Three Ingredient Instant Pot Tomato Sauce

Freshly made pasta sauce tastes so much better than store-bought! But who has the time to spend hours in the kitchen making homemade sauce from scratch? With the help of your pressure cooker, you can cut that cooking time down to just 20 minutes using this easy Instant Pot tomato sauce recipe. Made with just three simple ingredients - including fresh tomatoes - this flavorful Italian sauce makes the perfect topping for your favorite noodles.

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What Do I Need to Make Instant Pot Tomato Sauce?
Skip the jarred tomato sauce the next time you plan a pasta dinner and make this easy spaghetti sauce recipe instead! Since you only need three ingredients to make this easy recipe, it's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. To make your homemade tomato sauce at home, you'll need:
- Tomatoes
- Kosher salt
- Fresh basil leaves

Looking for more delicious Instant Pot recipes? Give these reader favorites a try!
Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken | Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes | Instant Pot Black Bean Soup | Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn Soup
How Do I Make Instant Pot Tomato Sauce?
Whether you want to make fresh tomato sauce for dinner tonight or prepare a batch for future use, this easy Instant Pot recipe is perfect! That's because the pressure cooker does most of the work for you! To make tomato sauce in your Instant Pot, follow these easy instructions:
Step One: Cook the Tomatoes
Remove the fresh tomatoes from the vine and rinse them under warm water. Place the clean tomatoes in the pot of the pressure cooker and slightly crush them with the back of a wooden spoon to break the skin. Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
Step Two: Smash the Tomatoes
When the cooking time is up on the Instant Pot, manually release the pressure and smash the tomatoes. Then, run the mashed tomatoes through a cheesecloth and a strainer to remove the skin and seeds. Keep the pulp from the tomatoes and discard the liquid.
Step Three: Blend the Sauce
Transfer the pulp to your blender or food processor and blend until the tomatoes are thoroughly chopped and the sauce is thick.
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Step Four: Season the Tomato Sauce
After thoroughly blending the sauce, add the salt and chopped basil to the tomatoes. Mix the seasoning into the sauce and transfer to a jar to store or serve over pasta.
How Do I Can Tomato Sauce?
This delicious three-ingredient tomato sauce is perfect for canning! However, storing the homemade sauce in canning jars takes a few extra steps after the sauce is prepared. Follow these instructions for making your canned tomato sauce at home.
- Sterilize the jars before storing. While the tomatoes are cooking in the Instant Pot, wash your jars in hot, soapy water and rinse them well. Then, place the glass jars in a pot of boiling water and allow them to sterilize for around 15 minutes. After that, make sure the jars are completely dry.
- Fill the jars. Allow the cooked sauce to cool completely, then pour it into the clean jars. Leave around ¼ inch of space at the top of each jar to give the sauce space to expand as it cools. Clean excess sauce from around the rims of the jars with a damp cloth, then place the lids on top. Twist the lids until they are finger-tight, ensuring they aren't overtightened.
- Boil the jars. When the lids are on, place the filled jars in a pot of boiling water, making sure the jars are covered with at least one inch of water. Boil 12-ounce jars for 10 minutes or 16-ounce jars for 15 minutes.
- Allow the jars to cool. When the boiling time is up, remove the jars from the water and allow them to cool at room temperature for around 24 hours. Then, check to ensure the jars are sealed by pressing on the center of the lid. If the center pops up, the jar is not sealed and should be stored in the refrigerator. Otherwise, the jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to one year.

How Do You Keep Tomato Sauce from Burning in the Instant Pot?
Since this tomato sauce recipe has no additional liquid, you may get a burn notice while cooking the sauce. That's because the tomatoes could get stuck to the bottom of the pot, causing them to burn.
If you're worried about your sauce burning as it cooks, simply add some water to the pot along with the tomatoes. One cup of water should be enough to keep from getting a burn warning as your tomatoes cook. You can always strain out the extra liquid before you blend the sauce.

How Do You Store Fresh Tomato Sauce?
If you don't plan to can your sauce after it's prepared, your homemade tomato sauce should be stored in the refrigerator. Transfer the leftover sauce to a jar or other airtight container and refrigerate it. The sauce will stay good for up to four days.
The homemade sauce can also be frozen for more long-term storage. Allow the cooked sauce to cool completely, then pour it into a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. You can store the sauce in the freezer for up to three months.
Make sure to allow the frozen sauce to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, you can reheat the sauce on the stovetop over medium-low heat until it's heated through.


Three Ingredient Instant Pot Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 9 Tomatoes vine-ripened or Roma
- Basil fresh
- Sea Salt
Instructions
- Remove the fresh tomatoes from the vine and rinse them under warm water.
- Place the clean tomatoes in the pot of the pressure cooker and slightly crush them with the back of a wooden spoon to break the skin.
- Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- When the cooking time is up on the Instant Pot, manually release the pressure and smash the tomatoes.
- Then, run the mashed tomatoes through a cheesecloth and a strainer to remove the skin and seeds. Keep the pulp from the tomatoes and discard the liquid.
- Transfer the pulp to your blender or food processor and blend until the tomatoes are thoroughly chopped, and the sauce is thick.
- After thoroughly blending the sauce, add the salt and chopped basil to the tomatoes.
- Stir to mix the seasoning into the sauce and transfer to a jar to store or serve over pasta.
Notes
This delicious three ingredient tomato sauce is perfect for canning! But storing the homemade sauce in canning jars takes a few extra steps after the sauce is prepared. Follow these instructions for making your own canned tomato sauce at home.
Sterilize the jars before storing. While the tomatoes are cooking in the Instant Pot, wash your jars in hot soapy water and rinse them well. Then, place the glass jars in a pot of boiling water and allow them to sterilize for around 15 minutes. After that, make sure the jars are completely dry.
Fill the jars. Allow the cooked sauce to cool completely, then pour it into the clean jars. Leave around ¼ inch of space at the top of each jar to give the sauce space to expand as it cools. Clean excess sauce from around the rims of the jars with a damp cloth, then place the lids on top. Twist the lids until they are finger tight, making sure they aren’t overtightened.
Boil the jars. When the lids are on, place the filled jars in a pot of boiling water, making sure the jars are covered with at least one inch of water. Boil 12 ounce jars for 10 minutes or 16 ounce jars for 15 minutes.
Allow the jars to cool. When the boiling time is up, remove the jars from the water and allow them to cool at room temperature for around 24 hours. Then, check to ensure the jars are sealed by pressing on the center of the lid. If the center pops up, the jar is not sealed and should be stored in the refrigerator. Otherwise, the jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to one year.





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