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    Home » Recipes » Jams and Jellies

    Easy Roasted Tomato Marinara Sauce

    Aug 27, 2016 | by Jennifer | Last Updated: Jun 3, 2021

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy homemade marinara sauce starts with Roma tomatoes, roasted with garlic, herbs and spices, then blended into a lovely sauce, perfect for freezing. No tomato peeling or canning required!

    homemade marinara sauce on spoon with tomatoes, basil and garlic

    When I walked in the door recently with a 25 lb. box of roma tomatoes, my family thought I might just have lost my mind. As I slid the 5th and final batch of this Roasted Tomato Marinara Sauce in to the oven, I thought, just for a moment, that they might just be right ;)

    Seriously though, how could I resist?. My box of roma tomatoes was only $7.99. For 25 lbs! I'd be crazy NOT to buy them! So I knew a lot of marinara sauce was in my immediate future, destined for the freezer so I could have delicious, homemade sauce all winter long.

    I won't lie. It's a wee bit of a process when you start with 25 lbs. of tomatoes. But you don't have to go all in if you don't want to. The recipe below is written for starting with 5 lbs. of roma (or plum) tomatoes and yields 4 cups of finished marinara sauce.

    This sauce makes the process super simple - no tomato peeling needed and it freezes beautifully so no need to jar and process. Simply package it up in 1 or 2-cup portions in freezer bags (laid flat for efficient storage), pop in to the freezer and you are all set.

    Despite my whining above, this marinara is actually quite quick and easy to make and uses basic pantry items. There's not an awful lot of hands-on time. Simply slice the tomatoes in half and toss in the pan. Toss in the garlic. Add some seasoning and olive oil and pop in to a hot oven for an hour, stirring once half way through cooking. Below is a quick "before and after cooking" photo.

    Not sure how to use all your marinara sauce? I've list 10 Great Uses for Your Homemade Marinara Sauce below the recipe!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Cook's Notes
    • 10 Great Uses For Your Homemade Marinara Sauce
    • Recipe
    • Comments, Questions and Reviews

    Ingredients

    Here are the simple ingredients you will need ...

    • Roma or plum tomatoes
    • Garlic cloves
    • Olive oil
    • Balsamic vinegar
    • Dried oregano leaves
    • Dried basil leaves
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Cook's Notes

    I like to make this marinara without adding butter or onion, as it keeps the sauce as basic as possible and I can always add those things to the dish I use the marinara in.

    For an efficient way to make big batches, double the recipe and cook two pans at a time in the upper and lower third of your oven, rotating the pan position half way through cooking. Hopefully you have two large roasting pans to use (I sadly didn't). If not, you can always do them one at a time.

    You may find large pieces of tomato skin as you blend the sauce that you can remove if you like. I just leave them in and process them down to smaller sizes.

    This sauce freezes beautifully. Simply portion into 1 or 2-cup freezer bags, seal and smooth flat, then freeze them all stacked up.

    I noticed that each batch ended with a little bit more or less liquid left in the pan. If there was a lot, I scooped the tomatoes out of the pan with a slotted spoon, to leave most of it behind in the pan.

    before and after roasting of tomatoes

    10 Great Uses For Your Homemade Marinara Sauce

    • The obvious ... for a quick dinner with any pasta. You don't even need to thaw the marinara. Simply add frozen to a skillet and warm slowly over low heat, then add your cooked pasta. Add sauteed or roasted vegetables that need using up in your fridge for a heartier dish.
    • Turn your basic marinara in to another sauce. Add cooked pancetta and chili flakes and make it Arrabbiata. Add butter and cream and make it a Pink Sauce. Add sauteed diced carrots, celery, onion and ground beef and make it a Quick Bolognese.
    • Parmesan anything. As a topping for Chicken Parmesan or Eggplant Parmesan.
    • As a filling for lasagna or a topping for meat or cheese filled cannelloni or pasta shells.
    • Add some to any stew or ragout to give it an Italian spin.
    • Use it as a pizza sauce!
    • As a base for tomato or minestrone soup or other delicious soups.
    • With eggs. Eggs in Purgatory or the Middle Eastern Shakshuka or to top a frittata or omelette.
    • As a dip for cheese sticks or garlic bread.
    • As a topping for meatballs subs.
    • With fish or shrimp, like this Shrimp Marinara.

    homemade marinara sauce on spoon with tomatoes, basil and garlic

    Recipe

    homemade marinara sauce on spoon with tomatoes, basil and garlic

    Roasted Tomato Marinara Sauce

    Easy homemade marinara sauce, starting with roma tomatoes that are oven roasted with garlic, olive oil and herbs, then blended and frozen. No peeling or canning required!
    Author: Jennifer
    5 stars from 6 ratings
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Main Course
    Servings 4 cups

