As farmers' markets overflow with fresh, ripe summer tomatoes, now is the perfect time to make a batch of roasted tomato sauce. Skip the stockpot and reach for your roasting pan to create a richly concentrated and flavorful sauce that captures the essence of summer. While 'the best' is a bold statement, this recipe has been shared more than 50,000 times through the years. It's a reader favorite for good reason, since 2011.
In late summer when prices are low, I'll bring home 10-20 pounds of fresh tomatoes and make my own roasted tomato sauce. Roasting tomatoes concentrates their natural sweetness. Adding garlic, onions, and herbs adds wonderful flavor. Store-bought pasta sauce can't hold a candle to this!
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Roasted tomato sauce freezes well for a quick meal in colder months to come.
- Takes advantage of fresh summer tomatoes.
- Terrific with many dishes like this easy chicken parmesan, and of course simply with a bowl of pasta.
If you love homemade tomato sauce, here's another recipe, my easy homemade marinara sauce. Make it in about 30 minutes with canned tomatoes.
Roasted Tomato Sauce Ingredients
- Tomatoes: Use meaty, fresh ripe tomatoes, whatever looks best and is a good price as you need a lot of tomatoes. Check out your local farmer's markets. Different types of tomatoes is good
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves, not garlic powder, for that punch of flavor. A must for tomato sauce.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the best.
- Wine: A little dry red wine adds nice flavor but it's optional.
- Herbs: Fresh oregano, fresh basil leaves, or some of each.
- Onions: Yellow, brown, or white, all are fine.
- Red pepper flakes: If you want to add a little spiciness.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt and black pepper.
Here's another of my favorite tomato-based sauces; mushroom marinara. Rich and meaty but no meat!
Chef Sally's tip on wine: When I cook with wine I use the mini airline size bottles so I don't have to open a big bottle. They work great, are inexpensive, and easy to keep in the pantry. Wine enhances flavor in cooking, but of course using it is optional.
Substitutions and Variations
- To offset the acidity of the tomatoes, some people add a little sugar. If your tomatoes are sweet, you probably won't need it, but you can use it if perferred. Another option is a little monk fruit.
- Another nice addition is a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar. Add this when pureeing the roasted tomato sauce. It adds nicely to the flavor of the sauce.
- To use dried herbs instead of fresh herbs, use a dried Italian seasoning blend. Use ⅓ to ½ as much as fresh herbs.
Chef's tips on tomatoes: So what's a good tomato for this sauce? I usually buy a combination of heirloom varieties like Brandywine and Purple Cherokee (a purple beefsteak) and Roma tomatoes, for fun color and flavor mixed in. Red beefsteak tomatoes are excellet too. Buy what looks best and is a good price as this is a lot of tomatoes! A mix is great for roasted pasta sauce. For more info on varieties of tomatoes read this.
Recipe Instructions
- Step 1: Pre-heat a hot oven or two ovens to 425°F.
- Step 2: Wash the tomatoes and core them, depending on variety. Beefsteak and heirloom tomatoes have bigger cores. If you are using Romas, you may only need to chop them. Chop the tomatoes into larger chunks. Add them to the roasting pans.
- Step 3: Roughly chop onions and peel garlic cloves leaving them whole. Add them to the roasting pans, diving the quantity between the two.
- Step 4: Add olive oil, chopped herbs, wine (if using), salt and pepper and toss with your hands to mix.
- Step 5: Roast the tomatoes. Timing is approximately 1:15 minutes, depending on how juicy the tomatoes are, how concentrated you want your roasted tomato sauce, and your ovens. It might take a little longer.
- Stir the sauce half way through. Check their progress around 45 minutes. Don't leave the ovens open too long. Roast until the tomatoes and onions are a nicely shriveled with browned edges and there is still a little juice in the pan bottom.
- Step 6: When roasting is complete, allow pans to cool long enough to handle, then spoon everything carefully into a food processor or blender in batches and puree. For a chunky sauce, do a few pulses. For a smooth sauce, process for a little longer. Your preference.
Another tool option, use a stick blender (immersion blender). They are a handy tool that takes up a lot less kitchen space than a food processor or high powered blender for smaller kitchens. Be sure to puree in a tall pot in the kitchen sink to reduce splatter (and wear an apron!).
Chef's tip on yield: My most recent batch of roasted tomato sauce yielded 3 beautiful quarts. At other times, the yield has been 2 quarts. Maybe the tomatoes were more or less juicy, or maybe I reduced it farther in roasting. Either way, the sauce is fantastic and thick after pureeing.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Use one large roasting pan (like you use for a turkey) for a half batch or two large roasting pans for a full batch. For a full batch with one roasting pan, split this recipe into two batches. If you have double ovens or one really large oven, you might be able to do two pans at once with two roasting pans. If you only have one roasting pan, try borrowing a second from a friend.
Another option is using a big electric roaster like you might do a turkey in. Electric roasters are great tools and I've used them for other recipes but not for roasted tomato sauce. You'll have to experiment with timing.
Don't use disposable, uncoated aluminum pans. The acidity in tomatoes reacts with the aluminum with the possibility of leaving an unpleasant metallic taste.
While the long terms effects of aluminum leaching into foods it not fully known (there are conflicting reports), acidic foods like tomatoes are better off in stainless steel or anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum roasting pans work because the manufacturing process hardens the metal making it non-reactive.
Read Tip: Willie says "I've been making this for a few years now - the best marinara sauce EVER! ? I use two stainless steel cookie sheets (don't have 2 roasting pans) and switch top and bottom, half way thru cooking". See here entire comment below.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
- Serve over your favorite pasta noodle. It's a good basic spaghetti sauce, or for penne or rotini (corkscrew).
- For a lower carb dinner, serve over zucchini noodles.
- It makes a terrific pizza sauce!
- Roasted tomato sauce is also terrific with my ricotta and kale stuffed shells recipe.
- Serve as a dipping sauce with a grilled cheese sandwich. Oh, it's so good.
How Do I Store Roasted Tomato Sauce?
Roasted tomato sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days in an airtight container, or freezer for up to 6 months. I've used glass jars (like a mason jar or a ball jar) and these portioned silicone freezing cubes.
Store roasted tomato sauce in them or when the sauce is frozen solid, pop the cubes out and store in freezer-safe zip bags, labeled and dated.
When you fill jars, don't fill them all of the way to the top. Leave a little head space for expansion.
To thaw frozen sauce, place in the refrigerator overnight, pour into a pan over medium heat with a lid on low heat. On of my favorite things to label jars with is these removable labels. They work great.
Roasted Tomato Sauce Canning Notes
I used to can this sauce with a pressure canner so it was pantry stable. Now I just freeze the finished sauce.
Low-acid foods such as tomato sauce should optimally be processed using a pressure canner, not a water bath. Only a pressure canner can reach the 240 degrees necessary to safely process low-acid foods (a ph value greater than 4.6).
For instructions on preparing canned tomatoes, check out this article from Simply Canning.
Recipe FAQs
Meatier tomatoes are best for making a roasted tomato sauce. Buy either Roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes, but you can use any variety of tomatoes depending on availability and personal preference. I often use heirloom tomatoes.
If the tomatoes have lots of seeds, squeeze or slice some of them out after halving or quartering. A combination of tomatoes make for good flavor. If you want a really red sauce, use all red tomatoes, or mix in colors for fun and flavor.
No need to peel tomatoes before roasting as the skins soften during roasting and add nice texture to the finished sauce. Plus, there is good nutrition in those skins, so I recommend not peeling. It's definitely a time saver too. For a smoother roasted tomato sauce, puree longer in a food processor or blender.
Traditional herbs for roasted tomato sauce include basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley, and bay leaf. Soft leaf herbs blend into the finished sauce easily when pureeing. Herbs such as bay leaf must be removed, as you do not want to eat them. Rosemary, if chopped, will blend in, or use sprigs then remove after roasting.
More Recipes With Tomatoes
Here are more recipe for you using tomatoes, from oven roasted cherry tomatoes to an easy marinara, bolognese, and mushroom sauce.
⭐️Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this roasted tomato sauce recipe, please comment and let me know, and if you loved it, please give it a 5 star rating! They really help other readers.
Recipe originally published in September 19, 2011.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- Stainless steel roasting pans
- Food processor or blender
- Double ovens or split the batch into two
Ingredients
- 10 pounds fresh tomatoes
- 16 large whole garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dry red wine optional
- 6 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or basil leaves (or both) or 2 tablespoons dried
- 2 medium onions roughly chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar optional
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
Pre-heat Ovens
- Pre-heat the oven (s) to 425°F. Get out two large stainless steel roasting pans (like for roasting a turkey).
