Slow-Roasted Tomato Sauce
In short: Tomatoes roasted slowly with onion and whole garlic until sweet and jammy, then blended into a rich, smooth sauce for pasta, pizza and more. It takes about 1 h 40 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h 25 min
- Total
- 1 h 40 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 135 kcal
Tomatoes roasted slowly lose their excess water and concentrate their sugars, so the sauce tastes deep and sweet without hours at the stove. Onion and whole garlic roast alongside, then everything is blended, with no peeling or stirring needed. It is a good way to use a glut of garden tomatoes or a tray of ripe supermarket ones. Use it for pasta, pizza, baked eggs, meatballs or soup, and freeze what you do not need.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Arrange the tomatoes cut side up in a large roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Tuck the onion wedges and unpeeled garlic cloves between the tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the salt, sugar, oregano and pepper.
- Roast for 75 to 90 minutes, until the tomatoes are collapsed, jammy and browned at the edges, and the garlic is soft.
- Let the pan cool for 10 minutes. Squeeze the garlic from its skins and discard the skins. Scrape everything, including the oil and browned bits, into a blender.
- Blend until smooth for a pasta sauce, or pulse a few times for a rustic, chunky one. Add the basil and blend briefly.
- Taste and adjust with salt, a pinch of sugar or a splash of vinegar. Serve warm, or cool and store in jars or containers.
Tips
- Out-of-season tomatoes taste flat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the pan and roast it with the vegetables to deepen the flavor.
- Pass the blended sauce through a sieve for a silky texture, or leave the skins in for a more rustic sauce with extra fiber.
Questions and answers
How long does roasted tomato sauce keep?
It keeps for 5 days in the fridge in a covered container and up to 6 months in the freezer. Leave a little space at the top of the container for expansion.
Do I need to peel the tomatoes first?
No. The skins soften in the oven and blend in. For a very smooth sauce, pass it through a sieve or a food mill.
Can I use canned tomatoes for roasted tomato sauce?
Fresh tomatoes give the best roasted flavor, but you can roast two drained 800 g (28 oz) cans of whole tomatoes for about 45 minutes with the onion and garlic. The sauce will taste a little less sweet.
How long does it take to make Slow-Roasted Tomato Sauce?
About 1 h 40 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 1 h 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Slow-Roasted Tomato Sauce?
About 135 kcal per serving, with 2 g of protein, 11 g of carbohydrates and 10 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 135 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 11 g |
| Fat | 10 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 310 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
