Peel and seed the tomatoes and set aside.

Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and grate half of the carrot.

Pour the olive oil into a large stockpot over medium heat.

When hot, add the diced onions to the olive oil and saute for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and grated carrot and saute for 2-3 minutes longer or until onions are translucent and tender.

Add the tomatoes, chopped basil leaves, oregano, thyme bay leaves, parsley, and sea salt.

Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours or until cooked down and starting to darken.

Add carrot piece for the last 30 minutes to absorb acidity.

Remove sprigs of herbs, bay leaves, and piece of carrot.

Optional: Use an immersion blender to puree sauce until smooth (for a thicker sauce, skip this step).

Use fresh or store in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or can it according to your canner's instructions for tomato products.