The BEST Easy Roasted Tomato Sauce – Fresh or Freeze
You’ll want to eat this amazing roasted tomato sauce with a spoon, it’s that good! It’s also the easiest way to make tomato sauce you’ll come across – AND you can use the tomatoes that aren’t good for canning and any extra vegetables you have laying around, making it a great way to use up produce. Freeze it to use in recipes all year long because it’s better than anything you can get at the store!
✩ What readers are saying…
“This is the most brilliant method for making a super flavorful tomato sauce. The instructions were flawless so my end result was perfect. Thanks so much for sharing!” – Barb
How about an incredible, out-of-this-world, lick-the-spoon flavor roasted tomato sauce that’s as easy as it is good?
Next to Addictive Tomato Chutney it’s probably everyone’s favorite recipe and always trending here on the site.
Having this sauce in our freezer is like having a stash of organic, healthy, so good-it’ll-make-your-eyes-roll convenience food ready whenever you need it.
When I’ve got tomatoes in buckets and bowls all over my kitchen, visitors will always ask when they see them, “what are you going to do with all those tomatoes?”
Um, let me count the ways:
- Addictive Tomato Chutney
- Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil
- Thick, Canned Salsa
- Pizza Sauce
- Tomato & Feta Salad
- Zucchini, Corn & Tomato Saute…well, the list could go on and on.
However, the number one way I use our tomatoes is to make this incredible roasted tomato sauce that I freeze to use all year long.
Its also helps that it’s super easy to make, takes care of a lot of tomatoes at once, and even uses other vegetables that I have if I want to add them.
It’s a recipe that fits into almost any schedule – you can get going while you’re making dinner, then puree it and freeze it after.
Did I mention easy?
Ingredients
Since this is a fresh or freezer sauce only (NOT safe for canning – more on that below), the produce ingredients are truly flexible. This makes it a star for using up slightly old garden tomatoes, the zucchini that’s starting to shrivel, or the last bits and pieces in your veg bin or CSA box. You’ll want to keep the garlic, balsamic, herbs, and seasonings the same (adjusted to your taste if needed).
For each large roasting pan you will need:
- olive oil
- 6 pounds tomatoes, cored and cut in half (pounds are approximate – fill your roasting pan in one layer with tomatoes) – plum or paste tomatoes are great, but you can use any type.
- chopped onion
- Any other vegetables on hand, roughly chopped: zucchini peppers, carrots, celery (optional).
- garlic cloves, sliced or chopped
- balsamic vinegar – a KEY ingredient, no substitutions if at all possible.
- About 1 teaspoon each dried herbs of choice: thyme oregano, basil OR 1+ tablespoon fresh chopped herbs.
- teaspoons each salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional – I now add this all the time for that bit of spice we enjoy.
How to Make Roasted Tomato Sauce
Detailed quantities and instructions are included in the full recipe box below, but here are a few extra tips to help with each step:
Step 1: Gather Your Pans: Start with the number of baking pans that will fit in your oven (if you’ve got a lot of tomatoes – you can always do one pan at a time for smaller batches). For me, that is one large 15×10 roaster and one to two 13×9 pans.
Step 2: Pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil into each pan you are using and add the dried and fresh herbs. I usually have basil growing and will use that fresh, then add dried thyme and oregano. This used be a step after the tomatoes, but I found adding the seasonings to the bottom of the pan meant less was wasted on the skins we pull after roasting.
Step 3: Add seasonings & red pepper flakes. Again, adding the salt and pepper at this stage helps more stay in the sauce. Adding the red pepper flakes is optional, of course, depending on your spice level, but it’s a must for us and one of the additions I’ve made to this sauce over the years that we enjoy.
Step 4: Prep and add tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the cores (when using tomatoes with more juice, like heirlooms, give a little squeeze to the tomato after cutting it in half and discard the seeds and juice). Place each tomato cut side down into some of the oil and slide it to the edge of the pan. Repeat with all the tomatoes until the pans are full with a single layer of tomatoes and the oil has been distributed evenly.
Step 5: Add vegetables & balsamic. Scatter chopped onions and the garlic over the tomatoes, tucking them into the crevices. Now, this is the part just between you and me – you can add other vegetables to the sauce and your spouse & kids won’t know they’re eating zucchini, peppers, carrots, or what ever. Actually, nobody does – and what they don’t know won’t hurt them, right? (The truth is – I wasn’t trying to be healthy when I started this, I was just trying to use up extra zucchini, ha!)
