Easy Roast Tomato Pasta Sauce

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.

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.

Steps to making this easy roast tomato pasta sauce

It's super easy, I promise!

1. Firstly prep all the ingredients. I cut the tomatoes in half, cut the onion into 6 pieces and scatter everything else.
2. Nestle the ingredients into a baking tray and then drizzle with olive oil.
3. Roast until ingredients are just starting to char.
4. Put into a saucepan and blend with a stick blender (or use a food processor)
5. Place the fresh basil in and then place on a really low heat while you cook your pasta.
6. Add the cooked pasta and butter straight into the sauce.

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.

Tips for success

1. Roast for long enough to just start getting a charred edge on the onions. The onions are always what I look at through the oven door!
2. Again, don't skip the anchovies. Broken record, I know.
3. There is no tricky pasta timing here you can pop your pasta on once you have blended the ingredients.
4. In saying that, for maximum flavour make this the day before!
5. 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.
6. 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

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!

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