Prep Tomatoes
- Wash the tomatoes. Depending on the type of tomato, you may need to cut out the core first, as with large Beefsteak or Heirloom varieties. You may not need to with Roma or plum tomatoes Cut tomatoes into large chunks. Don't cut the pieces too small. Big chunks are good. Smaller pieces roast too fast.
Roast Tomatoes
- Place tomatoes in the roasting pan. Add garlic cloves, oil, wine or broth, oregano, onion, salt and pepper. Toss with your hands. Place pans in the oven and roast until tomatoes have reduced and are starting to get a few black edges. The pan should still have some juices, not be dry. Depending on your oven it should take about 60 minutes. Stir half way through. If the tomatoes are really juicy, it may take longer.
Cool and Puree
- Remove pans from oven, set on the stove top and allow to cool until you can handle it. Carefully transfer the roast tomatoes into a food processor and pulse 5-6 times or until you get the preferred texture. You can also use a blender and process in batches. Serve or cool completely and freeze in portions.
Notes
Nutrition
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Jeff says
Hi Sally,
This is a great recipe - I have been using it for the past few years. I usually make about 50 pint jars. Yum!
Two questions for you: I am always a little worried about the safety of using olive oil (many sources say it's a no-no); and, in the pressure canner, I often get some jars that seem to boil over. Any suggestions?
Sally says
Hi Jeff. Thanks for letting me know. I love to hear that a recipe is working and being enjoyed by someone. Really makes me smile. 50 jars! Whoa! On the olive oil question. Because this is just a little oil it is not a problem. If you were canning something in all olive oil, that could be a big issue. Canning a product made only in oil would be a no-no from what I have read. Be sure to wipe the jar rims so that no oil residue is left behind. Food in Jars has a tip about wiping the rim with vinegar, a good idea. http://foodinjars.com/2011/11/canning-101-is-it-safe-to-can-products-that-contain-some-oil/
Dalynn says
I am so excited to make this tomorrow! I was wondering if roasting them in a couple of 9x13 pans would work or a cookie sheet. If not, I'll probably just use my big stockpot that's oven-safe. I don't have a roasting pot yet! I have one of those disposable aluminum ones but I don't think that's recommended for tomatoes. Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for this delicious-looking recipe!
Sally says
Hi Dalynn. You will have to let me know how how it comes out. Your house will smell great while it is roasting. On the pan issue. 9x13 baking dishes could work. Don't fill them too full. You may have to roast in smaller batches to get it all done. If you crowd your pans with too many tomatoes, they will more steam than roast because of the liquid. You want the liquid juices to reduce and concentrate. There should still be some juices when it is ready, and the edges of some of the tomatoes might be a little blackened from roasting (I have a convection oven). A pot won't give the same results. You need the open surface space of a roasting pan or large baking dish. And you are right, aluminum is not good because of the acidity of tomatoes. Could you borrow a pan from a friend? I just loaned one of mine to a friend so she could make this!
Jen says
This sounds delicious! I know you mentioned freezing or canning - can you tell me the best way to freeze? And what about thawing for use? Any tips would be appreciated as it looks wonderful and I would love to have extra!
Sally says
Hi Jennifer - It is delicious! I freeze in small glass jars. Fill them almost the top allowing for just a little head space as the sauce may expand a bit when it freezes. Be sure to label and date with masking tape and a sharpie. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or under cold water in the sink, changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed. If you are in a hurry. thaw until you can get it out of the jar, then place in a small saucepan over low heat, covered, until hot and ready to serve. Stir occasionally. Hope this helps!
Peg says
Hi, I just subscribed today. I saw the recipe "Roasted Tomato Marinara Sauce with
Garlic and Oregano and tried to print it out, but message is not able until website completes. Needless to say I was disappointed. I'm picking the last of my tomatoes and I wanted to use this recipe. Can you help me, perhaps send me the recipe until I can figure out why your website doesn't download completely. I'm still a bit of a rookie when it comes to computers.
Thank You. Peg
Sally says
Hi Peg. Sorry you are having printing problems. Computers can be a challenge when you just want them to cooperate! I emailed you the recipe. Please let me know how it works out for you.Hope you can print from the email.
