Homemade Roasted Tomato Sauce

Nothing graces pasta better than the fresh flavor of a homemade roasted tomato sauce!

This easy sauce is made with fresh garden tomatoes, garlic, and herbs roasted in the oven for an extra layer of flavor.

plated Roasted Tomato Sauce with spaghetti

Ingredients for Roasted Tomato Sauce

Roasting tomatoes for sauce brings out their sweet flavor.
This is a basic recipe that can be used with any kind of pasta.

Tomatoes: The best tomato sauce starts with fresh ripe tomatoes. If the tomatoes aren’t ripe, the flavor of the sauce won’t be as vibrant and fresh and it may be a bit tart. You can use any variety of tomatoes including grape or cherry tomatoes.

Sweetness: If your tomatoes are quite tart, add ½ of a small red bell pepper to the pan for a little bit of sweetness and some extra flavor. Another option would be to add sugar, ¼ teaspoon at a time while simmering.

Spices & Herbs: This roasted tomato sauce starts with oil, garlic, and dried herbs. If adding fresh herbs, they should be stirred in just before serving.

If you’re short on tomatoes, a can of whole tomatoes can be added when the sauce is simmering. Gently break them up with a spoon.

tomatoes , oil , broth , wine , oregano , basil , chili flakes , onion , garlic with labels to make Roasted Tomato Sauce

Peeling tomatoes for this sauce is not required, once roasted, you can peel off any large pieces of skins if you’d like. If you do prefer to peel before roasting you can use this peeling method. Skip peeling if using cherry or grape tomatoes, the skins are very thin.

How to Make Roasted Tomato Sauce

Toss tomatoes with olive oil & seasonings and place on a baking sheet with a rim. Roast per the recipe below.
While the tomatoes are roasting, cook onion in a saucepan until softened. Add the roasted tomatoes & remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened.
Toss with cooked pasta. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese & basil (optional).

tomatoes on a sheet pan to make Roasted Tomato Sauce

roasted tomatoes to make Roasted Tomato Sauce

adding ingredients together to make Roasted Tomato Sauce

Tomato Sauce Tips

Extra tomatoes and/or veggies can be added and roasted with the tomatoes (onions and sweet bell peppers are great choices).
Thicken homemade tomato sauce by simmering it longer.
The sauce can be left chunky or blended with a hand blender until smooth.
Do not rinse or oil the pasta, the starches on the pasta help the sauce stick to it.
If the tomatoes are acidic, a pinch of sugar or some finely shredded carrot can be added for sweetness.

Storing Tomato Sauce

Keep tomato sauce in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Or, freeze in freezer bags for up to 6 months. I like to lay the bags flat until they’re frozen then store them upright to save freezer space.

More Tomato Favorites

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This made-from-scratch roasted tomato sauce is fresh & flavorful. Easy enough for a weekday meal, but elegant enough to serve at a dinner party!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cut the tomatoes into large chunks.
Place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, and salt & pepper and toss well to coat.
Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Broil for 5 minutes or just until the tomato gets a little bit of char or color. If desired, remove the tomato skins after roasting.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cook onion until tender, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the roasted tomatoes to the pan with any juices, broth, wine, and chili flakes. Simmer 35 for 45 minutes or until sauce reaches desired thickness.
Toss with pasta and serve topping with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

This recipe will lightly dress 1 lb of pasta.
The flavor of this sauce is dependent on the flavor of the tomatoes you use. If the tomatoes aren’t ripe the flavor of the sauce won’t be as vibrant and fresh. Grape or cherry tomatoes work in this recipe too.
Red bell peppers can be added to the pan when roasting the tomatoes for flavor and sweetness. If the tomatoes are acidic, a pinch of sugar or some finely shredded carrot can be added for sweetness.
If you’re short on tomatoes, a can of whole tomatoes can be added when the sauce is simmering.
If adding fresh herbs, they should be stirred in just before serving.
Thicken homemade tomato sauce by simmering it longer. The sauce can be left chunky or blended with a hand blender until smooth.
Do not rinse or oil the pasta, the starches on the pasta help the sauce stick to it.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Entree, Pasta, Sauce

Cuisine American

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