Roasted Cherry-Tomato Sauce Recipe (With Step-by-Steps)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Servings:

8

Yield:

2 cups

Our recipe for roasted cherry tomato sauce is packed with flavor. Cooked low and slow in the oven, the tomatoes become irresistibly jammy and get a sweet-tangy boost from balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Garlic and fresh thyme lend savory and herby notes. To make it, combine the tomatoes and garlic in a baking dish, then stir together the remaining ingredients and drizzle them over top—that's it! The mixture will bake until the tomatoes are softened and caramelized, then it’s time to put it to use. Serve our roasted cherry tomato sauce with pasta, on toast, with scrambled eggs, or alongside creamy burrata or mozzarella.

Key Ingredients for Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

This easy-to-make sauce doesn't need any stove time, all the cooking takes place in the oven. These are the main ingredients:

Cherry tomatoes: Since cherry tomatoes are available year round, you can make this sauce even when tomatoes aren't in season. If you can't find cherry tomatoes, you can swap in grape tomatoes instead.

Garlic: A few smashed garlic cloves lend a dose of savory flavor to this sauce. Leaving them whole allows them to soften and sweeten in the sauce without overcooking. You can remove them before storing, if desired, or leave them in for even more garlicky flavor.

Brown sugar: Adding a touch of brown sugar enhances the tomatoes' natural sweetness. We like the mild taste of light brown sugar in this recipe, but you can swap in dark brown sugar or even granulated sugar if that's what you have on hand.

Balsamic vinegar: We add a splash of tangy balsamic vinegar to balance out some of the sweetness while heightening the flavor of the sauce.

Thyme: Earthy thyme adds a welcome herbal note to this savory sauce, but you can also swap in basil, oregano, or marjoram instead.

Storing Cherry Tomatoes

Once you've brought cherry tomatoes home from the store, leave them on the counter at room temperature where they'll remain in the best condition. If they're very ripe or your kitchen is very warm, you can move them to the refrigerator, but you'll want to let them come to room temperature before serving.

Make Ahead

This sauce can be made up to five days before you plan to serve it; store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Directions

Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce ingredients — Credit:
Brie Goldman

Preheat oven; combine tomatoes and garlic:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix together tomatoes and garlic in a nonreactive 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Credit:
Brie Goldman
Whisk remaining ingredients:

Whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl.

Credit:
Brie Goldman
Add to tomatoes:

Drizzle over tomato mixture.

Credit:
Brie Goldman
Bake and serve:

Bake until tomatoes are softened and caramelized, about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Credit:
Brie Goldman

Storing and Reheating

Let sauce cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Reheat sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot throughout; you can also serve it at room temperature.

How to Serve

While it's a delicious partner for pasta, this roasted cherry tomato sauce has many other uses. A few of our favorite ways for eating it include:

Spooned onto toasted baguette with shaved Parmesan cheese for a spin on bruschetta
Served warm or room temperature alongside fresh mozzarella or burrata cheese
Spooned onto soft scrambled eggs or as the filling for a savory omelet
As a savory base for poached eggs (don't forget the crusty bread!)
Blended the sauce until smooth and spike it with cream for a twist on tomato soup