by Diana Rattray
Roasting tomatoes before making sauce with them brings out their natural sweetness and intensifies their flavor. The high heat of roasting caramelizes the sugars in the tomatoes and creates a rich, complex flavor that complements the other ingredients. The result is a marinara sauce that’s bursting with flavor and has a delicious, slightly charred taste that’s simply irresistible.
I like to use a variety of tomatoes in this recipe, including naturally sweet grape tomatoes, plum tomatoes, and small, juicy Campari tomatoes, but any good-quality red tomatoes will do. If the tomatoes are in season and garden-fresh, even better! Garlic, shallots, and herbs give the sauce a lively Italian flavor. If you like a little heat, add some red pepper flakes to the pan with the Italian herbs.
This roasted tomato sauce is an excellent option for a spaghetti dinner or lasagna, meatball subs, or baked ziti, or use it to top eggplant or chicken Parmesan. And it makes a fabulous base for a creamy tomato soup or pizza.
The recipe makes about 4 cups, which is plenty for a large family, and the tomato sauce freezes beautifully if you have extra or just want more for a future meal. You can easily scale the recipe down by half to make just enough for a meal.
Whether you’re looking to elevate your pasta dishes, add some extra flavor to your pizza, or use it as a base for soups and stews, this sauce is sure to impress. So why not give it a try today and enjoy a delicious taste of summer all year round?
Preparation Notes
- You’ll start by heating the oven and oiling a large rimmed sheet pan. I use a half-sheet pan. Line it with foil if you wish.
- Chop the tomatoes into 1-inch pieces—slice grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes in half.
- Toss the chopped tomatoes, garlic, and shallots with the herbs, seasonings, and olive oil, then roast them in the preheated oven.
- You can blend the mixture right away using an immersion or countertop blender, but if you prefer a smoother sauce without seeds and peels, you could put it through a food mill.
- Whisk in the tomato paste and bring it to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes, then add the fresh basil, and cook for 5 minutes longer. Now it’s time to taste it and adjust the seasonings with sugar, salt, and pepper as needed.
- Use it right away or let it cool and store it in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer.
How to Store Roasted Tomato Sauce or Marinara
Store your tomato sauce safely, and it will be ready for you to enjoy any time! Here are a few basic storage tips.
- Store your sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze the the marinara, sauce, pour the cooled sauce into an airtight container or resealable freezer bag, leaving a a little headspace for expansion. If you choose to freeze it in a glass canning jar, use a wide-mouth jar and leave at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches of headspace. Label the container or bag with the name and date and freeze the marinara sauce for up to 6 months.
- Reheat leftover marinara sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot. The USDA advises a minimum safe temperature of 165 F for leftovers.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
Roasted tomato sauce is a tasty, versatile marinara sauce made from oven-roasted tomatoes that bring out their natural sweetness and depth of flavor. It’s a simple and healthy way to enjoy the taste of summer all year round!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Tomato Sauce, Tomatoes
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 pounds tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped or thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup sliced shallots
- 2 teaspoons Italian herb blend
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Dash crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional, or to taste
Instructions
- Lightly oil a large, rimmed baking sheet and heat the oven to 325 F.
- Slice or chop the tomatoes into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces. Discard stems and any tough cores.
- In a large bowl, toss the chopped tomatoes, shallots, and garlic with the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and olive oil.
- Spread the tomato mixture out on the baking sheet and roast for 1 hour.
- Put the tomatoes and vegetables through a food mill—this will eliminate seeds and peels. Alternatively, put the tomato mixture in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the tomato mixture to a saucepan and add the tomato paste.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered until thickened as desired, about 10 minutes. Add the basil and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings. Add a little sugar if a sweeter sauce is desired.
- Use the sauce immediately or cool it and transfer it to an airtight container.
- Refrigerate the sauce and use within 3 to 4 days or freeze it for longer storage.
