For beginning home cooks, tomato sauce is both intriguing and sometimes confusing. It’s made by simmering tomatoes for a long time, then straining them to remove the skins and seeds. It’s often used in recipes calling for a rich tomato flavor, but it also raises a number of questions. How can I use it most effectively? What’s the difference between canned and tubed tomato sauce? Finally, for everyday use, should I choose pre-made tomato sauce, or is it best to make it at home?
To answer the last question, Chowhound interviewed Sara Galetti, chef, founder, and creative director of the Tattooed Chef frozen food line. Galetti stated that her Italian heritage dictates her high standards for tomato sauce, as many Italian chefs disdain store-bought sauces, preferring simple homemade recipes. Despite this prejudice, Galetti notes that, especially when it comes to tomato sauce, choosing between store-bought and homemade isn’t always easy.
“Ultimately, it’s a tradeoff: convenience versus personalization,” she said. “Store-bought is quick and easy, and the flavor is always the same. Homemade is ‘made just for you,’” she explained, meaning you can choose “sweetness, tartness, or intensity.” But if time is short, store-bought is often more convenient. “I always keep a tube in the fridge for weeknights,” Galetti admitted.
While professional chef Sarah Galetti believes store-bought tomato sauce is just as good as homemade, that doesn’t mean she disdains home cooking. She explains that making tomato sauce from scratch can be a very enjoyable experience if it “fits your lifestyle.” She says, “It’s easy, it creates a sense of something special, and it’s a great way to use up tomatoes that are about to spoil.”
To make the best homemade tomato sauce, Galetti recommends using large plum tomatoes, such as San Marzano or Roma, which contain fewer seeds and have a better flavor than other varieties. Her personal secret for making tomato sauce is to spread the tomato puree on a baking sheet and bake it in the oven at a low temperature. “It’s easier than cooking on the stovetop and makes the tomato sauce much more flavorful,” she says.
If convenience is more important than personal taste, just buy ketchup at the supermarket. Speaking of value, Galetti recommends an Italian brand. “My grandmother used to make ketchup with sun-dried tomatoes, and it was incredibly delicious,” she says. “But I can’t do that anymore, so I use Mutti ketchup in a tube. It’s made with 100% Italian tomatoes, it’s very concentrated, and frankly, it tastes the closest to homemade ketchup.”
Post time: Dec-30-2025