Quick and simple, homemade roasted cherry tomato sauce – packed with flavor from fresh cherry tomatoes that caramelize and become wonderfully jammy after a quick stint in the oven. This even more delicious take on traditional tomato sauce is made with simple ingredients like garlic, olive oil, basil, and thyme, and you’ll want to make batches all Summer long!

Quick Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce via forkknifeswoon.com

We inherited several tomato plants upon moving into our new house. The sprawling, sagging beauties, top-heavy under the weight of their fruit, have happily delivered a generous yield over the last few weeks, and I’ve been harvesting the delicious house-warming presents with abandon.

The collection of mystery varieties includes about half cherry tomatoes, and I’ve taken to calling the entire lot of them simply Parker tomatoes (after the previous owners). As the plants are still dotted with dozens of yellow flowers – i.e. future tomato babies – and given that it’s already September (!), I harvested the remaining ripe cherries to make a roasted tomato sauce, thus preserving some homegrown tomato goodness for the coming months.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce via forkknifeswoon.com

Why you’ll love this roasted cherry tomato sauce

Despite the natural sweetness of perfectly ripe summer tomatoes, a quick roasting still enhances and intensifies their flavor, and – along with some onion, garlic and fresh herbs – transforms the raw tomatoes into a fantastically rich and flavorful sauce. It’s the sort of sauce you’ll be happy to have on hand to brighten up a chilly day in the next couple of months, and totally worth the (minimal) hands-on effort now.

A couple of quick notes: I threw in some yellow and orange cherry tomatoes from the farmers market in addition to our red garden cherries – thus the lighter, orange-y color – but you can use any kind of cherry/grape/small tomato you’ve got. The sweeter the better.

Also, I prepared this roasted cherry tomato sauce to be stored in the fridge or freezer, but if you’re feeling ambitious, and want to tackle shelf-stable canning, Annalise has a great tutorial (and marinara sauce recipe), here. Happy cooking!!

Quick Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce via forkknifeswoon.com
Quick Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce via forkknifeswoon.com

Looking for more easy summer favorites? Try these next:

If you make this roasted cherry tomato sauce be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce | Fork Knife Swoon

Quick Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 256 reviews
  • Author: Laura Bolton
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
  • Yield: About 4 pints/2 quarts
  • Category: Dinner, Sauce
  • Method: Blended, Roasted
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Quick and simple, homemade roasted cherry tomato sauce – packed with flavor from fresh cherry tomatoes that caramelize and become wonderfully jammy after a quick stint in the oven. This even more delicious take on traditional tomato sauce is made with simple ingredients like garlic, olive oil, basil, and thyme, and you’ll want to make batches all Summer long!

Ingredients

  • 2–3 lbs cherry tomatoes, stems removed
  • 1/4 cup good-quality olive oil, plus more for roasting
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
  • small handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 3–4 sprigs, fresh thyme, stems removed
  • kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400℉.
  2. Toss the tomatoes with just enough olive oil to lightly coat, then spread out in an even layer onto a rimmed sheet pan or large baking dish. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and are just beginning to shrivel. Remove from the oven, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, add the 1/4 cup of olive oil to a heavy-bottomed sauce pot. Heat over medium-heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to sweat and soften, about 4-5 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic, stir to combine, and continue cooking for another few minutes until the garlic is golden.
  5. Add the roasted tomatoes (including all of the cooking liquid in the pan), and the herbs, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Turn the heat down to low, partially cover the pot with the lid (leaving about a 1-inch gap), and let simmer for at least 25 minutes – and up to an hour – stirring infrequently as the sauce cooks.
  7. Remove the pot from the heat, and let cool for 10-15 minutes. (Carefully!) Transfer the sauce to a blender (or use an immersion blender), and blend until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
  8. Pour the sauce into pint-size canning jars or other air-tight containers.
  9. Will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer. Enjoy!!

Equipment