This roasted cherry tomato sauce is a bright and robust sauce made with garden tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a touch of red pepper.

You’ll love this fresh-tasting sauce over cheese-filled pasta or roasted vegetables any day of the week!

roasted tomato sauce in a white bowl with a hand holding a ladle full

Name a better way to savor the flavors of summer than eating the best of summer’s bounty: juicy, ripe, gorgeous cherry tomatoes. They beg to be eaten from the garden, warmed by the sun, bursting with liquid sunshine and poetry-inducing goodness.

The variety of summer tomatoes drives the flavor and color of fresh sauces, so this recipe is not your long-simmered traditional tomato sauce.

I have often found standard tomato sauces too acidic or overly robust for my taste. I want a sauce that highlights the fresh flavor of the tomatoes, with balanced acidity and unique character.

While most folks have enjoyed tomato sauce from a young age, my affinity for it is more recent. Working at a farm in Boulder, CO, last summer, one of the perks of my job was having a surplus of amazing organic produce.

Come late July, we are inundated with several varieties of tomatoes, and the sun orange cherry tomatoes were my favorite. It felt only right to honor this bounty with a killer cherry tomato sauce.

We add some red bell pepper to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and add depth to the sauce. Sugar is the yin to acid’s yang and has the special ability to mellow out the acid in food, so I chose to integrate sweet onion and red bell pepper due to its citrusy notes and sweetness.

Ingredients for tomato sauce, including cherry tomatoes, red pepper, herbs, onion, garlic and chicken stock

What kind of tomatoes can I use?

Any tomato will work for this sauce recipe. I started with sun orange cherry tomatoes, which have a gorgeous sweet and savory profile, and give the sauce a brighter, orange hue. But I have also used big juicy heirlooms, Romas, and Campari tomatoes with equally delicious results.

Fresh tomatoes vary in water content, so drier tomatoes like Roma may require more chicken stock than juicier heirloom cherry tomatoes. The most important aspect is that they are flavorful and ripe—the rest can be adjusted as needed.

Thankfully, you don’t have to work on a farm to have fresh garden cherry tomatoes. They are easy to grow as container plants and need fewer days to mature than regular tomatoes. Trust me; there’s nothing better than growing your own if you can.

Fresh tomato sauce recipe step by step collage

Three Simple Steps

Roast everything—the tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic. If tomatoes are the heart and soul of this recipe, the garlic, onion, and herbs are the savory, aromatic backbone.
Simmer the chunky roasted vegetables and fresh herbs in chicken stock. Chicken stock (or vegetable stock) adds more flavor, richness, and salinity. The herbs can be fresh or dried, but I recommend fresh for the best results. Oregano is a perennial, and basil pops off in the summer heat, so I always have those on hand to throw into… well, everything.
Blend and serve. We finish by blending it right before serving, so every bite is consistently delicious.

Do I have to roast everything?

I recommend you do. Roasting the tomatoes alongside red bell pepper and garlic caramelizes the sugars in the produce and brings out their natural sweetness, which balances the acidity. You can cook everything up in a skillet if you have a time crunch, but the extra step is well worth it and adds depth of flavor.

roasted vegetable on a rimmed baking sheet

Can I make this ahead of time?

Indeed you can; I like to make a big batch and have it around for a few days (because it only lasts that long, I can’t resist). It is meant to be enjoyed at its freshest point by design.

Can I freeze cherry tomato sauce?

All tomato sauces freeze well, making weeknight dinners quick and easy.

To freeze the sauce, place it in a zip-type freezer bag and do your best to let all of the air out. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months for best results. Defrost and reheat in a saucepan.

Fresh roasted tomato sauce served over cheese ravioli

What can I use this tomato sauce with?

Pasta and meatballs are always a winner
Layer into lasagna
Serve as a dip with sourdough bread
Spread over grilled chicken
Use as a base for tomato soup
Thicken with tomato paste to make pizza sauce
Spoon over stuffed peppers or roasted vegetables

Recipe Tips and Variations

Select ripe, flavorful tomatoes for the best results. If cherry tomatoes are unavailable, on-the-vine Campari tomatoes are the next best choice.
To thicken the sauce, add tomato paste while blending. To thin, add more stock.
To balance the flavor of more acidic tomatoes, add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut palm sugar
If the sauce tastes flat, add more salt.
Make ahead and freeze for up to 3 months (for best results).
What if I don’t have/want a bell pepper? Red, orange, or yellow will do the trick and add an unmatched flavor depth. However, if you can’t jive with bell pepper, I suggest our fresh homemade marinara recipe—it’s the best anywhere.
Make it vegan: Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

fresh roasted tomato sauce in a white bowl with a ladle

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Article by Kayla Purcell

Kayla’s creativity spills over into everything she does, especially in the kitchen. She is passionate about bringing people together around tasty food that’s good for you. We love that too.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce