This roasted cherry tomato sauce is super easy to make and packed with flavor. The cherry tomatoes are roasted with olive oil, onions, garlic, and thyme until their flavor condenses and they’re beautifully sweet. You can either serve them whole or blend them into a delicious roasted cherry tomato pasta sauce.
Roasted cherry tomato sauce is one of those simple recipes that feels special every time you make it. While you can absolutely make this sauce year-round, it really shines in spring when you start craving brighter, fresher flavors. Roasting the cherry tomatoes concentrates their natural sweetness and deepens their flavor, giving the sauce incredible body with very little effort.
The result is a sauce that’s rich and silky but still light and fresh—much lighter than a wintery bolognese. It’s absolutely perfect spooned over pasta, where it clings to every noodle, but it’s just as good with gnocchi, grilled chicken, or a hunk of crusty garlic bread for scooping.
Can I use frozen cherry tomatoes? Yes! You’ll always find a reusable Stasher freezer bag of cherry tomatoes in the freezer here. If the cherry tomatoes on our counter start to look a little wrinkled, they go into the freezer bag. Once it’s full, we turn it into this roasted cherry tomato sauce. Since you roast them from frozen, you’ll need to add an extra 15 minutes to the cooking time.
How long does roasted cherry tomato sauce last? This sauce will keep well in your fridge for at least 5 days. Make a big batch and use it for meal prep all week!
Can I freeze this sauce? You sure can! Cool it completely, then store it in freezer bags – we love reusable Stasher freezer bags for this, too.
Ideas for using this sauce
- Baked fish – either pour it over cooked fish or poach the fish in the sauce.
- Baked chicken – the same thing, pour it over or cook the chicken in the sauce.
- Pasta – pick your favorite shape and smother it with this sauce.
- Sandwich – spread it on like mayo.
- Dip – for veggies or tortilla chips.
- Pizza – makes a great pizza sauce or a dip for the crust.
Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- ▢ 6 cups cherry tomatoes (see notes)
- ▢ 1 medium onion (sliced)
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic (smashed with the side of your knife)
- ▢ 6 sprigs thyme (sub 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a large baking dish and mix everything around. Cover the dish with foil and roast in your oven for 1 hour. 6 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 6 sprigs thyme, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Uncover the baking dish and continue to roast for another 15-30 minutes (see notes.)
- Either serve as is or, for a creamy sauce, blend the sauce (removing the thyme sprigs first) in your blender.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups cherry tomatoes , see notes
- 1 medium onion , sliced
- 4 cloves garlic , smashed with the side of your knife
- 6 sprigs thyme , sub 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a large baking dish and mix everything around. Cover the dish with foil and roast in your oven for 1 hour. 6 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 6 sprigs thyme, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Uncover the baking dish and continue to roast for another 15-30 minutes (see notes.)
- Either serve as is or, for a creamy sauce, blend the sauce (removing the thyme sprigs first) in your blender.
