tomato is about 3 ounces or 1/3 a cup. So for 20 Roma tomatoes, it would be 6 cups or 3 3/4 pounds.

I don't think you'd mess up too much if you used 4 pounds or even 4 1/2 pounds of tomatoes.

You can always taste the tomato sauce and add a little more of this or that to taste.

Here's another terrific tomato conversions table to use when cooking tomato sauce or other tomato based recipes.

How to puree the tomatoes for tomato sauce

To puree the tomatoes and to get rid of the skins, Alton Brown uses a food mill in his tomato sauce recipe.

Since I don’t own a food mill and don’t mind the skins staying in the tomato sauce, I blended the tomatoes in my food processor.

However, if you want super silky homemade sauce, use one of the best food mills, the highly recommended OXO food mill.

Tips for making my version of Alton Brown's tomato sauce

Here are more tips for making the best tomato sauce from my version of Alton’s Brown’s terrific recipe.

Can I freeze the tomato sauce?

I’ve made my version Alton Brown's recipe for easy spaghetti sauce ideal for doubling.

I use half right away and then freeze the rest of the pasta sauce for later to use in Slow Cooker Baked Ziti, Best Instant Pot Meatballs Recipe, or 7 Can Taco Soup.

I freeze my spaghetti sauce in Glad Freezerware storage containers. Make sure to label and date your homemade tomato sauce.

You can also put your sauce in freezer Ziploc bags. (Make sure to zip them up tight!) Then stack them in the freezer for easy storage.

What kind of tomatoes should I use?

Alton uses Roma tomatoes, but you can use any tomatoes you wish from your garden in this recipe.

After all, the point is to use up the tomatoes you have on hand, right?

Can I make this a spicier tomato sauce?

If you wish, add some hot sauce to your tomato sauce while cooking.

My husband and son love adding hot sauce when they make spaghetti sauce from scratch.

I don’t. I’m just not into zesty pasta sauce. So I have them add it to their individual bowls after they serve themselves.

But if your whole family loves spicy spaghetti sauce, you can add a pinch or two of pepper flakes, which will do the trick.

This spicier tomato sauce pairs well as a dipping sauce with this Easy Fried Air Fryer Ravioli Recipe.

Can I make this a meat tomato sauce?

For you meat eaters, I like adding some Homemade Italian Sausage and a teaspoon or two of minced garlic to this recipe to turn it into a tasty meat sauce.

What to do with your green tomatoes?

If you have a lot of green tomatoes left in your garden, learn how to make green tomato ketchup.

Or you can make Ham & Pimento Cheese Sandwich with green tomatoes.

I also put my green tomatoes on trays and put them where the sun will hit them indoors. This will help ripen a few of them slowly.

I also like dicing up my green tomatoes and adding them to curries and stews.

Some people also like using green tomatoes in salsa, which is perfect for serving with Mexican food like carne asada and slow cooker pulled pork.

Originally published on November 2, 2004 and June 3, 2016. Updated with new pictures and information.