Vegetarian Roasted Tomato Sauce
There is something deeply satisfying about a tomato sauce built entirely in the oven, where heat does most of the heavy lifting. Plum tomatoes roast alongside onion wedges and whole garlic cloves until the edges caramelize and char just enough to develop a rich, almost smoky sweetness that no stovetop shortcut can replicate. A pinch of turmeric adds a subtle warmth and a gorgeous golden depth to the finished sauce, while fresh basil and dried oregano keep things bright and herbaceous. Everything gets blended together with the pan juices, so not a single drop of that roasted flavor goes to waste. The result is a velvety, full-bodied sauce that tastes like it simmered all afternoon — even though the oven and a blender did the real work. It's endlessly versatile: toss it with pasta, spoon it over roasted vegetables, or use it as a base for a hearty baked dish. No meat, no fuss, just pure concentrated tomato flavor that earns a permanent spot in your weekly rotation.
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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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