What are the best sheet pans for roasting?
What kind of tomatoes are good for homemade tomato sauce?
Roma tomatoes tend to be the top pick for homemade tomato sauce because they have less water than other types of tomatoes which results in a thicker, heartier sauce.
I like use a mixture of tomatoes, though — mostly Romas, some on the vine, and some small cherry or grape tomatoes for extra sweetness. You could use all of the same kind, too.
Yum, right? This homemade roasted tomato sauce is so, so good.
I add an extra splash of balsamic and extra-virgin olive oil at the end to boost those flavors and add some richness.
I have a pasta-obsessed kid who begged me to make some noodles for my pic so she could eat them afterward. (I see what you’re doing, kid. haha)
How to store homemade tomato sauce
DO NOT try to preserve this recipe using steam or pressure canning methods. You need special recipes for that, and this one isn’t one of those. I don’t want you to end up with botulism.
You’ve got two options for this:
- Store it in the fridge for about a week.
- Freeze it. This sauce freezes beautifully! You can freeze it in mason jars, freezer-safe deli containers (I love these!), or zip-top freezer bags. Just save a little space in whatever container you use so you don’t end up with broken or leaky containers from the expanding liquid.
I hope you enjoy this delicious roasted tomato sauce! Throw this homemade marinara on gluten-free pasta or on a pile of zoodles! Or use it in any baked pasta casserole or any other dish that calls for marinara.
Recipes to use homemade roasted tomato sauce
This sauce is super versatile and would work in any recipes that call for basic marinara. It’s also a great pizza sauce!
Here are a few recipes on my site that would be an excellent home for this sauce:
Serve it with my kid-approved Chicken Parmesan Dippers!
Another recipe my kids love is Quick & Healthy Pizza Soup. It calls for a bit of marinara to boost that pizza flavor!
Grilled Eggplant Stacks NEED marinara. This one would be fabulous with it.
Easy Roasted Balsamic Tomato Sauce
Pull some of those garden tomatoes out and roast them into the best tomato sauce you've ever had! You can use the sauce on pasta or pizza. It even freezes well!
Ingredients
- 5 pounds tomatoes cored and quartered (see note)
- 1 small onion, halved and sliced thinly
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bunch fresh basil (about 12 leaves) or 2 teaspoons dried basil or Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (if needed, to adjust texture)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place tomatoes on two rimmed baking sheets. Scatter onion and garlic cloves over the top. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over the vegetables, then sprinkle the salt and pepper.
- Using your hands, toss until everything is coated and spread vegetables evenly on the pans.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tomatoes and onions are tender and have begun to brown or blacken slightly. Stir once or twice during roasting and rotate pans halfway through.
- Transfer roasted vegetables to a large saucepan. (Or store, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days until you're ready to finish the sauce.)
- Add tomato paste, basil, and half of the chicken broth. Cook over medium heat and stir to incorporate the tomato paste.
- Puree the vegetables using an immersion blender or working in batches with a blender. (Hopefully you have an immersion blender. It's such a lifesaver in times like these.) Add more chicken stock to reach the consistency you want.
- Let the sauce simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to freezer safe containers and freeze. Or use it right away. It'll keep in the fridge for about a week.
Notes
Nat's Note: I recommend using mostly Roma tomatoes, but using a variety of tomatoes gives this sauce a more rounded flavor. Adding some sweet grape or cherry tomatoes is nice, too!
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Deb
Thursday 9th of September 2021
So good. I've eaten it freshly made and eaten it from frozen both ways are great. It's tomato season right now and I'm just starting to make another batch. This recipe is a keeper. I'll be making it often.
Natalie Perry
Wednesday 13th of October 2021
I'm glad you liked it, Deb! Happy sauce making!
Catherine Halagan
Thursday 20th of October 2016
Made this with the last of my tomatos from the garden.. had canned so much this year was looking for something different for the last hurah ! This was perfect ! Delecious !
Beth
Friday 2nd of September 2016
I just pinned this a couple months ago. SO glad I did and I wish I'd found it 5 years ago. Made two batches this morning and it tastes wonderful! Looking forward to having yummy tomato sauce this winter and not trying to decide which of the grocery store varieties is the least objectionable. Yay!!
Debbie Timlin
Sunday 22nd of September 2013
The tomato sauce is amazing!
becky
Wednesday 29th of February 2012
Can I use already frozen tomatoes from the garden last summer? I would thaw them before baking :) ?
Natalie
Wednesday 29th of February 2012
Sure! They get pureed anyway, so it wouldn't matter if they were a little mushy :)