    Ingredients
     

    • 5 lbs fresh roma or plum tomatoes
    • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
    • 2 tsp dried basil leaves
    • 1 tsp fine salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    Prevent screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 425 F.
      Cut roma tomatoes in half lengthwise (no need to remove the stem bit). Place in a large roasting pan (mine is 11x16-inches and a couple of inches deep.) Scatter garlic over-top. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Toss with a large spoon to coat.
    • Place in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, stirring well half way through cooking. The mixture shouldn't dry out completely and some of the tomato skins will char slightly. Stirring well half way through ensures that nothing gets too dark. Allow to cool.
    • Remove tomatoes from pan (if there is a lot of liquid in the pan, use a slotted spoon to remove, leaving most of the liquid behind). Blend in a food processor or use immersion blender to create a sauce with your desired chunkiness level. If I'm making a large batch, I tend to do a few smooth and leave a few chunkier.

    Notes

    Cooking time and nutritional information is PER BATCH. I love to buy a 20lb box of roma tomatoes in late Summer and roast off 4 or 5 batches in a day, then package up and freeze. Then I'm all set for the Winter with fresh homemade marinara sauce!

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 611mg | Calcium: 70mg | Vitamin C: 78.6mg | Vitamin A: 4725IU | Sugar: 15g | Fiber: 7g | Potassium: 1365mg | Calories: 172kcal | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fat: 8g | Protein: 5g | Carbohydrates: 23g | Iron: 1.9mg

    Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.

    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Canadian
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    Meet the Author:
    Hi! I'm Jennifer, a home-cook of many years and a lifelong seeker of delicious food! I'm an equal opportunity eater. I enjoy eating all the foods!

    I love to share the classic recipes that I have enjoyed for years, as well as newer discoveries, that have become fast favourites.
    More about me here ...


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judith says

      December 28, 2021 at 10:27 am

      5 stars
      I made this today and it is so yummy! I cooked italian sausage with onions and yellow peppers. My only thing is what type of pasta? I have spaghetti., noodles or penne pasta, decisions, decisions

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        December 28, 2021 at 11:02 am

        So glad to hear, Judith :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    2. Meg says

      November 13, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      Could this be made from frozen tomatoes? We grow our own and freeze them to process later 😊.
      Also, can it be run through a food mill to remove seeds or would that change it significantly?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 13, 2021 at 6:27 pm

        Hi Meg, I think you could probably roast the frozen tomatoes (from frozen or thawed) in the same way that the fresh tomatoes are roasted. As for running them through a mill, again, you could probably do that and then roast in a big pan, stirring often. You wouldn't have to do the blending part at the end, obviously. If you try it, let me know how it works out.

        Reply
    3. Jill says

      August 18, 2021 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      This is a fantastic recipe! I use San Marzano tomatoes & with these few ingredients the sauce tastes amazing— no need to add anything else. I’ll be getting as many freezer bags in the freezer as I can. So easy & so tasty!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 18, 2021 at 6:57 pm

        So glad to hear, Jill :) You will love having it in your freezer all Winter long! Thanks so much.

        Reply
    4. Leslie says

      July 22, 2021 at 1:12 pm

      5 stars
      This is an amazing recipe. So easy and out of this world delicious. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        July 22, 2021 at 2:15 pm

        So glad you are enjoying it, Leslie :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    5. Teri says

      October 08, 2020 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      I just made this sauce. It is very good. I used the 5lb tomatoes recipe plus I added 1 medium onion. I am canning my sauce. The 5lbs made 3 pints. I will be making more as soon as I have more tomatoes.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 08, 2020 at 6:24 pm

        So glad to hear, Teri! You'll be all set for the winter. Thanks :)

        Reply
    6. Sandra says

      October 07, 2020 at 11:12 am

      I haven't tried this recipe yet. My freezer is small. Can I can this recipe? I have plenty of jars.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 07, 2020 at 12:23 pm

        Hi Sandra, I can't give canning advice, as I haven't tried it myself and I am not a certified master canner. I suggest seeking out tomato sauce canning advice online from a reliable source.

        Reply
    7. Diana Koziol says

      September 15, 2020 at 10:06 am

      5 stars
      Hi Jennifer.
      I love this recipe. So easy and I was able to remove the skins as they were slipping off as I was removing them from the pan. So easy to make and very tasty. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 15, 2020 at 10:36 am

        So glad to hear, Diana :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    8. Sue Johnson says

      September 06, 2020 at 7:08 pm

      Why not add onion to this, I did not think of it in time for my first batch?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 06, 2020 at 7:13 pm

        Hi Sue, I like to keep the sauce as simple as possible, as I never know what I will use it for. I may not want onion in the dish I will use it in, and I know I can always saute onion easily later on for specific dishes where I do want it.