Leesa in Oregon says
This is a FANTASTIC recipe!! I just made it to put in the freezer made with tomatoes from our CSA farm and it will be awesome to have this winter!! I just sealed it in a food saver container in 2 cup increments. Perfect for a quick pasta dinner. I LOVE that it only has a few ingredients and tastes so fresh!! I did add fresh basil and doubled the garlic.... we LOVE both of those. It was fun to have something new to use my garden oregano in. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!
Sally says
Thanks for letting me know Leesa! You made my day! I love this sauce too! Good note on the basil and extra garlic.
psrs84 says
No mention was made of the tomato skins. As it roasted they peeled off and I picked them out of the sauce before blending. The flavor is very rich.
Sally says
Thanks for commenting. You do not have to remove the skins from the roasted tomatoes. Just pulse or puree them into the sauce as they become very soft from roasting.
LaurieTX says
I saw this on Pinterest yesterday and pinned it. We have a TON of fresh tomatoes ready to be canned. We have tomatoes here in the spring and fall and this is the first time we've seen a recipe like this. I've got it in the oven right now and it smells AMAZING! I can't wait to taste it when it's done! 🙂 Thank you!
LaurieTX says
WOW...this is so delicious! My hubby, who is the tomato grower in our family, loves how this tastes. He even thinks it's the best marinara we've ever made!
Again, thank you!
Sally says
Love to hear that Laurie! Thanks!
Englishjewel says
Good day. Do l have to remove the seeds from the tomatoes. l am looking forward to making a batch this weekend
Sally says
Hi Jennifer. No, you do not need to be concerned with removing the seeds. Please let me know how your batch comes out.
Cindy says
Well, it is Saturday morning and I will be off to farmers market now! This looks fabulous!
k.c. says
I use hot water canning process for my salsa, I've never had any problems. Why would this sauce be any different?
Sally says
My understanding is that anything made with tomatoes should be pressure canned for food safety, because tomatoes are a low acid food. Maybe whatever you use in your salsa changes that acid/alkaline balance where it is safe to use a hot water can process. Only a pressure canner can reach the 240 degrees necessary to safely process low-acid foods (a ph value greater than 4.6). It would be interesting to know what the ph is in your sauce. If you check it out, let everyone know by commenting back.
Jim Perry says
Hi Sally. Dumb question for you. I really want to make this sauce, but I have no idea how many tomatoes are in 10lbs. I buy my produce from a local stand which does not have scale. Thanks for the recipe, I can smell it cooking already.
Sally says
Hi Jim. Without a scale it's hard to measure. Tomatoes vary so much by size and variety. Strange how they don't have a scale of any sort. You might be able to figure 4-5 per pound of good sized ones, then multiply by 10. It's a lot of tomatoes! When I get to the market for tomatoes I will try and figure it out.
Michelle says
This looks fantastic! I've been looking for a perfect recipe to use up some tomatoes. Do you need to peel the skin from the tomatoes? I would love not having to since so many other recipes say you need to!
Sally says
Hi Michelle. Nope. No need to peel. Easy!
KMC says
You mentioned that you were planning on canning this. Do you have instructions for pressure canning?
Sally says
K - Did you see my notes at the end of the post for pressure canning? I hope that explains. If not, please let me know. Hope you enjoy the sauce!
Judy says
O' my goodness..I just made 3 batches of this recipe from tomatoes & basil from my garden, added some oregano, green pepper & the lushious smell from my kitchen was wonderful. It was so easy & cleanup was a snap. I have 5 pints for the freezer & will do more when more tomatoes come ripe..I licked the bowls & utensils..I love this recipe..thanks for sharing..
Ashley says
Oh... my.... god... I just made this and I am in heaven!!!! My house smells so amazing, I can't put it in words. I used San Diego tomatoes I grew in my garden. The taste is unbelievable. I used about 14 tomatoes and it yielded 3 pint size mason jars. I am a happy girl! Wondering how long they will last without having them properly sealed. Any ideas?
Sally says
Thanks Ashley. Love to hear that! I'd say about 5 days, so freeze what you don't use within that time. Freeze one, then thaw and try it again. If you like it as well...and you should...you can make a bunch and just freeze for later use, when your garden is all done and your lovely tomatoes are a summer memory. You could also try canning them.