Published: · Modified: by Denise Perrault · Leave a Comment
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
This versatile and easy Instant Pot tomato sauce recipe uses canned tomatoes to make a delicious pasta sauce that's rich in tomato flavor.
It's naturally sweetened with onions, subtly flavored with fresh basil stems, and more delicious than anything you can buy in a jar. We're using the Instant Pot to compress a traditionally hours-long cooking process for a splatter-free sauce that's ready to use or stock your freezer.
If you’ve struggled to find tomato sauces with the right herbs and flavor profile to fit multiple purposes, you've found it. And the bonus with this homemade tomato sauce is that it’s also plant-based, oil-free, and without additives if you use quality canned tomatoes.
This sauce is intentionally basic, and although it’s delicious on pasta with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese, it's also asauce that does it all. If you want top-notch vegan pizza sauce, it’s covered. Hungry for veggie Braim casserole? This is your foundation.
In a word, this sauce is ready to roll straight from the bowl, and it’s got potential with just a few tweaks to satisfy all your saucy desires.
Table of Contents
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Recipe Ingredients
- Recipe Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Pro Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Vegan Tomato Sauce Recipes
- 👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Requires a handful of ingredients you can find at the grocery store.
- It's freezer-friendly and a great recipe for making a double batch.
- A go-to healthy, homemade spaghetti sauce perfect for meal prep.
Recipe Ingredients
Onions.It’s not a misprint – 5 cups of diced onions. That’s about 5 medium or 2 large onions. And I promise the sauce will not taste like raw onion. After the onions cook, they melt into the sauce.
Tomato paste.Tomato paste helps build a more concentrated tomato flavor. I made this recipe with and without it, but you’ll definitely want to use it. If you like a thick sauce, use 3 tablespoons.
Red wine.Wine is used to deglaze the Instant Pot and to build flavor. If you don’t want to use wine, replace it with broth.
Red pepper flakes.I've found that adding red pepper flakes for a bolder, peppery flavor really ramps up this sauce. I’m recommending ½ - 1 teaspoon. You don’t need much because the pressure-cooking process enhances the flavor.
Basil stems.Fresh herbs are not a requirement, but a few fresh basil stems help cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Save the leaves to top off the pasta with homemade sauce. Use 1 teaspoon of dried basil as a substitute.
Canned tomatoes.A delicious tomato sauce or simmered marinara dipping sauce starts with high-quality tomatoes. San Marzano tomatoes are the gold standard, but plenty of choices exist. Diced or whole tomatoes work brilliantly here. If using whole, break them up with your hands or a knife before adding them. Be sure to include the juice, too.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
- Add to the spice list with up to a tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
- I've not tried this recipe with fresh tomatoes, but you'll need 10-12 firm Roma tomatoes to equal the amount of canned.
- To make a meaty sauce, add ½ a cup of bulgur, simmered tempeh crumbles, vegan ground beef, soy crumbles (TVP), or my personal favorite - vegan sausage crumbles.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the onions, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of vegetable broth to the Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot lid, closing the steam handle. Set on Normal Saute for 5 minutes. Quick release after the cycle is done, and remove the lid.
- Set the Instant Pot back to sauté mode, stir in the garlic and tomato paste, and let it simmer for a few minutes. Deglaze with the red wine. Use a wooden spoon to clean the bottom of the Instant Pot. Continue sautéing until the wine reduces by half. Turn the Instant Pot off.
- Mix in the tomatoes, basil stems, chili flakes, and vegetable broth. Place the lid back on the Instant Pot, setting the steam handle to Sealing. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes with 15 minutes of natural release.
- Puree the sauce using an immersion blender (stick blender), or let the sauce cool and transfer it to a blender.
Pro Tips
- To avoid the dreaded 'burn notice,' carefully clear the bottom of the pot. Turning the Instant Pot off between sauteing and pressure cooking also helps.
- You may already have a smooth sauce if you start with crushed tomatoes. Remember to fish out the basil stems if you skip the pureeing process.
- To thicken the sauce even more, sauté it (lid off) for 5-10 additional minutes. This can be done before or after pureeing.