        Reply
    9. Josephine says

      August 30, 2020 at 7:56 pm

      Hi Jennifer,
      I picked all the tomatoes from my Roma tomato plant and made this sauce. It is so delicious. We enjoyed it so much.
      Thank you Jennifer,
      Josephine

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 31, 2020 at 9:44 am

        So glad to hear, Josephine! Thanks so much :)

        Reply
    10. Erin Woods says

      September 15, 2019 at 4:41 pm

      This recipe makes the best marinara I have ever had! I am a gardener and have an abundance of several types of tomatoes so I used them all in this recipe. I love this sauce so much I have used it in my home grown eggplant parmesan and have frozen eight two-cup batches. I even have some in the oven right now. Just wanted you to know it's a big hit in my house. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 16, 2019 at 10:02 am

        So glad you are enjoying it, Erin :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    11. Jane says

      October 21, 2018 at 7:42 pm

      5 stars
      Great flavour and texture. A taste of summer is now in the freezer for a cold winter night.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 22, 2018 at 7:58 am

        So glad to hear! I have a freezer full myself. It seems like a lot of work at the time, but it is so lovely to just grab a package all winter long :) Thanks!

        Reply
    12. Laura | Tutti Dolci says

      August 31, 2016 at 2:06 am

      There's nothing better than a classic, homemade marinara! Your sauce looks absolutely mouthwatering!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 31, 2016 at 8:14 am

        Thanks so much, Laura :)

        Reply
    13. Cathy | whatshouldimakefor.com says

      August 30, 2016 at 1:17 am

      That. Photo. Oh my, that stopped me in my tracks! I mean that is the essence of summer tomatoes cooked down into sauce perfection. And yes! You had to bring all of the those gorgeous tomatoes home for that price. Loving this gorgeous sauce!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 30, 2016 at 7:38 am

        Thanks so much, Cathy. Those tomatoes made a beautiful, rich sauce!

        Reply
    14. Sara says

      August 29, 2016 at 2:08 pm

      Wow, 25 pounds of tomatoes?! You definitely made good use of them with this amazing looking sauce!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 29, 2016 at 3:50 pm

        Thanks Sara and yes, it was a day's work, but I'll be thankful for it in January :)

        Reply
    15. sue | theviewfromgreatisland says

      August 29, 2016 at 1:52 pm

      If this sauce is crowding your cupboards Jennifer, feel free to unload some of it on me!!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 29, 2016 at 3:49 pm

        I certainly have a lot of it, for sure :)

        Reply
    16. Sarah says

      August 29, 2016 at 12:48 pm

      Omg I love love love the looks of this marinara. I'm sure the roasting makes this taste so wonderful. Great post!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 29, 2016 at 1:17 pm

        Thanks so much, Sarah. And yes, it's amazing what roasting does to a tomato :)

        Reply
    17. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      August 29, 2016 at 10:35 am

      $7.99. For 25 lbs of roma tomatoes?! Pssh I would have bought that box too! That is SUCH a great deal! And this marinara is SUCH a FABULOUS way to use all those tomatoes! This marinara looks amazing, Jennifer! I could literally eat this by the spoonful! LOVE that you roasted the tomatoes! Cheers!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 29, 2016 at 10:45 am

        Thanks Cheyanne. Roasting is so easy and it really makes for a rich, tomato taste. Brings the best out of all those tomatoes :)

        Reply
    18. Katrina says

      August 28, 2016 at 11:12 pm

      This sauce looks amazing! So jam packed with flavour!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 29, 2016 at 7:28 am

        Thanks Katrina :)

        Reply
    19. Robyn Gleason says

      August 28, 2016 at 8:31 am

      I love the way you think, Jennifer. No jars and stuff for me either. Definitely no tomato peeling! This is the perfect recipe and will somehow find the time to do this soon because there's nothing better than homemade sauce in the winter months. Beautiful!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 28, 2016 at 9:16 am

        Thanks Robyn and yes, I'm not a fan of the canning this and the peeling thing, now that I think of it ;) Sometimes I'll do those things if I need to, but if there's a way not to do it, I'll find it!

        Reply
    20. Gerlinde @ Sunnycovechef says

      August 27, 2016 at 8:00 pm

      I love this recipe. Roasted tomatoes make a great sauce.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 27, 2016 at 8:36 pm

        Thanks so much, Gerlinde :)

        Reply
    21. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      August 27, 2016 at 2:42 pm

      Perfect way to use up all those gorgeous summer tomatoes Jennifer! Looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 27, 2016 at 2:47 pm

        Thanks Mary Ann :)

        Reply
    22. Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says

      August 27, 2016 at 11:25 am

      I made homemade marinara the other day but wasn't thrilled with the results. We have such a mis-match of tomatoes this year and I needed a way to use some of them up. I had mostly Roma tomatoes but even so, the color was orange instead of red - I should try your recipe next time. Love the addition of the balsamic. I don't think you're crazy - what a wonderful deal!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 27, 2016 at 2:47 pm

        Thanks Tricia and yes, the romas make the most beautiful sauce, I think. Lovely colour and great rich flavour.

        Reply

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