The Best Roasted Pasta Sauce From Scratch

This homemade roasted pasta sauce is rich, flavorful, and made with garden-fresh Roma tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs. Perfect for pasta night, freezer-friendly, and even suitable for rebel canning.

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There’s just something magical about making pasta sauce from scratch with fresh garden tomatoes. This homemade roasted pasta sauce recipe is one of my family’s favorites, and I love that it only uses simple ingredients, Roma tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil. Roasting the tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness and gives the sauce a rich, deep flavor that you just can’t get from a jar at the store.

If you’ve been wanting to learn how to make pasta sauce from scratch, this is the perfect recipe to start with. It’s easy, beginner-friendly, and you don’t need any fancy equipment, just your oven and an immersion blender or food processor.

Why I Love This Roasted Pasta Sauce

• Rich flavor – roasting the tomatoes concentrates their sweetness and creates a deep, hearty sauce.
• Simple ingredients – no preservatives or hidden ingredients, just wholesome, real food.
• Freezer-friendly – make a big batch and freeze for quick weeknight dinners.
• Versatile – serve it over spaghetti, layer it into lasagna, or use as a pizza sauce base.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 4 pounds Roma tomatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

How to Make the Best Homemade Roasted Pasta Sauce

1. Prepare the vegetables

Wash and core the Roma tomatoes, then cut them in half lengthwise. Peel and roughly chop the onion, and peel the garlic cloves.

2. Roast the tomatoes and aromatics

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a large baking sheet or roasting pan.

Roast for 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft, the onions are tender, and everything is lightly caramelized.

3. Blend the sauce

Allow the roasted vegetables to cool slightly, then transfer to a large stockpot. Blend until smooth for a silky pasta sauce. Add the salt, basil, oregano, pepper, and olive oil. Stir until thoroughly combined.

4. Simmer (optional)

For a thicker, richer sauce, pour the blended mixture into a pot and let it simmer on low for 15–20 minutes. This step also helps the flavors meld together.

5. Serve or store

Use immediately over your favorite pasta, or let the sauce cool completely before storing. This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 5–7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How to Can Roasted Pasta Sauce

Now, if you’d like to preserve this sauce for later, you can water bath can it. I want to be clear up front, this is considered a rebel canning recipe because it hasn’t been officially tested or approved by the USDA. That means you’ll need to use your own discretion and comfort level before canning. Many homesteaders (myself included) choose to preserve roasted pasta sauce this way without issue, but I always recommend doing what feels safest for you and your family. For more information, you can refer to the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

1. Prepare your jars – Wash pint or quart jars in hot, soapy water, then keep them warm until ready to fill. Place new canning lids in a small pan of hot (not boiling) water.
2. Heat the sauce – After blending, pour your sauce into a stockpot and bring it to a gentle simmer. Hot sauce is important when hot-packing jars.
3. Fill the jars – Ladle the hot sauce into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch headspace at the top. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth, then apply lids and bands fingertip tight.
4. Process in a water bath – Place jars into a boiling water canner, making sure they are fully covered by at least 1–2 inches of water. Process for 45 minutes (pints and quarts both).
5. Cool and store – Once the time is up, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes. Carefully remove them and let cool for 12–24 hours. Check that the lids have sealed before storing.

Your sauce will keep for up to a year in a cool, dark pantry. If a jar doesn’t seal, just pop it in the fridge and use within a week.

Tips for the Best Roasted Pasta Sauce

• Use Roma tomatoes – they’re meaty and less watery, which makes a thicker sauce.
• Don’t skip roasting – it’s the secret to that sweet, smoky, roasted flavor.
• Add fresh herbs if you have them – while dried basil and oregano are classic, fresh herbs will make the sauce even more fragrant.
• Double the recipe – trust me, you’ll want extra for freezing or canning!

How to Store & Freeze

• Refrigerator: Store cooled sauce in a glass jar or airtight container for up to a week.
• Freezer: Pour into freezer-safe jars or bags, leaving room for expansion. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

FAQs

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Homemade Roasted Tomato Soup – cozy, creamy, and perfect for fall evenings.
• Fall Apart Dutch Oven Chicken – a hearty one-pot meal that pairs beautifully with this sauce.
• Fresh Garden Salsa – the perfect way to use up more of those summer tomatoes.
• Canning Sloppy Joe Starter – another easy make-ahead recipe for quick weeknight dinners.

There’s nothing quite like a bowl of pasta made with homemade roasted pasta sauce. With just a handful of ingredients and a little roasting time, you’ll have a rich, flavorful sauce that beats anything from the store. Make a batch today and taste the difference homemade makes—you may never go back to jarred sauce again!

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