Forget bland, store-bought sauces. This recipe features the robust texture of canned petite diced tomatoes, slow-simmered to create a rich and hearty base. The secret ingredient? A bright and aromatic nut-free basil pesto, made with roasted salted pepitas for a unique, allergy-friendly, and satisfying twist on the classic. Perfect over a bed of pasta, draped over roasted vegetables, or as a vibrant base for your next homemade pizza, this meatless tomato sauce is packed with flavor and perfect for everyone at the table.
A few weeks ago, I randomly mentioned to B.O.B. Bob that it had been a really long time since I had made homemade tomato sauce. I’m almost certain that this Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce, made in 2020, was the last time we’ve probably had homemade sauce in our house. And unlike the good ol’ days, when we actually had a garden in our back field, and I often used real homegrown tomatoes to make tomato sauces like this Garden Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausage and Prosciutto, these days I’m all too willing to settle for using store-bought canned tomatoes instead. Canned tomatoes are super affordable, they don’t need to be watered every dang day, they don’t require having to get eaten alive by bugs while picking them, and best of all, they don’t rot or get eaten by a squirrel before I actually get around to using them.
Unlike these days, in 2015, I apparently had all the time in the world to make homemade tomato sauce. Ten years later, not so much. Now, I tend to spend my summers planning and crafting for Halloween because our displays have become so much more elaborate than they once were. Perhaps that’s why when I keep taking a glance at the pictures for this chunky tomato sauce, I keep seeing a wee parmesan cheese ghost in the middle of each pic. Made you look, didn’t I? You see it too, right? “Boo”ya. You just gotta love a wee lil’ ghostie made of cheese, right? Especially one that’s garnishing a bowl of pasta covered in this homemade tomato sauce made with nut-free basil pesto. And, since this sauce freezes so well, we’ll definitely have enough around for those nights when I’m so busy Halloween crafting, there’s practically zero time for me to make dinner.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves, Roughly Chopped
- 1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 3/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Roasted Salted Pepitas
- 3/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 (14.5-oz.) Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 (6-oz.) Can Tomato Paste
- 2 (14.5-oz.) Cans Cold Water
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Directions:
- Place the basil, parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, and pepper into a food processor.
- Pulse the mixture until it begins to stick to the sides of the food processor. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the pepitas and pulse the mixture until the pepitas are finely blended into the mixture. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- With the food processor running, very slowly pour the olive oil into the food processor.
- Scrape all of the pesto into a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the petite diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, honey, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and then bring to a boil over high heat.
- When the sauce begins to boil, decrease the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Make sure to stir the sauce at least every 15 minutes. You will need to stir it more often after the first hour of cooking to make sure that it does not stick or burn.
- Serve this chunky tomato sauce over your favorite pasta or vegetables, as a topping for meatball subs, or as a flavorful sauce for homemade pizzas.
Suggestions:
- After the sauce has simmered for an hour, taste it to see if you need to add more salt or honey. The honey helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- This slow-simmered sauce takes a bit of time to make; however, its rich flavor is totally worth every minute.
- Make this sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it until use. This tomato sauce will taste even better a day or two after you make it.
- Serve this chunky tomato sauce over bucatini pasta, topped with freshly grated or shredded parmesan and a sprinkle of finely chopped or torn fresh basil.
- This recipe will yield approximately 6 cups of sauce, depending on how long you allow it to simmer. It freezes wonderfully and can be easily reheated for a quick weeknight meal.
Improvements:
- Use a teaspoon or two of this Homemade Italian Herb Seasoning Mix (No-Salt) to make this tomato sauce.
- If you’re not worried about nut allergies, replace the roasted salted pepitas with either pine nuts, walnuts, or cashews.
- Add additional crushed red pepper flakes if you’re a fan of spice.
- Use this tomato sauce to make these Italian Turkey Meatballs with Tomato Sauce or these Three-Meat Pork Meatballs with Parsley.
- Want to see what Halloween crafting we’re currently involved in? CLICK HERE to follow along in the fun on Instagram or CLICK HERE to follow along in the fun on Facebook.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves, Roughly Chopped
- 1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 3/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Roasted Salted Pepitas
- 3/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 (14.5-oz.) Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 (6-oz.) Can Tomato Paste
- 2 (14.5-oz.) Cans Cold Water
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Directions:
- Place the basil, parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, and pepper into a food processor.
- Pulse the mixture until it begins to stick to the sides of the food processor. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the pepitas and pulse the mixture until the pepitas are finely blended into the mixture. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- With the food processor running, very slowly pour the olive oil into the food processor.
- Scrape all of the pesto into a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the petite diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, honey, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and then bring to a boil over high heat.
