There's nothing quite like homemade roasted tomato sauce. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of fresh tomatoes, concentrating their flavor while adding a subtle smokiness to this roasted tomato pasta sauce that you just can't get from a jar. Toss it with potato pasta (gnocchi), spoon it over pizza, or freeze or can it for later!
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In my recent roasted tomato pepper soup post, I mentioned that I would be back with more tomato recipes, and I'm a woman of my word, so here I am! As the tomatoes in my garden continue to ripen, I am rolling out all kinds of tomato-based dishes, and this roasted tomato pasta sauce is definitely a new favorite!
I'm going to be set for the coming year, and you can be too! You'll find easy water bath canning instructions and a list of mistakes to avoid in this detailed guide!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Making your own pasta sauce from scratch is easy!
- This recipe makes 3 pints but can easily be scaled up if you have more tomatoes!
- This roasted tomato sauce can be canned or frozen.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tomatoes: My favorite tomatoes to use for this recipe are Roma or plum tomatoes. They have more flesh and fewer seeds. If you only have cherry tomatoes, use them to make cherry tomato confit instead!
- Onion: Choose from yellow onion, white onion, or shallots to sweeten the sauce and add depth.
- Garlic: I like to add one head of garlic; if that sounds a bit extreme, add at least 5 garlic cloves.
- Peppers: Red bell peppers or sweet mini peppers add a natural sweetness and add body.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the only way to go here. It helps with roasting and adds richness.
- Herbs: If adding fresh herbs (fresh basil, oregano, thyme, etc.), add them at the end. Roasting fresh herbs will cause them to burn and add a bitterness to your sauce.
- Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar or red wine deepens the flavor.
- Seasoning: Sea salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes for a little added kick.
How to Make Roasted Tomato Sauce
Step 1: Place tomatoes, onion, and halved garlic in a foil-lined roasting pan. Drizzle or spray with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the pan in a preheated oven at 400°F and roast the tomatoes for 1 hour. Flip peppers halfway through.
Step 2: Once cool, peel garlic cloves and transfer along with tomatoes, onion, peppers, and pan liquids to a Vitamix blender and puree until smooth.
Step 3: If you don't have a Vitamix blender, remove tomato skins, then add them to a Dutch oven with the other roasted veggies. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce, either chunky or smooth.
Step 4: Add crushed red pepper flakes, dried or fresh herbs, and balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. You can optionally add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar or a few tablespoons of red wine to balance the sauce's flavor. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Adding Baking Soda
If you don't plan on waterbath canning the sauce, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda. This raises the PH balance of the sauce, making it less acidic. However, it can make the sauce unsafe for water bath canning. Instead, add baking soda when you're ready to consume the sauce.
Water Bath Canning Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
If you'd like to preserve this sauce to enjoy all year long, water bath canning is a simple way to do it. Here's how:
- Prepare Your Jars
- Wash pint or quart-sized canning jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water.
- Sterilize jars in boiling water for 10 minutes, or run them through the dishwasher on the sanitize cycle.
- Acidify the Sauce
- Because tomatoes vary in acidity, you must add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to each jar for safe canning.
- Add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice per pint (or 2 tablespoons per quart) directly into the jars before filling. Alternatively, use ¼ teaspoon citric acid per pint (½ teaspoon per quart).
- Fill the Jars
- Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
- Remove air bubbles with a clean utensil, then wipe rims with a damp cloth.
- Place lids on and screw bands fingertip-tight.
- Process the Jars
- Place jars in a boiling water bath canner, making sure they're covered with at least 2 inches of water.
- Bring to a full rolling boil and process pints for 35 minutes or quarts for 40 minutes (adjusting for altitude if necessary).
- Cool & Store
- Carefully remove jars and let them cool undisturbed for a few hours.
- Check seals: the lids should not flex up and down when pressed.
- Store sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 12-18 months.
Pro Tip: If you add ingredients like meat, dairy, or too much oil, this recipe will no longer be safe for water bath canning.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the acid: Tomatoes vary in sweetness, and sometimes a splash of balsamic vinegar is all it takes to balance the flavors.
