Ready to use up all of those gorgeous summer cherry tomatoes? How about in a luscious, flavorful, EASY sauce you can add to your fav pasta? Yes, please!
This wonderful roasted cherry tomato sauce is truly the perfect end-of-summer recipe using fresh produce, and it comes together with just a sheet pan and a blender. My kiddos have been gobbling this up at dinner, and I’ve included some great ways to really make it your own.
Skip the Prego your next pasta night and give this sauce a try! It’s freezer-friendly, too, so you can enjoy your new fav sauce even during the colder months.
Ingredients in this cherry tomato sauce
You’ll LOVE how simple the ingredients are in this vibrant, flavorful sauce. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cherry tomatoes: because cherry tomatoes are small, they pack in even more flavor than their larger counterparts. Roasting them brings out all of that natural sweetness.
- Onion: you’ll roast the tomatoes with a yellow onion, which gets nice and sweet in the oven.
- Garlic: what’s a tomato sauce without garlic? We’re roasting a whole head of garlic for a lovely, savory element.
- Seasonings: we’re tossing the tomatoes and onion with a little olive oil (use the code ‘AMBITIOUS’ to get 20% off!), balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to bring out the depth of flavor in the sauce.
Easy ways to jazz up your sauce
There are a few delicious add-ins that I’ve tried and loved:
- Basil: if you love tomato basil sauce add a big handful of fresh basil! Such a great way to use up what’s in your garden.
- Heavy cream, coconut milk or a big pat of salted butter: blend up a super creamy sauce by adding heavy creamy or, for a dairy-free option, full-fat coconut milk, or add 3 to 4 tablespoons of salted butter for delicious butter tomato cream sauce.
- Cottage cheese: add a boost of protein and creaminess to the sauce with cottage cheese.
Should I peel the cherry tomatoes?
Nope, no need! After roasting, the cherry tomatoes will be nice and jammy and will blend up well. There’s also no need to strain out any seeds.
How to make the best roasted cherry tomato sauce
- Prep the produce. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper, add the tomatoes and onion, and toss with the olive oil, herbs, and seasonings
- Prep the garlic. Cut off the top of the stem of the garlic so that the cloves are exposed. Place it in tin foil, drizzle with a little olive oil, loosely wrap it, and add it to the sheet pan.
- Roast the veggies. Roast everything together until the tomatoes are nice and juicy.
- Blend the sauce. Let the veggies cool, then squeeze the garlic cloves into a high-powered blender. Add the tomatoes, onion & juices, and blend on medium-low until smooth. Taste and add salt as needed, plus any other add-ins, then blend again and serve!
No blender? No problem!
You can also use a food processor, or pour the roasted veggies into a saucepan and use an immersion blender to blend everything up.
Choose your sauce thickness
- For a thinner sauce: dilute it with a little bit of pasta water.
- For a thicker sauce: simmer the sauce uncovered on the stovetop until you reach the desired consistency. Great for using it as a pizza sauce, too!
Delicious ways to use this sauce
- Toss with your favorite noodles like classic spaghetti
- Cook your favorite meatballs like these Juicy Turkey Meatballs
- Use it in my famous Healthy Turkey Lasagna You’ll Ever Eat
- Make this One Pan Tomato Basil Baked Orzo with the sauce
Storing & freezing tips
- To store: store any leftover cherry tomato sauce in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Reheat it back on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- To freeze: add the leftover sauce to a freezer-friendly, airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the sauce thaw in the fridge before heating it through on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More fresh tomato recipes you’ll love
- Tomato Basil Tortilla Quiche
- Burst Cherry Tomato & Pepperoni White Bean Bake
- Homemade Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- Parmesan Tomato Zucchini Tart
- Veggie-Packed Meat Sauce (freezer-friendly, great for kids!)
Get all of my fresh tomato recipes here!
I hope you love this roasted cherry tomato sauce! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Easy Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
Beautiful roasted cherry tomato sauce made with simple, fresh ingredients you'll bake all on one sheet pan and then blend to perfection. This easy sauce is bursting with flavor and delicious served over your favorite pasta! Options to add creaminess and even a boost of protein for extra nutrients.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cherry tomatoes (about 3 pints)
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 head of garlic
- Optional add-ins:
- Fresh basil
- ¼ to ½ cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet or 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Prepare the tomato sauce: Place the tomatoes and onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, and season with the oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss well to coat, then spread out in a single layer. Do not put into the oven yet.
- Prepare the garlic: Using a sharp knife, cut roughly ¼-inch off from the stem end of the head of garlic so that the individual cloves of garlic are exposed. Place the garlic in a square piece of foil, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then loosely wrap in the foil and place on the sheet pan with the tomatoes and onions.
- Bake: Roast the veggies, until they are tender, juicy and tomatoes are slightly golden in places, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Blend: Cool the tomato mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the head of garlic from the foil packet and discard the foil. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, use your fingers to squeeze the roasted garlic from the skin directly into a high-powered blender. Add the roasted cherry tomatoes and onions, along with their juices, to the blender and blend on medium-low until a smooth sauce forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Feel free to add in more salt, or get adventurous and add a large handful of fresh basil leaves or heavy cream for a creamy pasta sauce! I also love to add in ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese for a higher protein tomato sauce for my kids. Once you add your add-ins, blend again for 30 seconds, then serve as you’d like.
- To store: Sauce is freezer friendly and will keep well in an airtight glass container for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
This sauce makes about 3 cups total.
See the full post for yummy additions to customize this sauce!
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 114calCarbohydrates: 11.2gProtein: 2.2gFat: 7.5gSaturated Fat: 1.1gFiber: 2.8gSugar: 6.4g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
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