The ingredient I feel is the signature of this recipe? Balsamic vinegar. Adding 2-4 tablespoons to each pan really enhances the vegetables, and resulting sauce, when roasted.
TIP: Plum/paste tomatoes will yield a thick and meaty sauce, but this roasted sauce is usually thick anyway and I like the flavor of all my different tomatoes, especially heirlooms, so I use any ripe tomatoes I have. If I’ve got paste tomatoes ripe, I’ll try to do 1/2 paste and 1/2 slicing in each pan. If most of your tomatoes are slicing and you feel the sauce is too thin, you can add a small can of tomato paste and whir it in before freezing (or add it when heating and using).
Step 6: Roast. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 45-60 minutes, switching the pans halfway through (if you’re using more than one) from top rack to bottom. Most of the skins should be browned and wrinkled making it easy to pull them off with tongs. I don’t bother with the ones that won’t come off easy, just the ones that pull off like the one pictured – usually thicker-skinned paste tomatoes.
Step 7: Transfer vegetables. You have two choices here – you can transfer the roasted veggies to a large stock pot like shown above to be blended with a hand-held immersion blender OR Let the roasted vegetables cool for a few minutes and then use a large spoon to transfer the vegetables (and liquid) into a blender or food processor. Choose whatever way suits you (and your equipment) best.
Do you have to remove the skins? The skins can be left on before pureeing and if they bother you, you can push the sauce through a sieve to remove them. Or you can just eat them. I’m all about easy and I find a sieve takes out some things I want like herbs, so plucking most of the skins is the easiest way to go for me.
Step 8: Blend sauce until smooth. After trying all the ways to blend the sauce, I find a stick blender to be the easiest and fastest. Plus, you don’t have to deal with hot splatters of juice and sauce as you transfer the vegetables.
However, if you need to use a blender or processor, try to get even amounts of vegetables and liquid in each blender batch, otherwise you’ll end up with containers of really thick sauce and one container of super liquidy sauce.
Each 13×9 pan is usually enough for one blender, but since I typically make three pans at a time, I add the contents of the two smaller pans to the largest, mix it evenly and then remove 1/3 at a time to blend.
Step 9. Use immediately or pour into freezer containers. Leave an inch or two for expansion when freezing. Date and label each container so you will know what you’ve got when you’re looking for dinner in February.
The pans I use (a 15×10 and two 13x9s) usually yields about 3 to 4 quarts.
TIP: I use quart glass canning jars to freeze all our tomato sauce. I can add hot sauce to them without worry and then thaw them in the microwave or a pot of hot water more easily. What about breakage? Make sure to leave 2-inches for expansion (as shown above) – I haven’t had a problem with breaking while in the freezer, though I’ve lost a jar while defrosting.
Oh, and any sauce that doesn’t fit in the quart jars? That’s my bonus which I usually eat right away like soup!
How to Use Freezer Roasted Tomato Sauce
Some of my favorite recipes to use this sauce include:
- Simple Baked Pasta with Cheese
- Easy Chicken Spinach Calzone – Ready in an Hour (sauce over the top)
- One Pot Italian Pasta with Sausage & Spinach
- Savory Tomato Seafood Stew
- As a soup on it’s own! Add a bit of chicken broth or tomato juice (or even cream if you like that) and you’ve got soup in about 10 minutes of heating up time.
If you’re like our family, you are going to be SO happy to have taken the time to make this roasted tomato sauce when you’re eating it long after the harvest has passed – and one that’s convenient, tasty, and healthy.
FAQs
I haven’t made this with frozen tomatoes, but you probably could! I’d let the tomatoes thaw about halfway to have some juice to pour off – but you do want some of it. Then I’d roast the other veggies first until tender and add the frozen tomatoes (with or without skins) for another 10-20 minutes or so. Whir it all up -I think it would be great!
No, this is not safe for canning (neither water-bath or pressure) with all the onions, garlic, and other low acid vegetables – most of which are not measured, just thrown in. The little bit of balsamic does not make it safe, nor would citric acid – there’s just too many other ingredients. And the joy of this recipe is that you can just throw things in. If you want a SAFE roasted tomato sauce, use this one that’s been tested and approved for roasting.
I know many people who use freezer baggies instead to maximize room in the freezer. I find it easier to use glass because I don’t have to wait for the sauce to cool down first and it’s easier to defrost. Do what works for you.
