Garlic Roasted Tomato Sauce

Garlic roasted tomato sauce made with fresh ingredients from the garden! Roasted in the oven, then blended together to create a super flavorful and delicious tomato sauce.

Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

One of my favorite things to make when my garden starts to bloom is roasted garlic tomato sauce. The tomatoes are so flavorful and have such a bright taste. They’re perfect for roasting and result in a sweet, yet caramelized flavor. Absolutely delicious and great for making tomato sauce.

This roasted tomato sauce recipe is pretty easy to make and tastes so fresh and delicious. Roasting both the tomatoes and garlic gives it a bolder flavor than a traditional marinara sauce and is the perfect way to showcase those juicy, ripe tomatoes during the summer time.

We like to serve this garlic tomato sauce over cooked pasta (which my kids request almost daily) or use it to make pizza, soup, and many other delicious Italian dishes. It’s healthy, flavorful and can be used so many ways!

Ingredients

Less than 10 ingredients needed to make this easy oven roasted tomato sauce. Check them out below.

• Tomatoes: The star of the show! Look for tomatoes that smell fragrant and have a vibrant red color. They should be firm, yet have a slight give when pressed. Romas, plum, campari or even cherry or grape tomatoes all work great.
• Basil: A bold herb that adds a boost of Italian flavor to the sauce. Using fresh basil will give you the best flavor, especially in the summer months when abundant.
• Olive oil: For drizzling over the tomatoes so that they caramelize when roasting. A high quality olive oil tastes best.
• Garlic: A small head of garlic gets roasted at the same time as the tomatoes, adding a caramelized, nutty flavor to the sauce. Learning how to roast garlic will become your new favorite kitchen trick!
• Italian seasoning: An easy way to boost the Italian flavor even more. Use a premade blend, or make your own Italian seasoning mix at home.
• Salt and pepper: To help balance out the flavors in the sauce. Add more or less to taste.

Why Do Roasted Tomatoes Taste Better?

It’s not that they taste better per say, however making roasted tomatoes in the oven is an easy way to let the natural flavors and juices shine through. They get nice and caramelized on the outside, with a sweeter and richer taste.

You can enjoy them as a simple side dish, or add to salads, pasta salads, soups, sauces and sandwiches. I also love to use them to make roasted salsa!

How to Roast Tomatoes for Sauce

• Wrap the garlic in foil. Slice off the top of the head of garlic and then wrap in foil. Place on the baking sheet.
• Prepare your tomatoes. Remove the stems and quarter the tomatoes, then place on a baking sheet. Add fresh basil on top, then drizzle with olive oil. Finish them off with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Roast in oven. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the skins begin to shrivel and look a bit charred. Allow to cool slightly.
• Blend. Pour the tomatoes and basil into a blender. Then remove the foil from the garlic and squeeze out the cloves into the blender. Pulse until desired consistency is met. I like a smooth sauce, but you can keep it chunky if preferred. Taste and add more basil, salt or pepper if needed.

Ways to Use Roasted Tomato Sauce

• Over noodles: Serve over cooked pasta, zucchini noodles or make stuffed spaghetti squash.
• With meatballs: Make spaghetti and meatballs by adding homemade meatballs to your pasta.
• Pizza: Spread on a homemade pizza dough and add all your favorite toppings.
• Soups: Add more depth to your favorite tomato basil soup or tomato basil and cauliflower soup.
• Italian dishes: Use in Italian entrees like chicken parmesan, meatball casserole or lasagna.

How to Store and Reheat

We love to store this sauce in a mason jar. It stays fresh the longest and is easy to pour into a big pot when you need it.

It will keep for one week if stored in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer. Sometimes I’ll make a big double batch and use half during the week, then store the other half in the freezer. It makes a great freezer meal and is a perfect option for a busy weeknight!

Let thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying, then reheat in a pot on the stove over low heat until warm.

Check out these other easy Italian sauces that are perfect for pasta night at home!

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!