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Best Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce (Easy Homemade Recipe)

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This oven-roasted tomato sauce is made with simple pantry ingredients and minimal hands-on time. The oven does the work, concentrating the tomatoes’ natural sweetness and creating a deep, complex flavor that tastes like you simmered it for hours.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds (about 900g) Roma tomatoes
  • 1 whole head garlic, plus 3 extra cloves
  • ¼ cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper if desired.
  2. Cut the Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. If very large, cut into quarters. Optionally, scoop out seeds and jelly-like centers for a thicker sauce.
  3. Cut about ¼ inch off the top of the head of garlic to expose the cloves, leaving the skin on.
  4. Place tomato halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Add the chopped onion and whole head of garlic (cut-side up). Scatter fresh basil and dried oregano over everything. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently with hands to coat, then spread into a single layer with tomatoes cut-side up.
  5. Roast for 45-55 minutes until tomatoes are soft, wrinkled, and caramelized around the edges, and garlic is golden and soft.
  6. Let cool for about 5 minutes on the pan.
  7. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a small bowl.
  8. Transfer roasted tomatoes, onions, basil, and all pan juices to a food processor or blender. Add roasted garlic cloves and 3 raw minced garlic cloves. Pulse a few times, then blend until smooth (or leave chunky if preferred).
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar if needed.
  10. Use immediately or let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

Don’t crowd the pan—use two baking sheets if needed. Roast at 400°F for best caramelization. Don’t skip the fresh garlic at the end for brightness. Scrape all pan juices into the blender for maximum flavor. When blending hot ingredients, remove center cap from blender lid and cover with a towel to let steam escape. This sauce freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: oven-roasted tomato sauce, homemade tomato sauce, easy tomato sauce, roasted garlic tomato sauce, fresh tomato sauce, vegan tomato sauce, gluten-free tomato sauce

Find it online: https://lindabake.com/best-oven-roasted-tomato-sauce-easy-homemade-recipe/