To thaw, you can leave containers in the fridge overnight, use a microwave if you used glass jars or place jars or baggies in a bowl of warm water until it’s thawed enough to get out of the bag.
That’s before coring and seeding.
You can pour it immediately into glass jars after blending and let the jars sit uncovered for 20-30 minutes, to cool a bit more before freezing. If you are using anything plastic to freeze the sauce, I would let the sauce cool to room temperature BEFORE adding it to the plastic, both for the integrity of the plastic and the fact that hot temps cause particle to leach from the plastic into food.
Reader Raves
“OH MY GOODNESS! I can’t believe how good this recipe is. I made a batch this afternoon with a mixture of Roma, San Marzano, and other heirloom tomatoes from our garden. It is DELICIOUS!” -Kimberly
“This roasted sauce is just about the best thing I’ve ever made/learned from the internet. If my garden doesn’t produce enough tomatoes (we live on the ocean, Oregon coast central) I will travel inland to buy boxes of tomatoes. It is delish!! Thank you.” -Carolynn
“This is wonderful! Have made several freezer batches. I’ve had a bumper crop of peppers this summer. This has been a tasty, quick and easy way to use my garden produce. Thank you!” -Amy
“I made this today and am so excited about it – delicious! I used San Marzano tomatoes from our garden and added zucchini, carrots, sweet peppers, and celery. So yummy, my kids wanted to eat it straight.” -Julia
“Just finished processing my roasted tomato sauce…WOW…it is so very good, simple, easy and tastes so much better than any of the stuff you buy in the store.” -Mrs. Kim
More Easy Recipes Like This
- Balsamic Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce (Freezer Friendly)
- Water-Bath Safe Canned Roasted Tomato Sauce
- Canning Diced Tomatoes – Easy Fire Roasted Water Bath Method
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The BEST Easy Roasted Tomato Sauce Recipe – Fresh or Freeze
Equipment
- large roasting pan (with sides)
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- 6-qt. stock pot
- hand-held immersion blender OR blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 pounds tomatoes, cored and cut in half* (pounds are approximate – fill your roasting pan in one layer with tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon each dried herbs of choice: thyme oregano, basil OR 1+ tablespoon fresh chopped herbs chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped
- Any other vegetables on hand: zucchini peppers, carrots, celery (optional)
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Spread olive oil over bottom of roasting pan. Sprinkle any dried and/or fresh herbs over the bottom of the pan, then add the salt and pepper, and finish with the red pepper flakes, if using.
- Place tomatoes cut side down in a single layer in pan on top of the seasonings until pan is full. Then add onions, garlic, and any other vegetables, nestling them around the tomatoes, keeping the single layer. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar.
- Roast for 45-60 minutes or until vegetables are soft and tomato skins are puffed and most are browning/blackening. TIP: if roasting more than one pan, switch all the pans around at the halfway mark.
- Remove from oven and pluck the tomato skins off with tongs (if desired) – most should remove easily.
- If using a hand-held/immersion blender: Tip the pans, one at a time, into a large, 6-quart stock pot, scraping all the vegetables and juices into the pot. Use the stick blender to whir the vegetables into a smooth sauce.
- If using a blender or food processor: Let vegetables cool about 30 minutes and then evenly spoon vegetables and liquid into a blender or food processor. Process briefly for a chunky sauce, or more for a smooth sauce. Repeat until all your vegetables are blended.
- Use right away, or freeze for later by pouring into quart-size jars, freezer containers or baggies (when cooler), label and freeze for up to a year.
Notes
Nutrition
Note: This recipe was originally published in 2009 and has been updated in 2017 and 2023.
I have a ton of inside ripening tomatoes–quite a mix. We’re in upstate NY, so when it started freezing, I picked ’em all! Going to try your chutney and this sauce. One question when you say 6 lbs of the tomatoes, is that before coring or after coring and seeding? I assume it’s before, but it was written in such a way, that I questioned it. Will let you know how they turn out! Thanks, Jami!
Weigh them before doing anything with them, Lisa – sorry that wasn’t clear!
I saw your response that you don’t can this sauce because of concern for acidity levels, but could you pressure can it safely?
No, I wouldn’t, Katie – pressure canning doesn’t make everything can-able, it’s still recommended that you use tested recipes. That said, I know lots of people who do pressure can without recipes, I just can’t recommend it (and I don’t do it). Sorry!
Just made it today it took about three hours of total time. Starting with picking the tomatoes and all the other items in the garden. It tasted good look forward to dinner tonight.
