This easy roasted tomato sauce recipe is the perfect way to preserve flavorful tomatoes into a versatile, delicious sauce.
Ingredients
Full recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Tomatoes. This sauce is undoubtedly the best when made with ripe, seasonal tomatoes. Use a variety to get the most flavor into your sauce. However, you can still make this with canned whole tomatoes.
- Olive oil.
- Fresh garlic.
- Herbs. Thyme, rosemary and basil are all excellent with tomatoes.
- Chilli flakes. Optional but adds a hum of heat which is delicious with the tomatoes.
- Salt and pepper. Tomatoes can handle a lot of salt so don’t be shy with the seasoning.
How to make roasted tomato sauce
- How to roast tomatoes for sauce: Place ripe tomatoes into a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. A variety of tomatoes will add even more flavor but using Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or any one variety you can find is also fine. Make sure they are ripe to get the most out of them. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and add garlic, herbs of your choice and a generous pinch of salt. Place the tomatoes in a hot oven and allow to roast until the tomatoes have released their juices and their skins are starting to blister.
- Make the sauce: In a large pot, fry onions and garlic in olive oil or butter until soft and translucent. Add the roasted tomatoes along with smoked paprika, dried Italian herbs, salt and sugar (optional). Turn the heat down and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced. At this point you can break down the tomatoes with a potato masher or blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste then use or store for later.
How to cut acidity in tomato sauce
Tomatoes can be very acidic and the best way to cut the acidity is by adding a little sugar or sweetener. A neutral sweetener like sugar or xylitol works best as it doesn’t alter the flavor of the finished sauce at all.
How to make tomato sauce from canned tomatoes
Follow the recipe exactly as is, simply substitute fresh tomatoes with canned tomatoes.
Can you freeze tomato sauce?
Yes, tomato sauce freezes very well. Transfer cooked and cooled tomato sauce into freezer bags or freezer safe containers/jars then freeze for up to 4 months. Allow to thaw completely before re-heating over gentle heat in a saucepan.
Recipes using roasted tomato sauce
- Cheesy baked meatballs
- Easy pizza toast
- Eggplant involtini
- Easy cheese and tomato pasta bake
- Easy pork sausage meatballs in tomato sauce
How to make easy roasted tomato sauce
This easy roasted tomato sauce recipe is the perfect way to preserve flavourful tomatoes into a versatile, delicious sauce.
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Servings: 4 cups of sauce
Calories: 63kcal
Ingredients
- 2 kg approximately 4lb ripe tomatoes (I use a mixture and like to roast them with the vines)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-6 garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- small handful fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes/red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
for the sauce
- 2 red onions finely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons Italian herbs
- 1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar optional
- ½-1 cup vegetable stock
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC.
- Place the tomatoes in a roasting tray then add the olive oil and flavourings.
- Mix to combine.
- Place in the oven and allow to roast for 30-45 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and starting to char.
- Remove and set aside.
- Heat a splash of oil in a deep pot then add the onion and allow to soften for a few minutes.
- Add the garlic and allow to saute for a minute before adding the herbs, spices and roasted tomatoes.
- Add the sugar (if using) then pour in the stock.
- Turn the heat down and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- At this point you can keep the sauce rustic and chunky and freeze in ziploc bags or keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Alternatively, blend until as smooth as you prefer and then freeze/keep in the fridge.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 434mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1497IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
The recipe calls for 2 red onions, but in the video it looks more like a half cup or so. Are your red onions really tiny, or is there a mistake somewhere?
My red onions aren’t huge but chopped roughly, it’s approximately 1.5 cups.
Thank you so much for this recipe. Have just made it with all the produce from my summer garden (New Zealand). It’s amazing! Tastes divine!
So happy to hear that Jacinta!
If you add a little cream, this makes an excellent soup.
This sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it!
Excellent recipe! Amazing with everything – especially with hot dogs. I’ve made some into a puree and kept some chunky. I had a LOT of compliments. THANK YOU Alida ?
Thanks so much Antoinette!
absolutely the best tomato sauce recipe ever!! and I’ve tried many……I prefer not to use white sugar and my Italian aunt gave me the hint to put carrots in my tomato sauce to remove the acidity of tomatoes…..so, I roasted one medium carrot (chopped finely) with the tomatoes and the spices…then pureed the whole thing together, except one batch I forgot the carrots and instead used a couple of tablesoons of honey…..made tons of sauce to freeze using a hamper of roma tomates….awesome!!! thank you for an amazing recipe!!
Thank you for your lovely comment Gean. 🙂
This recipe is the greatest, and it came along at the perfect time! I’ve already made three batches and have plans for many more. I’ve made my own spaghetti sauce for over 30 years now but have almost always had to go out and buy a bushel to make it…and what a process it is, taking two days. This recipe is the perfect use for the surplus tomatoes from my garden; it’s quick and easy, has less salt, oil and sugar than my old recipe, and most importantly, it’s delicious. That’s a win all the way around in my book! Thanks so much for sharing! Now, I’m headed back outside to pick more tomatoes. Think I might roast some peppers to add to the next batch. 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that Karen. 🙂 Adding roasted peppers is a great idea!
Roasting tomatoes takes a lot longer than 45 mins at 200 degrees. At least double that amount of time.
These are roasted at 200 degrees celsius, not Fahrenheit.
Such a fabulous sauce, and I love how easy this recipe is!
Thanks Laura!!
Do you take all the green stuff (tomato stems, rosemary, etc.) out after the roasting? Or firsh them out of the sauce?
Yep, I take them all out before popping the tomatoes into the pot.
You make it look so easy! Love the video.
That’s because it really IS so easy. 😉 Thanks Camilla!
I love recipes like this that can be used in so many ways. I’m definitely going to give your tomato sauce recipe a go.
Me too! Versatile recipe ftw! Let me know what you think once you’ve tried it!
What would be the difference be between your roasted tomato sauce, and turning this into roasted tomato soup?
The sauce is reduced down to a sauce but you can add stock or broth and cream to make it into a soup easily.
I absolutely love your videos!
Thanks so much Julie!
So fresh and delicious I’m sure Alida! Can’t wait to snag some fresh tomatoes from my brother-in-law’s garden when they’re in season!
Oooh! You must! Jealous of your fresh tomato connection. 😉