- Overcrowding the pan: If the tomatoes are piled on top of each other, they'll steam instead of roasting. Give them space so they can caramelize properly.
- Over-roasting garlic: Burnt garlic will cause the sauce to be bitter. Keep garlic cloves in their skins and pull them out if they start browning too fast.
- Forgetting to season in layers: Salt the veggies before roasting them, then taste again after blending them and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Not adjusting texture: Sauce too thin? Simmer on the stovetop to reduce. Too thick? Add a splash of broth, wine, or pasta cooking water.
Serving Suggestions
This roasted tomato pasta sauce is incredibly versatile and can elevate more than just a classic pasta night. Toss it with spaghetti, penne pasta, or rigatoni and finish with fresh basil and Parmesan for a simple, comforting meal.
Spread it over this cheeseless pizza crust for a smoky, rich base, or simmer it in a skillet with a few cracked eggs to make vegetarian shakshuka for breakfast. It's perfect for baking Italian stuffed peppers or eggplant, ladling over meatballs in a hoagie roll for a hearty sub. Or use it to make roasted tomato pepper soup.
You can even serve it warm as a dipping sauce for cream cheese garlic bread or garlic knots. For easy meal prep, freeze the sauce in small containers or ice cube trays so you can grab exactly what you need whenever inspiration strikes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, roasted tomato sauce can be water bath canned. However, tomato sauce is generally safe to can only if it is acidic enough (pH ≤ 4.6). Add either ½ teaspoon of citric acid or two tablespoons of lemon juice per quart.
Yes, roasting tomatoes intensifies their flavor. It concentrates the sugars, which gives the tomatoes a sweeter, richer, almost smoky flavor.
Italian seasoning is a blend of dried herbs commonly used in Italian-American cooking. While the exact mix can vary slightly by brand or recipe, the typical core herbs include: oregano, basil, savory, marjoram, sage, parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
Pro Tips
- Roma or plum tomatoes work best since they're meaty and less watery, but don't be afraid to toss in a cherry or heirloom tomato for extra sweetness.
- If using fresh herbs, don't roast them; instead, add them at the end so they stay bright and fragrant.
- Stir in a bit of red or white wine when blending for a restaurant-style sauce with extra richness.
- Store opened jars of sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze in freezer bags. It will be good for 3 months without losing quality.
- Label containers with the date before storing; you'll thank yourself later when you're digging around in the freezer!
More Tomato Recipes
If you enjoy this tomato pasta sauce recipe, give these other tomato recipes a try!
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place tomatoes, onion, and halved garlic in a foil-lined roasting pan. Drizzle or spray with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the pan in a preheated oven at 400°F and roast the tomatoes for 1 hour. Flip peppers halfway through.
- Once cool, peel garlic cloves and transfer along with tomatoes, onion, peppers, and pan liquids to a Vitamix blender and puree until smooth.
- If you don't have a Vitamix blender, remove tomato skins, then add them to a Dutch oven with the other roasted veggies. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce, either chunky or smooth.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes, dried or fresh herbs, and balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. You can optionally add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar or a few tablespoons of red wine to balance the sauce's flavor. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- If you don't plan on waterbath canning the sauce, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda. This raises the PH balance of the sauce, making it less acidic. However, it can make the sauce unsafe for canning. Instead, add the baking soda when you are ready to consume the sauce.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- See post for waterbath canning instructions.
- If you add ingredients like meat, dairy, or too much oil, this recipe will no longer be safe for water bath canning.
- Roma or plum tomatoes work best since they're meaty and less watery, but don't be afraid to toss in a cherry or heirloom tomato for extra sweetness.
- If using fresh herbs, don't roast them; instead, add them at the end so they stay bright and fragrant.
- Stir in a bit of red or white wine when blending for a restaurant-style sauce with extra richness.
- Store opened jars of sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze in freezer bags. It will be good for 3 months without losing quality.
- Label containers with the date before storing; you'll thank yourself later when you're digging around in the freezer!
Hilda Sterner says
Try this recipe, then come back and let us know what you think!