Super Easy Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce
Roasted tomato sauce yields big flavor without much work. Always a winning combination in my kitchen. Even though it requires turning on the oven, it’s worth it even on a hot summer day. I promise.
How to Roast Tomatoes for Sauce
Summer is tomato time – the red beauties are at their cheapest and most flavorful. As are fresh herbs like basil.
- Buy a few pounds of tomatoes and a bunch of fresh basil.
- Throw it all in a big roasting pan with some other aromatics like garlic and onion and oregano along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Roast the heck out of it.
- Let it cool and blend it.
It’s really that simple. But it tastes like you worked on it for hours!
What to Serve with this Super Flavorful Recipe
The first time I made this, I created a delicious meatless meal by serving this sauce over pasta with some tasty roasted vegetables and my vegetarian cousin was so very happy. She doesn’t even like to cook but she took a copy of the recipe home with her to Florida and really did prepare the sauce all by herself. Here are some other ideas:
- Try my lemon garlic chicken but finish it with this sauce instead!
- Baked eggplant?
- Gluten free chicken parmesan?
- Something unexpected – polenta fries!
- Are you a pizza maker? This sauce would be delicious!
Is this Tomato Sauce Tasty in the Winter too?
As with any cooking, it’s all about the ingredients. If your tomatoes are not the tastiest ones in the market, make up for it with the balsamic and olive oil or the herbs that you use. This sauce may taste a little different each time you prepare it. That’s part of the fun. But to be honest, you can’t really go wrong with this technique. And it will please kids and adults.
Other Variations of Roasted Tomato Sauce
- If you don’t have shallots, use some white, yellow, or red onion – just use a little less because shallots are milder.
- No fresh herbs around? Use dried in whatever assortment you’d like.
- Do you have roasted red peppers around? – put some of them in when you put it all in the blender. Or roast some with the tomatoes in the same pan.
- Like it a little spicy? Add some crushed red pepper flakes in the roasting stage or blending stage.
- Want to make it a meat sauce? – sauté your favorite spaghetti sauce meat and add the blended sauce to it before you put it over pasta.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 pounds ripe tomatoes cored
- ¾ cup shallots roughly chopped (equivalent to about 3 small shallots)
- 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves divided, reserve 1/2 cup
- ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves or use 2 - 3 teaspoons dried
- 6 large garlic cloves peeled
- ¾ cup olive oil extra virgin but no need for your best EVOO
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Core the tomatoes, coarsely chop the shallots, peel the garlic cloves (leave whole), and tear 1 cup of the basil and all the oregano from their stems.
- Combine all ingredients in a roasting pan and saturate with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, top with salt and pepper, optional red pepper flakes, and mix well.
- Roast the tomatoes and herbs for 35 - 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to singe. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Once cool, pour the contents of the roasting pan and the remaining ½ cup basil into a blender and blend on high for about a minute or until smooth.
- To serve, pour over pasta or roasted vegetables and enjoy! (or just eat it by the spoonful)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Christine Lemieux
Last year I used the full amount of balsamic. I have a very robust balsamic, so this time I used 1 tbsp. and it is delicious. Some will go on pasta with roasted veg, as you suggested and as I have a lot of tomatoes to process and lots of basil and oregano, so I will be making more for the freezer. Thank you!
Beth Lee
Yay! What a treat it will be to find in your freezer in the winter! Good adjustment on the balsamic if yours is robust. I need to make a note of that!
Christine Lemieux
It won’t be until August or September for my tomatoes to be plentiful. I am adding this to my list of must make tomato recipes!
Beth Lee
Yes! We love this so much! I promise you’ll be licking the bottom of the bowl!