Description
This Quick Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce is a flavorful and versatile sauce made by roasting cherry tomatoes to intensify their natural sweetness, then simmering them with fresh herbs, onions, and garlic. Perfect as a pasta topping or a base for other dishes, this sauce combines the rich depth of roasted tomatoes with aromatic herbs in a smooth, vibrant blend.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomatoes
- 2–3 lbs cherry tomatoes, stems removed
- Olive oil, for roasting (enough to lightly coat)
Sauce Base
- 1/4 cup good-quality olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
Herbs & Seasoning
- Small handful of fresh basil leaves
- 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Roast Tomatoes: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Toss the cherry tomatoes with just enough olive oil to coat them lightly. Spread them out evenly on a rimmed baking sheet or large baking dish. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and start to shrivel. Remove from the oven and loosely tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Sauté Onions: While tomatoes roast, pour 1/4 cup olive oil into a heavy-bottomed sauce pot and heat over medium until shimmering. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and sweat, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for a few more minutes until the garlic turns golden and fragrant.
- Combine Roasted Tomatoes and Herbs: Add the roasted tomatoes along with all the juices from the pan to the pot. Add the fresh basil leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir everything together and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Simmer Sauce: Reduce heat to low and partially cover the pot, leaving about a 1-inch gap for steam to escape. Let the sauce simmer gently for at least 25 minutes, up to an hour, stirring occasionally to allow flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
- Blend Sauce: Remove the pot from heat and allow the sauce to cool for 10-15 minutes to avoid splattering. Transfer the sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until you reach your desired consistency, whether chunky or smooth.
- Store and Enjoy: Pour the finished sauce into pint-size canning jars or airtight containers. The sauce will keep refrigerated for up to one week or can be frozen for up to three months. Enjoy it as a pasta sauce, pizza base, or in your favorite dishes!
Notes
- For deeper flavor, use high-quality olive oil both for roasting and sautéing.
- If you prefer a chunkier texture, blend the sauce for a shorter time or use an immersion blender to control consistency.
- This sauce freezes well; divide into portions before freezing for easy use later.
- Adjust the seasoning after blending as blending can sometimes mellow flavors.
- Roasting tomatoes concentrates their natural sweetness and reduces acidity, resulting in a richer sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
