Oven Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pasta Sauce

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salsa di pomodoro arrosto

Italian food we love, like pizza and pasta, is held together by the glue of tomato sauce. It is the seemingly simple, yet mysteriously complicated nectar that flows through the veins of all Italians. While everyone’s recipe varies just slightly, today I’ve decided to tackle the untraditional style. I certainly don’t want to battle it out with nonna on an all-day sauce making competition. So, I’m making a simple, fast, but still super flavorful oven roasted tomato and garlic pasta sauce recipe.

This roasted tomato and garlic sauce recipe is perfect for when you find yourself with an abundance of fresh tomatoes, because they were on sale and you thought it was a good idea to buy 3 pounds, and now you are sitting cluelessly on 3 pounds of ripe tomatoes. It’s also great for those sad, winter tomatoes that aren’t very juicy or flavorful. Packing them full of herbs and garlic, and giving them a good char in the oven, is just what the doctor ordered.

Ingredients

Tomatoes- cherry, grape, roma, or any small variety
Fresh garlic
Thyme
Rosemary
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Step by Step

Let’s begin making this oven roasted tomato and garlic pasta sauce!

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Then, I prep the tomatoes by cutting some in half, depending on size, or if they are small, leave them whole. You just want them all even in size but too small and they will disintegrate in the oven.

I spread out the tomatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. You can also separate them on two trays and roast them at the same time on both racks in the oven. Remember to rotate the trays halfway through, to ensure they both cook evenly.

I use 4-6 cloves of garlic, depending on size, and leave the skin on. The skin will protect the clove from burning in the oven and allow it to get sweet and caramelly on the inside.

For the herbs, I prefer fresh thyme and rosemary, but don’t always have them, so dried is ok too.

I sprinkle generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. I give everything a good drizzle with a few tablespoons olive oil and a good toss.

Then we just pop it in the preheated oven and let it roast for 25-35 minutes. Depending on the size of the tomatoes, cooking time may be less, so check on them at about 20 minutes to see how they’re doing. You want the tomatoes to have shrunken a bit, the skins shriveling, and the edges getting a little black char.

I remove the tray from the oven, pick the garlic cloves out and set them aside. Transfer all the tomatoes and their juices to a stand blender, food processor, Vitamix, or a container that you like to use with an immersion blender. No need to peel the tomato skins!

I squeeze the inside of the roasted garlic clove into the sauce and blend it in as well. They have a very deep and rich but still powerful roasted garlic flavor, so add one at a time, and taste the sauce in between. This is definitely a personal preference; add however much you like, or none at all.

If you are serving this oven roasted tomato and garlic pasta sauce right away, transfer it to a pan and heat over low to keep warm. Then toss with cooked pasta and stir in some fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese.

Tips and FAQs

The herbs in this recipe really are a dealer’s choice. Fresh oregano could also be added to the mix or subbed in place for the rosemary or thyme. In dry form, thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley or basil works well. Or if you’re in a pinch, you can use a pre-made Italian seasoning blend.
- Try making your own seasoning blend! Stir up a few of your favorite dry herbs in a bowl and give it a taste. If you’re someone that can’t get enough garlic, add a dash of garlic powder. Or you love spice? Add a sprinkle of dried chili pepper flakes.
Fresh herbs can be stirred into the sauce just before serving, like basil or parsley.
To cut down on acidity, a pinch of sugar can be added.

What type of tomato works best for oven roasted tomato sauce?

This is not the recipe to use a fresh-off-the-vine summer heirloom tomato. Eat that tomato just like an apple!

In general, I prefer the smaller cherry or grape tomatoes for this recipe, not overly ripe and juicy. Even a roma tomato would work because they are relatively small and have more flesh than juice.

(However, if at the end of the summer, you find yourself with an abundance of sun-kissed tomatoes, by all means, roast some up and make this delicious sauce!)

How do I store oven roasted tomato and garlic sauce?

If not serving on pasta right away, this sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

It also freezes great! Portion into airtight containers or freezer baggies. Let the sauce cool before placing in the freezer. It will keep for up to 4 months.