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–+ servings
Roasted pasta sauce in glass canning jars sitting on a tea towel.

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.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Simmering Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Yield: 3 pints

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds Roma tomatoes (cut in half)
  • 1 medium onion (quartered)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

How to Make Roasted Pasta Sauce

  • 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.
  • Roast the tomatoes and aromatics
    Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a large baking sheet.
    Roast for 1 hour, until the tomatoes are soft, the onions are tender, and everything is lightly caramelized.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.

Notes

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!