Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce – Flavorful and Freezer-Friendly

roasted tomatoes for pasta sauce cooked with onions and garlic on a baking sheet.

Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce – Flavorful and Freezer-Friendly

Easy, flavorful roasted tomato pasta sauce made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Minimal prep, freezer-friendly, and perfect for pasta, pizza, or more.

Course Main Course, Pasta Recipes

Cuisine Italian

Diet Low Calorie, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Servings - 6 servings

Calories 71kcal

Author Adina

Equipment

Baking dish
Bowl
Immersion blender or regular blender, Note 1

Ingredients

2 lbs tomatoes Note 2
2 medium onions quartered and sliced
4 large garlic cloves
2 sprigs basil Note 3
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt more to taste after blending
½ freshly ground black pepper

US - EU

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F/ 190°C.
Tomatoes: Wash and dry them. Halve small tomatoes, quarter large ones, and leave cherry tomatoes whole.
2 lbs tomatoes
Onions and garlic: Quarter and slice the onions. Crush the garlic cloves lightly, but leave them whole to release flavor while roasting.
2 medium onions + 4 large garlic cloves
Season tomatoes: Place the tomatoes, onions, and garlic on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, sugar, and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and toss everything to coat evenly.
2 sprigs basil + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar + ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ freshly ground black pepper
Roast the tomatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on tomato size and your oven. The tomatoes should be soft, collapsed, and slightly shriveled. Remove the basil leaves and transfer the rest to a bowl. Let cool slightly (5–10 minutes).
Blend the roasted tomatoes until smooth using an immersion blender or a regular blender.
Serve: Toss with cooked pasta and enjoy immediately.
To freeze: Let the sauce cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge before use.

Notes

If using a regular blender, let the roasted tomatoes cool slightly and blend in batches to avoid splattering.
Tomatoes: You can use any size of tomato, or even mix different sizes, just cut them as instructed in the recipe steps (according to their size).
Herbs: I like to use fresh herbs like basil, oregano, or thyme when I have them. This tomato sauce is perfectly delicious with dried herbs, too - use about 1 teaspoon of dried herbs in place of fresh.

Nutrition