Description
This Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce is a vibrant, flavorful blend of oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, sweet red bell pepper, and roasted garlic, perfectly balanced with balsamic vinegar and a touch of sugar. It’s a versatile sauce that adds depth to pasta, pizzas, sandwiches, and more. Easy to prepare and full of rich, natural sweetness enhanced by roasting, it can be made ahead and stored for up to five days in the fridge or frozen for extended use.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables
- 6 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into segments
- 4-6 cloves of garlic (with skins on)
Seasonings and Condiments
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil (approximately 3 tablespoons, divided)
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) to prepare for roasting the vegetables.
- Combine tomatoes and seasonings: In a large bowl, mix the cherry tomatoes with sugar, balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Prepare for roasting: Pour the tomato mixture onto a baking sheet or casserole dish. Nestle in the red bell pepper segments and roughly chopped onions. Place the whole garlic cloves, skins on, in the middle of the pan. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
- Roast the vegetables: Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast at 400°F for about 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and begin to caramelize.
- Cool and blend the sauce: Remove from the oven and let the mixture cool slightly. Remove the garlic cloves from their skins, squeezing the softened garlic pulp into a blender along with the rest of the roasted vegetables. Blend until smooth to create a rich, velvety sauce.
- Store or serve: Transfer the sauce into jars with lids. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to six months. Use it to enhance pastas, pizzas, or any dish that needs a flavorful tomato boost.
Notes
- The garlic is roasted with skins on to soften it and mellow the flavor; be sure to squeeze out the pulp before blending.
- If you prefer a chunkier texture, pulse the blender fewer times.
- Adjust the seasoning at the end if necessary, adding more salt, pepper, or sugar to balance acidity and sweetness.
- This sauce freezes well; portion it into ice cube trays for convenient use in small amounts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
