Simmer all ingredients on low for 3-5 hours. Remove garlic cloves and bay leaves and serve as desired.
Slow Cooker Instructions
When cooking the tomato sauce in the slow cooker, reduce the water to 1 ¾ cups instead of 2 ¼ cups. Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours. Remove the garlic and bay leaves and use as desired.
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Notes
Canned Tomatoes: I prefer crushed tomatoes for this recipe, but tomato puree or tomato sauce works as well. Wine: Add up to ½ cup dry red wine to the sauce for extra flavor. (Such as merlot, cabernet, pinot noir)Sweetener: You can use white or brown sugar in place of the honey. Or omit if you need a sugar-free spaghetti sauce recipe. I find that adding in ½ cup of carrot puree helps to naturally sweeten the sauce and balance out the acidity of the tomatoes without adding any sugar itself.Make it Richer: Use a full stick of butter in the sauce for a really rich, luscious sauce.Low-Sodium: Use salt-free canned tomato products and reduce the salt by half or omit the salt altogether.Storage: Homemade tomato sauce will last for 3-4 days in the fridge and for up to 5 months in the freezer. Freezing: Prepare tomato sauce as directed in the recipe and then allow to cool to room temperature. Place in 1-2 cup portions in freezer-safe bags or containers. Freeze solid for up to 5 months. Defrost in the fridge before using homemade tomato sauce.