A super simple and easy roast tomato pasta sauce where all the ingredients are roasted before blending for a wonderful depth of flavour. Tomatoes, onions, garlic and anchovies (which I really do forbid you to skip, you don't taste them I promise) all roasted together then blended with some fresh basil - delicious!
Hello! I am updating this recipe with new photos and some extra tips and tricks. I actually just really felt like making it again! One of the things that is hard for a food blogger is we are constantly working on new recipes and that means we often don't get a chance to remake things.
This is such an incredible staple pasta sauce you need to have in your repertoire. I love that you can just throw all the ingredients on a tray and let the oven do all the hard work. Roasting everything brings flavour you just can't get any other way, it caramelises and adds a smokey note from the charred edges on the ingredients.
For some other tomato based recipes, try:
- Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with Pancetta and Olives
- Tomato and Nduja Pasta
- Creamy Tomato and Sausage Pasta
- Balsamic and Cherry Tomato Sauce
The anchovy factor!
I know anchovies are a love/hate ingredient but you really don't taste them in this, they add a salty, wonderful depth of flavour. Promise me you'll give them a try! Once everything is roasted and blended, fresh basil is added for the perfect finishing touch. If you already love anchovies my easy anchovy butter pasta is waiting for you!
Why roasting the tomato sauce ingredients is best
Roasting deepens the flavour profiles of the ingredients. Most foods have natural sugars inside them and roasting takes advantage of them making everything sweeter and more concentrated. I find it is also so much easier to just whack everything together in one tray and forget about it for 45 mins. Can't beat the smell too!
Ingredients:
Tomatoes - I use whatever looks good at the supermarket. This time I used a mix of vine and cherry tomatoes. Use whatever you like. You could also use tinned tomatoes if they aren't in season.
Onion - Roasted onion is so delicious! The charred edges add so much flavour and when blended it makes it slightly creamy.
Anchovies - I know that most people aren't huge fans of anchovies. I PROMISE you that you don't taste them but they add a depth of flavour like nothing else. Just use a few the first time. Please trust me on this! Obviously leave them out if you are vegetarian. I really like Ortiz anchovies.
Garlic - I put the whole cloves in unpeeled then pop them out before blending. Use as much garlic as you like.
Honey - I think any kind of tomato sauce benefits from a tiny bit of sweetness. It's just one teaspoon but balances everything out.
Chilli flakes - These are totally optional but adds a nice little hum to the sauce. A little goes a long way so just start with ¼ teaspoon the first time you make it to see what you like.
Basil - Fresh basil added at the end adds a lovely burst of freshness.
Butter - This is optional but a couple of tablespoons of butter is the pefect finishing touch.
How to make this recipe
ONE: Layer the tomatoes, onion, garlic and anchovies in a baking dish.
TWO: Again, please trust in the anchovies and don't skip! (I mean, obviously you can skip but I promise they make it so delish!).
THREE: Drizzle with the honey, olive oil and finish with the chilli flakes and salt and pepper.
FOUR: Bake in the oven for 45 mins - 1 hour until it looks like this. I always judge by the edges of the onions, they should be charring slightly.
FIVE: Transfer to a pot that can go on the stove and will be big enough to add the cooked pasta into.
SIX: Blend with a stick blender until smooth (transfer to a food processor if you need).
Finishing the sauce
Gently the heat the sauce on the stove with some torn basil. Add your cooked pasta in and let it gently bubble away for a min or two. Finish with the butter is using.
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What pasta shape is best?
I think the beauty of a sauce like this is that it will literally go with any shape. I had a craving for rigatoni, which is one of my favourite dried shapes.
If you feel like making some pasta from scratch then use my easy homemade pasta dough. It will never fail you! You could use it to make some homemade pappardelle which would be beautiful with this sauce.
If you know me at all, you know I am passionate about hand rolled shapes. I love them as you need little to no equipment (you don't need a pasta roller!). Check out my semolina pasta dough, which you could then make hand rolled gnocchi sardi pasta or orecchiette.
Expert tips
- Roast the ingredients long enough to just start getting a charred edge on the onions. The onions are always what I look at through the oven door!
- Again, don't skip the anchovies. Broken record, I know.
- There is no tricky pasta timing here you can pop your pasta on once you have blended the ingredients.
- Have it gently simmering in a fry pan or pot that will fit all your pasta. I like to let the pasta gently bubble in the sauce for a couple of mins. You can undercook your pasta by a minute for this reason.
