Artificial Food Coloring Free Roasted Tomato Sauce
Jarred tomato sauce is one of those pantry staples that quietly harbors synthetic dyes and artificial colorings you'd never expect in something that's just supposed to taste like tomatoes. This roasted version puts you fully in control, built entirely from whole vegetables, herbs, and olive oil — nothing hidden, nothing synthetic. Plum tomatoes go into a hot oven until their edges caramelize and char, coaxing out a deep, jammy sweetness that no store-bought sauce can replicate. Roasted onion wedges and slow-softened garlic cloves add body and savory richness, while fresh basil and a pinch of turmeric give the finished sauce a warm, complex finish. Everything gets blended together with the pan juices, so not a drop of that roasted flavor goes to waste. The result is a vibrant, glossy sauce that's genuinely better than anything in a jar — and you know exactly what went into it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 lbs plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ½ tsp turmeric
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange the tomato halves cut-side up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Scatter the onion wedges and unpeeled garlic cloves around the tomatoes. Drizzle with 3 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- 2
Roast on the center rack for 40–45 minutes, until the tomatoes are deeply caramelized at the edges, collapsed, and beginning to char in spots, and the onion wedges are softened and golden at the tips.
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