Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
Sweet, jammy, and rich, this roasted cherry tomato sauce gets its deep flavor from the oven first, then the pot. It simmers into a silky sauce for pasta, crostini, or spooning anywhere.
Equipment
- Lodge dutch oven
- Immersion Blender
- pint-size canning jars
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
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the garlic, stir to combine, and continue cooking for another few minutes until the garlic is golden.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pour the sauce into pint-size canning jars or other air-tight containers.
- Will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer. Enjoy!!
Notes
Pan juices: Always save and include the caramelized pan juices, as they contain concentrated sweetness, roasted flavor, and natural pectin that helps thicken the sauce.
Storage: Store the fully cooled sauce in airtight containers or pint-size jars in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freezing: The sauce freezes well for up to 3 months. When using jars, use wide-mouth jars and leave at least 2 inches of headspace for expansion to prevent glass breakage, and set containers upright until fully frozen.
Texture tip: For a silky finish, use a standard blender after a brief cooling period. For easy cleanup, use an immersion blender directly in the pot. For a rustic finish, mash the sauce with a potato masher.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.