- Heat your plates! This seems like a weird tip but pasta gets cold so quick. I always have plates warming in my oven while I am cooking the pasta.
Recipe FAQs
Anything! I often do a mix of vine tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. If tomatoes aren't in season use a couple of cans of tomatoes instead.
Absolutely! wait for it to cool completely then freeze in a container for up to three months. Skip adding the basil, add that in when you come to cook it.
Weighing out pasta portions is the only way! It means you have the ultimate sauce to pasta ratio. 100g dried per person or 150g fresh.
For the best results use an extra virgin olive oil. I love to drizzle some around the edge of the finished dish too.
Absolutely! I find it hard giving a yield for this sauce as it depends how saucy you like it!
Want some other sauces to try?
I have so many delicious recipes to try! If you loved this easy roast tomato pasta sauce then PLEASE try my balsamic cherry tomato pasta, it's divine. If you would like a creamier sauce then check out my creamy tomato pasta sauce, it's a classic.
For some other vegetarian options (this is vege if you omit the anchovies) then try my new red pepper pesto pasta. Cacio e pepe style sauces are my favourites and if they are yours too please make my cacio e pepe with basil and olives. Dream combo!
Made this pasta sauce and loved it?
I would love it so much if you could leave me a review below! Also, if you take a photo make sure you tag me on instagram so I can see it!
Recipe
Easy roast tomato pasta sauce
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Ingredients
- 600 g tomatoes cut into halves or quarters depending on size
- 1 onion cut into wedges
- 6 anchovies
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon runny honey
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup packed fresh basil torn
- 30 g unsalted butter
- Fresh parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160 fan or 180 convection (350f).
- Arrange the tomatoes and onions in a small roasting tray so they will sit quite snug together.
- Layer the anchovies and garlic over top then sprinkle the chilli flakes and drizzle the honey and oil over top.
- Roast in the oven for 45 mins - 1 hour or until the edges of the onions are starting to char.
- Transfer to a saucepan and blend thoroughly with a stick blender, or alternatively in a food processor.
- Add the torn basil then place on the stove top on a low heat while you cook your pasta.
- Add your cooked pasta straight into the sauce with a splash of pasta water and then finally the butter.
- Let the pasta bubble gently in the sauce for a minute then divide between plates and top with lots of freshly grated parmesan, extra basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
Video
Notes
- ¼ teaspoon of chilli flakes is enough to add a nice hum. Leave them out if you don't like spice or feel free to use more.
- I normally do 100g dried pasta or 300g fresh pasta per person
- It is enough sauce for 2 - 4 people, it just depends how saucy you like it. If in doubt then double it and you can freeze the leftover sauce.
Elizabeth H. says
OMG!!!!! I eat a few bites of it plain on a spoon every time I open the fridge!
Emilie Pullar says
hahaha love that!! 🙂
Kaylie says
I tried this recipe and it is amazing! I was hoping to freeze it in batches since I have so many tomatoes to use up from my garden. Should I put the basil in like normal or should I wait until I actually use the sauce?
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Kaylie, so glad you enjoyed it! Definitely add the basil in when you use it otherwise it will go brown 🙂
Carolyn Kotler says
I followed the recipe exactly using vine ripened tomatoes and some cherry tomatoes. Adding the anchovies is key and brilliant. However, because there is not a large amount of sauce, I recommend using the immersion blender in a quart container rather than blending in a saucepan. It just didn’t work until I put it in the quart container. It then blended well, and I also recommend adding some pasta water as the sauce is quite thick. I then added my al dente spaghetti and basil and used tongs to blend the spaghetti into the sauce. This pasta dish is out of this world, a bit spicy, which I like. You could reduce the amount of red pepper if you so desire. I used 200g of spaghetti for this amount of sauce, two servings. Next time I will double the recipe and still use 200g of pasta. I like my pasta very saucey. This truly is a 4 star pasta dish!
Carol says
Very good sauce! The anchovies are key. I used heirloom tomatoes which worked great. Usually I add a little cream to my sauces at the end of cooking, but this one was so good I didn't need it. Will definitely make again!
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Carol, thanks so much for making. So glad you enjoyed!
Shannon Reed says
This is absolutely delicious and is my go-to recipe! The anchovies give it a great kick. I made with and without the anchovies; use the anchovies!!
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Shannon! Thank you so much! So glad you love the recipe, the anchovies totally make it!