This roasted tomato pasta sauce combines fresh tomatoes, roasted garlic, carrot and basil for a flavorful homemade sauce without hours of simmering on the stove.
Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
This roasted tomato pasta sauce is a simple way to turn fresh tomatoes into a homemade sauce without standing over the stove. I roast the tomatoes with a whole head of garlic and a carrot. The garlic becomes soft and mellow, while the carrot adds a little natural sweetness to the sauce, which helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Everything is then blended with fresh basil and olive oil until smooth.
It's a simple sauce, but roasting gives the tomatoes a deeper flavor than you'd get from simply cooking them on the stove. I like it tossed with pasta, but it also works anywhere you'd use tomato sauce.
Why Roast the Tomatoes?
Roasting concentrates the flavor of the tomatoes as they soften and caramelize around the edges. It's an alternative to the long simmering time used in many traditional tomato sauces, where the tomatoes cook on the stove for an hour or more to develop their flavor.
The tomatoes, garlic and carrot can all roast together on one pan, so once they're in the oven, there's nothing else you need to do until they're ready to blend.
Ingredients
Tomatoes
I use ripe Roma tomatoes because their meaty texture and lower moisture content make them well suited to sauce. Other ripe tomatoes work too, including vine-ripened tomatoes or a mixture of varieties. Cherry or grape tomatoes can also be used.
Garlic
A whole head of garlic is roasted with the tomatoes. The cloves become soft and mellow and blend easily into the finished sauce.
Carrot
The carrot adds natural sweetness and body to the sauce and helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. It doesn't make the sauce taste like carrot, but it rounds out the flavor without adding sugar or cream.
Extra-virgin olive oil
Olive oil helps the vegetables roast and gives the blended sauce a smooth texture.
Dried herbs
I use dried Italian herbs with the tomatoes before roasting. You can also use oregano or thyme, depending on the flavor you want.
Fresh basil
Fresh basil is added when the roasted vegetables are blended. Adding it at the end keeps its flavor fresh.
Pasta
Spaghetti, penne and rigatoni all work well with this sauce. I like a chickpea or legume based pasta but you can use your favorite kind.
How to Make Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
1. Roast the tomatoes, garlic and carrot
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange the halved tomatoes cut-side up on the baking sheet. Add the garlic head and chopped carrot. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and dried herbs.
Roast for 30–35 minutes, until the tomatoes have collapsed and are beginning to brown around the edges, the carrot is tender and the garlic is soft.
2. Peel the tomatoes and garlic
Let the vegetables cool slightly. Peel the tomato skins and squeeze the roasted garlic from its papery skin.
You can leave the tomato skins on, but removing them gives the sauce a smoother texture.
Keep any juices from the baking sheet to add to the sauce.
3. Blend the sauce
Add the roasted tomatoes and their juices, carrot, garlic, fresh basil and olive oil to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
Reserve some of the pasta cooking water before draining.
5. Toss the pasta with the sauce
Warm the sauce gently in a large pan. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat.
Add a little reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Serve with fresh basil, grated cheese or a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Tips for Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Use Roma tomatoes. Their lower moisture content make them well suited to sauce.
- Don't skip the carrot. It balances the acidity of the tomatoes without sugar.
- For a smooth sauce, peel the tomatoes. The skins loosen during roasting and are easy to remove once the tomatoes have cooled slightly.
- Customize the herbs. Use basil, oregano or thyme, or add a pinch of chili flakes for some heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave the tomato skins on?
Yes. Removing them gives the sauce a smoother texture, but they can be left on if you prefer a more rustic sauce. A high-powered blender will break them down well.
Can I add onion?
Yes. Roast ¼ of a yellow onion, sliced, along with the tomatoes, garlic and carrot. Blend it into the sauce after roasting.
Can I use fresh herbs instead of dried herbs?
Yes. The dried herbs are roasted with the vegetables, while fresh basil is added during blending. Fresh oregano or thyme can also be added with the basil.
How long does the sauce keep?
The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months.
Can I freeze roasted tomato pasta sauce?
Yes. Let the sauce cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Freezing it in individual portions makes it easier to thaw only what you need.
Serving Suggestions
This sauce can be used anywhere you'd use tomato sauce. Toss it with pasta, use it in baked pasta or lasagna, spread it over pizza or flatbread, or spoon it over roasted vegetables.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of ways to make tomato sauce, but I like this one because roasting the tomatoes gives you a flavorful homemade sauce without the long simmering time of a traditional recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
More Pasta Recipes:
Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
Make the best roasted tomato pasta sauce with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Naturally sweet and full of rich, roasted flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds/907g ripe Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1 head of garlic, unpeeled, top sliced off
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp dried Italian herbs (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 8 ounces/226g pasta of choice (gluten-free or traditional)
- Reserved pasta cooking water (as needed)
- Optional garnish: cheese (vegan if desired), fresh herbs, or a drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare vegetables: Arrange halved tomatoes cut-side up on the sheet. Add whole garlic head and chopped carrot. Drizzle with 1 ½ Tablespoons of the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, and dried herbs if using.
- Roast for 30–35 minutes, or until tomatoes are caramelized, garlic is soft, and carrot is fork-tender.
- Cool slightly. Remove tomato skins and squeeze garlic out of its skins.
- Blend: Combine roasted tomatoes (and any juices), carrot, garlic, and basil in a blender or food processor. Add remaining ½ Tablespoon olive oil and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Reheat sauce in a large sauté pan or pot over low heat until warmed through.
- Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water before draining.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add cooked pasta to the sauce in the pan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil, cheese, or a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Notes
🔄 Variation: Add Onion
For a slightly sweeter, more traditional marinara-style
base, add: ¼ small yellow onion, sliced or chopped
Add the onion to the roasting pan along with the tomatoes, garlic, and carrot. Roast as directed and blend into the sauce with the other ingredients. It brings a subtle richness without overpowering the roasted tomato flavor.
💡 Tips
Use Roma tomatoes for a thicker, more flavorful sauce.
Remove tomato skins after roasting for a smoother texture.
Roasted carrot adds natural sweetness and balances acidity without sugar.
Double the batch and freeze leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Dietary Notes:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 417Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 609mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 8gSugar: 13gProtein: 12g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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