Serving Suggestions
Anything store-bought tomato sauce can do; this homemade sauce does better! Serve it over pasta of your choice, add it to a pasta bake, or make yummy vegan lasagna with my easy tofu ricotta recipe. There are no limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does homemade tomato sauce last?
Store homemade tomato sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days. Reheat what you need in on the stove or in the microwave. Reheat on low so it doesn't splatter.
Can you freeze tomato sauce?
To freeze this sauce, let it cool to room temperature and transfer it to freezer containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Why does tomato sauce burn in the Instant Pot?
The main reason your Instant Pot gives you the 'food burning' indication is there is not enough liquid or food stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Clear the bottom frequently using a wooden spoon or soft spatula. Turning the Instant Pot off between the sauté and high-pressure cooking cycles is also helpful.
More Vegan Tomato Sauce Recipes
Do you have a question or recipe request or need a cooking tip? Leave a comment below or contact Denise. I’m here to help! If you want more healthy vegan recipes, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for the latest updates.
If you make this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It’s much appreciated!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Instant Pot Tomato Sauce Recipe (Canned Tomatoes)
Instant Pot tomato sauce recipe using canned tomatoes and no added oil is rich in flavor, better than store-bought, and freezer-friendly.
Author: Denise Perrault
Rate this Recipe:
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Condiment
Cuisine Italian
Diet Vegan
Servings 7
Calories 94 kcal
Equipment
1 Instant Pot 6 quart or larger
Ingredients
- 5 medium onions - diced (5 cups)
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 cloves garlic - minced or crushed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine
- 28 ounces canned tomatoes
- ½ - 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 5 stems basil
- 1 cup vegetable broth
Instructions
Add the diced onions, ½ cup of vegetable broth, salt, and pepper into the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and place the steam release handle in the Sealing position.
Set the Instant Pot to normal saute mode for 5 minutes. When it is finished sauteing, carefully unseal the steam release handle. Once the steam has been released, remove the lid.
Stir the onions, then set the Instant Pot back to saute, this time with no lid. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Sauté the ingredients for 2 – 3 minutes, carefully stirring the bottom of the Instant Pot so that the ingredients don’t stick.
Pour in the red wine to deglaze the Instant Pot. Again, clear the bottom with a wooden spoon or soft spatula. Allow the wine to evaporate for 1 minute, then cancel the Sauté function.
Add the tomatoes, red chili flakes, basil stems, and vegetable broth. Stir everything well.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, lock it into place, and then set the steam release handle in the Sealing position. Set the Pot to High Pressure for 25 minutes. Be sure to turn off the Warming setting.
Once the pressure cooking has finished, allow the steam to naturally release for 15 minutes. Then, unseal the steam release handle. When the steam releases, carefully remove the lid.
Stir the sauce and decide if you want it thicker (you will be pureeing it, which thickens it up). If you want it thicker, saute the sauce for 5-10 minutes with the lid off.
Let the sauce cool, and then transfer it to a bowl. Use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the sauce. You can also use a blender for this purpose, blending the sauce in batches if necessary.
Makes 7 cups of sauce.
Video
Notes
- Keep the bottom of the Instant Pot clear of stuck-on onions and other ingredients before high-pressure cooking. Food on the bottom can trigger the ‘food burning’ signal. The food isn’t burning, but the Instant Pot thinks it is. Turning the Instant Pot off between the saute and high-pressure cycles also helps.
- Take the time to sauté the garlic and tomato paste. This is what helps to create the deep tomato flavor.
- Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to a container for freezing and place it in the freezer itself.
- Store homemade tomato sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days. Reheat what you need on the stove or in the microwave. Reheat on low so it doesn't splatter.
Nutrition
Calories: 94kcal (5%)Carbohydrates: 19g (6%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 0.5g (1%)Saturated Fat: 0.1g (1%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 578mg (25%)Potassium: 552mg (16%)Fiber: 4g (17%)Sugar: 10g (11%)Vitamin A: 539IU (11%)Vitamin C: 18mg (22%)Calcium: 66mg (7%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave a comment below
