Roasted Tomato Sauce is like marinara taken to the next level! Made from scratch, this sauce is bright, bold, and flavor-packed (but only requires 5 ingredients!)
If you have a garden or your friends have gardens, then you know how quickly tomatoes grow. You have to find any way possible to use them before they go bad. Thankfully tomatoes are one of the best ingredients to have around all the time.
One of my favorite ways to use them is to roast them. Whether in the oven or on the grill, roasting tomatoes brings out their sweetness and enhances their natural deliciousness!
And now that you know I love roasted tomatoes, it should not be a shock that I made them into a tomato sauce. A flavorful, super easy, quick sauce that is! It is better than any store-bought and it can be made in advance and used throughout the week for roasted tomato sauce pasta, on toast, or any other way you like!
Ingredients for Roasted Tomato Sauce
Fire Roasted tomato sauce at home is easier than you’d think. Just 5 ingredients and you will never buy store-bought again!
- Tomato: What is tomato sauce without tomatoes? Any variety will do (read more about tomato varieties here).
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but minced garlic could be used too! MMM, roasted tomato garlic sauce is the best!
- Olive Oil: The oil helps to make sure the tomatoes are roasted thoroughly to release all the wonderful sweetness.
- Basil: Tomatoes and basil are a match made in heaven and it was a no-brainer to add it to the sauce.
- Salt and Pepper: I use half teaspoon of each of these to enhance the overall flavor.
- Optional: If you want some different flavor combinations, feel free to add in hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano.
Ingredient tip
When adding herbs to a sauce while cooking, it is important to use “hardy” herbs. This is because the sauce relies on heat to reduce it down and the long heat exposure can kill the flavor of herbs that are not hardy. This is also why basil is added at the end of the sauce. (Read more about types of herbs here!)
How to Make Roasted Tomato Sauce
This sauce is so easy to make and so delicious! You only need a tray to bake the tomatoes and a blender to combine everything.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Cut large tomatoes into large chunks (leave any cherry tomatoes whole). Add tomatoes and garlic cloves to a parchment or aluminum-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing around to evenly coat everything. Turn all tomatoes cut side down.
Step 2: Bake
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes blister and turn brown. If you notice the tray smoking, add a touch of water to the pan.
Step 3: Blend
Add roasted tomatoes to a food processor. Squeeze the garlic out of their papery skins and add them to the food processor as well, along with fresh basil. Blitz until combined.
Step 4: Taste
Taste the roasted tomato sauce and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Recipe tips
To store: this sauce keeps really well! Simply keep it in a storage container for up to 5 days.
For more flavor: If you want more flavor in this sauce, try adding the dry herbs to the pan halfway through roasting. This will infuse the flavor into the tomatoes for a more intense and delicious sauce.
More Tomato Recipes
Tomatoes are the ingredient of the summer! For more ways to use them, check out any of these tomato recipes!
- Tomato Gazpacho – A super light and refreshing summer soup.
- Fresh Tomato Basil Soup – Tomato basil is a classic soup and perfect enjoyed with a slice of grilled cheese.
- Greek Baked Feta – Try adding some of this roasted tomato sauce to the baked feta! So good!
- Summer Veggie Salad – This is on repeat weekly in my house this summer because it uses everything in the garden.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs tomatoes any variety, 1360 g
- 6 cloves garlic whole in their skin
- 3 Tbsp olive oil 45 mL
- ½ tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil
- Optional: hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano*
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Cut large tomatoes into chunks (leave any cherry tomatoes whole). Add tomatoes and garlic cloves to a parchment or aluminum-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing around to evenly coat everything. Turn all tomatoes cut side down.
- Bake: Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until tomatoes blister and turn brown. If you notice the tray smoking, add a touch of water to the pan.
- Blend: Add roasted tomatoes to a food processor. Squeeze the garlic out of their papery skins and add them to the food processor as well, along with fresh basil. Blitz until combined.
- Taste: Taste the roasted tomato sauce and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Sharon says
I know we can freeze just about anything these days. How does this marinara hold up to freezing?
Sarah Bond says
This should freeze well!
Moe says
Easy to make, great tasting, better than store bought!
Sarah Bond says
Triple whammy! Enjoy! 😀