- September 11, 2025
- Main Dishes
Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe
This Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce recipe uses fresh garden tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs that are slow-roasted until caramelized, then blended into a smooth, rich sauce perfect for pasta. It’s easy to make, freezer-friendly, and safe for canning when properly acidified, making it the best way to preserve summer’s harvest.
There’s nothing better than turning an abundance of fresh tomatoes into a delicious roasted tomato pasta sauce. If you’ve ever looked at your counter overflowing with Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or even garden-fresh San Marzano tomatoes, this is the perfect way to make a flavorful sauce that’s ready for dinner tonight or stored away for later.
Unlike a jar of store-bought pasta sauce, this version is made with just a handful of ingredients like ripe tomatoes, garlic cloves, fresh herbs, and a little olive oil. The hot oven brings out the depth of flavor and natural sweetness, while blending and simmering creates a silky, creamy tomato pasta sauce you’ll want to make on repeat.
Whether it’s your first time making your own roasted tomato sauce or something you did last year when your tomato plants went wild, this is an easy recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Why This Method Works (Roasting Benefits)
Roasting tomatoes before turning them into sauce is the best way to coax out their natural sweetness and concentrate their flavors. Instead of watery or bland, you’ll end up with a delicious sauce full of richness and balance.
- Caramelization = depth of flavour: The sugars in the tomatoes and sweet white onion caramelize in the oven, creating much flavour you just can’t get from stovetop simmering alone.
- Fewer seeds, better texture: Roasting helps the tomatoes break down easily, so when you run the sauce through a food mill or immersion blender, you’re left with a smoother sauce and fewer seeds.
- Flexibility with types of tomatoes: Whether you’re working with plum tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or even off-season tomatoes, roasting is an easy way to build the depth of flavor you want in a homemade marinara sauce.
Ingredients
This roasted tomato pasta sauce relies on just a few pantry staples and garden tomatoes. No matter the type of tomato you have, the method stays the same.
- Tomatoes: Use a mix of Roma tomatoes, San Marzano, plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes. Mixing types of tomatoes can actually give your sauce more depth of flavour.
- Onions and Carrots: A sweet white onion and a couple of carrots add body and natural sweetness.
- Garlic: Use whole cloves of garlic, roasted in their skins, for a mellow and sweet finish.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning (or your favorite fresh herbs).
- Extras: A splash of balsamic vinegar for brightness, a spoonful of tomato paste for richness, or a handful of fresh basil at the end.
Substitutions are easy; try swapping carrots for a bell pepper, or trade oregano for thyme. This easy roasted tomato sauce is a great recipe to adapt as needed.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep & Seasoning
Rinse and core the ripe tomatoes. Cut them in halves or quarters, depending on the size, and place tomatoes in a baking dish or roasting pan in a single layer. Add quartered onion, chopped carrots, and whole cloves of garlic (still in their skins). Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Give everything a good stir so it’s evenly coated.
Covered Roasting
Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast in a hot oven at 400°F for 45 minutes. Covering helps the tomatoes steam and soften first.
Uncovered Roasting
Remove the foil and continue roasting uncovered for another 45 minutes. This step allows caramelization, giving you that depth of flavor and creating a delicious roasted tomato sauce.
Cooling & Blending
Let the mixture cool until it’s room temperature or just lukewarm. Squeeze the garlic from its skins, then transfer everything into a large food processor, high-powered blender, or use an immersion blender right in the pan. Blend until smooth. For an extra-silky result, pass through a food mill to remove tomato skins and seeds.
Optional Simmer
Transfer the sauce to a pot and simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes, adding tomato paste if you want a thicker, hearty marinara sauce. Stir in a handful of fresh basil or other fresh herbs at the end.
Tips & Variations
- Half batch: Only have a lot of tomatoes but not quite enough? Simply make a half batch instead; this recipe is easy to scale.
- Add richness: Stir in Parmesan cheese or a splash of cream for a creamy tomato pasta sauce.
- Spice it up: Swap in chili flakes for red pepper flakes or add roasted red peppers for more heat.
- Try different herbs: Fresh thyme, rosemary, or Italian parsley all add unique layers.
- Balsamic boost: A drizzle of balsamic vinegar adds brightness and balance.
Storage & Preservation
This is the perfect time to stock up if you have garden tomatoes or scored a deal at the market. Here are the best options:
- Use immediately: Toss with your favorite pasta and a splash of pasta water for a restaurant-style pasta dish.
- Refrigerate: Store in glass jars or an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Portion into freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. This tomato sauce freezes beautifully for up to 4 months.
- Canning: Follow safe water bath canning practices, adding bottled lemon juice or citric acid to jars. This is the best way to enjoy homemade tomato sauce all year long.
Serving Suggestions
- Toss with your favorite type of pasta for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Use as a base for my fan favorite for homemade spaghettios with meatballs.
- Spread on pizza or spoon over grilled chicken or blackened chicken.
- Simmer into a garlic pasta sauce or use in new recipes like lasagna or baked ziti.
- Pair with my smoked meatballs, bison meatballs, Italian sausage, or as the base to these chicken parmesan sandwiches.
This sauce is versatile. It’s the perfect way to turn ripe tomatoes into a delicious sauce that will wow your taste buds.
More Recipes To Try
Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 Ripe Tomatoes (Roma, San Marzano, or paste-style)
- 1 large Onion quartered
- 2 Carrots large chop
- 1 head Garlic
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes optional
- 1 cup Fresh Basil Leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes – Rinse and core the tomatoes. Cut them in half (or quarters if large). Place into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add aromatics – Quarter the onion, chop carrots, and add whole garlic cloves (in skins with the top lightly cut off so the cloves are exposed) to the dish with the tomatoes.
- Season and coat – Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Toss lightly to coat.
- Roast covered – Cover the baking dish with foil and roast at 400°F for 45 minutes.
- Roast uncovered – Remove the foil and roast another 45 minutes, until the tomatoes and vegetables are caramelized and tender.
- Cool slightly – Allow the roasted mixture to cool to room temperature or just lukewarm before blending.
- Blend smooth – Add the tomato mixture to the blender or food processor, making sure to squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins. Add in the fresh basil. Blend everything until completely smooth.
- Optional mill step – For a silky sauce, pass through a food mill to remove seeds and skins.
- Simmer (optional but recommended) – Transfer sauce to a pot and simmer 20–30 minutes to thicken if desired.
- Serve – Toss immediately with hot pasta, use as a pizza base, or spoon over grilled chicken or vegetables.
Storing Options
- Freeze: Let sauce cool fully, then portion into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Can: Sterilize jars, then ladle hot sauce into jars leaving ½-inch headspace. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to each jar. Wipe rims, secure lids, and process in a boiling water bath:Pints – 35 minutesQuarts – 40–45 minutes(Adjust for altitude: +5 minutes 1,001–3,000 ft, +10 minutes 3,001–6,000 ft, +15 minutes above 6,001 ft.)