Hope you enjoyed it, Brad!
seen this recipe the other day and it sounded pretty good,i gathered the tomatoes and they are roasting in the oven ,my house smells like an Italian restaurant…YUM and you are right when winter is in full swing this is going to make an awesome dinner
just finished processing my roasted tomatoe sauce…WOW…it is so very good,simple easy and taste so much better than any of the stuff you buy in the stose I wound up getting 2 quarts of this wonderful goodness,thank you so much for sharing this recipe,i stumble across your blog and everything I have read here has been so very helpful,i have for the 1st time started raising chickens and read everything I can,i see you have pics of chickens but have not found anything about them…yet,thanks again and keep the wealth of information coming
So happy you like the sauce, Kim – hope you enjoy it as much as we do through the winter. 🙂 And the chickens? I wanted them for years and thought we’d get them, but our ‘window’ has passed and we’re looking at moving in the next few years, so we’ve decided against chicken. 🙁 Have fun with yours!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. This sauce is holy cow fabulous!!! I’ve put up 4 quarts so far and plan to make lots more so we don’t run out. I made it chunkier using the food grinder attachment on my Kitchen aid mixer. And that wonderful flavored leftover “juice” is getting frozen in ice cube trays to add to salad dressing, meat dishes, veggies, etc. Thank you Jami and keep the good stuff coming!! 🙂
Heading back to this recipe for a second time (in a short time span). Love this! I, too, now freeze using jars. I actually reuse jars from peanut butter and pasta sauce (and whatever else). Gone are the days that I throw them in the recycle bin.
It smells so amazing too! Thank you for this recipe. So easy and perfect for one or two trays of tomatoes.
A friend shared this recipe with me 3 years ago and it’s now an annual tradition in our home. Both of my kids (10 and 8) helped chop vegetables today and we made our batches of roasted marinara. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It’s a great way to use extra veggies from our CSA box and the flavor is outstanding 😉
I love this recipe! Just made some more today and reviewed it on my blog!
Wow – awesome! Thanks, Karen. 🙂
Roasted my first two pans this morning. Love it. It is simplicity itself and delicious. The next two pans I’m going to just chop and freeze, so when the mood strikes I can have “lumpy” sauce. So glad I found your web page. Also freezing my green beans without blanching them. I love easy!
Woot!! I could eat that tomato sauce with a spoon – actually, I do, I just call it tomato soup, then, ha!
Hi: I was just start making my tomatoe sauce, too many to peel and can. So I decide to go on line and I am so lucky to find this fantastic way to make sauce. I also grow basil so it is perfect!
Thanks so much. Storing the sauce in
And I think you’ll love the flavor as well as the ease, Susana! 🙂
I do this too, but freeze it flat in baggies (lay them flat on a cookie sheet until frozen) for easier storage in the freezer – and it defrosts quicker when the surface area is smaller.
Isn’t it amazing how good something so simple can be? I’m happy to eat it weekly if we needed to. 🙂 So cool hearing that FNW linked to me- love their site- thanks for the heads up!
I just found your website today. Frugal Living NW posted about it. I made this today. SO good! Thanks for the recipe and I’m excited to explore everything on here!
This looks fantastic. It’s Spring here and I’ve just potted up about 30 heirloom tomato plants and I was dreading the Summer processing experience. In Australia we don’t can… everyone freezes things instead, so this recipe is perfect. I also like how it uses up all the other things I’m planting too.
Thanks so much!
Frogdancer- I hope you like it- it really does make the daunting task of processing go a bit easier!
Anonymous- You’re supposed to, I think, for efficient freezing…but I usually just let it cool a bit and put it in hot still. I guess I’m a rebel that way. 😉
Do you let the sauce completely cool to room temp before putting in the freezer? Thanks :o)
That looks delicious! I love to be sneaky with the veggies. I usually puree frozen spinach and add it to our spaghetti sauce.
Hi,Jenelle-
I don’t can this because I like to throw in whatever I have from the garden, with no thought to acid/low-acid ratios that are needed for canned foods. I also make this to use up the imperfect tomatoes (a little bottom rot, hole in them, deep scratches) that shouldn’t be used for canning.
I’m pretty careful with canning and only use recipes from sources that I know are safe (in accordance with the USDA). I have a couple of recipes for sauce that I use when I want to can, mostly the tomato sauce recipe from the Ball Blue Book.
Thanks for asking!
Jami,
I just read you canning instructions and wondered if you ever canned this sauce?
Jenelle