- When the sauce begins to boil, decrease the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Make sure to stir the sauce at least every 15 minutes. You will need to stir it more often after the first hour of cooking to make sure that it does not stick or burn.
PIN THIS RECIPE
Don’t let this recipe slip away. How often do you find a recipe intriguing, yet forget where to find it when you finally get the hankering to make it? Instead of digging through old posts or wandering aimlessly around on the internet, why not Pin this recipe to Pinterest where you can find it when you eventually need it? Simply Pin the image above and you’ll have it when that time comes. You can follow us HERE on Pinterest or simply click HERE to find all of our pin-worthy recipes.
Swiss Chard Pesto with Lemon Zest
Pepita Pesto-Coated Pasta with Shrimp
Cheese Tortellini with Nut-Free Pesto & Pimentos
Make these Italian Turkey Meatballs with Tomato Sauce using this Nut-Free Basil Pesto Chunky Tomato Sauce. Forget dry and bland meatballs. These ground turkey meatballs are bursting with flavor thanks to a blend of Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and a touch of grated sweet yellow onion. Skillet-browned to perfection and then gently simmered in your favorite store-bought or homemade chunky tomato sauce, these Italian meatballs are simple to prepare and utterly delicious. Whether you serve them with pasta or vegetables, use them to top a pizza, or pile them high on a meatball sub, their versatility and simplicity make them an absolute dream for busy evenings. CLICK HERE for the recipe.
In 2024, we cooked and baked our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, we shared a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December. CLICK HERE to find all of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge recipes.
Great Northern Bean Summer Caprese Salad
Caprese salad, with its seasonal ingredients, vibrant colors, and refreshing flavors, is a classic summertime staple. This easy-to-assemble great northern bean salad is made with fresh basil, sun-ripened tomatoes, and creamy fresh mozzarella pearls. For a twist on the traditional recipe, try this no-cook bean salad that combines canned great northern beans with classic Caprese salad ingredients. Not only does this flavorful side dish complement most summer meals, but it also helps keep your kitchen cool during the hot and humid months of summer.
In 2025, we’ll be cooking and baking our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, for the 2025 Alphabet Challenge, we’ll be sharing a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December.
“A” – Creamy Parmesan Acini di Pepe with Potatoes
“B” – Chocolate Espresso Rainbow Brownie Cookies
“C” – Cheesy Cheddar Taco-Seasoned Corn Chip Dip
“D” – Sun-Dried Tomato Dip with Italian Seasoning
“E” – Cajun Deviled Eggs Garnished with Pickled Okra
“F” – Sausage Meatballs with Vodka Fennel Sauce
“G” – Guinness Stout Crockpot Simmered Corned Beef
“H” – Baked Homemade Buttery Herb Croutons
“I” – Sun-Dried Tomato & Kale Italian Pasta Salad
“J” – Sweet & Spicy Jalapeńo Canned Tomato Salsa
“K” – Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup
“L” – Chickpea Salad with Lemony Swiss Chard Pesto
“M” – Pineapple Ketchup Ground Turkey Meatballs
“N” – Nut-Free Basil Pesto Chunky Tomato Sauce
“O” – Sheet Pan Italian Olive Oil Summer Vegetables
“P” – Peach Crumble Pound Cake (Cake Mix Recipe)
“Q” – Parmesan Potato & Zucchini Crustless Quiche
“R” – Cinnamon Raisin Vanilla Zucchini Bread Muffins
“S” – Weeknight Sweet Italian Sausage Gravy with Beer
“T” – Budget-Friendly Chunky Potato Soup with Thyme
“U” – Chunky Pumpkin Ancho Unsweetened Cocoa Chili
“V” – Sweet Tea Vodka Vegetable Couscous Soup
“W” – Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Whiskey
“X” – Rotisserie Chicken Xavier Soup with Fennel
“Y” – Yellow Mustard Seed Giardiniera Deviled Eggs
“Z” – Simple Zero Cream Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Please make sure to check out the other great “N” recipes below. A huge thanks to A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this 2025 Alphabet Challenge event.
- Crispy Noodle Salad by Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Frozen Negroni by A Messy Kitchen
- New England Iced Tea by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Nocciolata Swirl Meringues by Food Lust People Love
- Nut-Free Basil Pesto Chunky Tomato Sauce by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Nutella Neufchatel Dip by Magical Ingredients
- Olya Naralachi Karanji / Fresh Coconut Nevries by Sneha’s Recipe
- Singapore Noodles by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Sweet and Spicy Cashews by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- White Nectarine-Lime Jam by Culinary Cam
- Zucchini Nut Bread by Blogghetti
