This roasted tomato pasta sauce is one of those recipes where the oven does all the hard work. Roasting the tomatoes, onion and garlic until soft and caramelized gives you the most incredible rich, deeply flavorful sauce with hardly any effort. A few anchovies melt away completely (trust me on this one!) and add amazing savory depth, then fresh basil keeps everything bright and fresh. Simple, ridiculously delicious and such a good way to make the most of tomatoes.
Hi! This pasta sauce is such a fantastic recipe to have in your repertoire. Everything is thrown into a dish and roasted until caramelized to create the most flavor packed sauce. If you think you don't like anchovies, this could change your mind. You can't taste them at all but they add a depth of flavor that cannot be replicated. You can skip them if you must.
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 tomatoes look best at the supermarket. This time I used a mix of vine and cherry tomatoes. Use whatever you like, or use good quality tinned tomatoes if fresh tomatoes aren’t in season.
Onion - Roasted onion adds so much flavor to this sauce. The charred edges bring sweetness and depth, while blending the onion helps create a rich, creamy texture.
Anchovies - Anchovies melt completely into the sauce and add an incredible savory depth. If you’re unsure, just start with a few the first time you make it. I really like Ortiz anchovies. Leave them out if you are vegetarian.
Garlic - I roast the garlic cloves unpeeled, then squeeze them out before blending. Use as much garlic as you like.
Honey - A teaspoon of honey helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and rounds the sauce out nicely.
Red pepper flakes - Totally optional, but they add a gentle warmth to the sauce. Start with ¼ teaspoon and adjust to taste.
Basil - Torn basil leaves on top when serving is the perfect finishing touch.
How to make roasted tomato pasta
The full ingredient list and more thorough step by step instructions are in recipe card below.
1. Layer the tomatoes, onion, garlic and anchovies in a baking dish.
2. Drizzle with the olive oil and honey then scatter the red pepper flakes and season well with salt and pepper.
3. Roast until lightly charred 45 mins - 1 hour.
4. Transfer to a large saucepan that will fit the pasta in.
5. Blend with a stick blender (or do this separately in a food processor). Gently heat on the stove while you cook your pasta.
6. Let the cooked pasta gently bubble away in the sauce for 1-2 minutes before serving. Top with torn basil leaves and parmesan cheese.
Expert tips from Emilie
- Roast until lightly charred. The onions are the best indicator here. You want the edges of the onions and tomatoes to be just starting to char for the deepest roasted flavor.
- Don’t skip the anchovies. They melt completely into the sauce and add an incredible savory depth that really makes this pasta special.
- Let the pasta bubble in the sauce. Once the sauce is blended, get your pasta cooking and let it gently bubble away in the sauce for a minute or two before serving. If using dried pasta, undercook it slightly so it finishes perfectly in the sauce.
- Warm your plates. Pasta cools down surprisingly quickly, so I always warm my plates in the oven while the pasta cooks.
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Common questions
Yes! You can leave them out if you prefer or need the sauce to be vegetarian. They add a savory depth to the sauce rather than a strong anchovy flavor.
Yes. Good quality canned whole tomatoes work really well when fresh tomatoes aren’t in season. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
Yes! The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stove and loosen with a splash of pasta water if needed.
Yes, this roasted tomato pasta sauce freezes really well. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months and defrost before reheating.
Some other tomato pasta recipes to try
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Recipe
Easy Roasted Tomato Pasta
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Ingredients
- 400 grams dried pasta
- 800 grams tomatoes, (800 grams - 1 kg) see notes
- 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
- 6 anchovies (optional)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon runny honey
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 30 grams unsalted butter (optional)
- Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C)
- Cut any bigger tomatoes into halves or quarters.
- Arrange the tomatoes and onion wedges in a small roasting dish so they fit quite snugly together.
- Scatter the anchovies and garlic over the top, then sprinkle over the red pepper flakes and drizzle with the honey and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.
- I tend to leave skins on garlic cloves then squeeze them out after roasting but peel them first if you prefer.
- Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the onions and tomatoes are lightly charred around the edges.
- Transfer everything to a saucepan and blend until smooth with a stick blender. Alternatively, blend in a food processor.
- Add the cooked pasta straight into the sauce with a splash of pasta water and the butter, if using.
- Let the pasta gently bubble in the sauce for 1–2 minutes, then divide between plates and top with freshly grated parmesan, the torn basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.
Video
Notes
Hi, I'm Emilie
I've spent years testing pasta doughs, sauces, and weeknight favorites so you don't have to. Everything on The Burnt Butter Table is designed to be simple, comforting, and unbelievably delicious.
Kristy says
Yummy, thank you. I used Campari tomatoes in a small batch and cooked in my Breville oven, so I didn’t heat up my house. This is a definite keeper for a single serving dinner.
Emilie Pullar says
I alway use Campari tomatoes too! Thanks so much for making and coming back to review, appreciate it so much! 🙂
Gia says
This is my go-to pasta recipe as a chronically ill, disabled lady, on days where I do not have the energy to cook. Dump everything in a pan, roast it until your ancestors tell you to stop, blend it (if you must, it crushes up pretty well with a fork,) pour it over pasta, grated Parm until my arms give up, et voila. Dinner that makes me feel better when I am struggling to manage basic tasks, like standing. Bonus points because on days when I'm feeling good, I can make a whole bunch of it and freeze it for the days when I am barely functional.
Also works with canned tomatoes for those miserable winter days where even tasteless fresh tomatoes will cost you a kidney at the supermarket, though definitely better with fresh! 10/10, would recommend.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Gia, so lovely to hear that this recipe works so well for you. Hope that it brings you comfort when you aren't feeling well. Take care x
Janice Dunphy says
This is an EXCELLENT recipe! I grow my own colourful heirloom tomatoes and usually have enough at any one time to do a double batch for freezing. My days of struggling through a full bushel for canning on one day are over! I can prepare several double batches with slightly different ingredients and colour throughout the summer whenever I have enough ripe tomatoes. I have tried many of your recipes and always recommend your website to my friends. Thank you for this wonderful selection of recipes and invaluable information ?
Emilie Pullar says
This has made my day Janice, thank you so so much!! So happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. This one is such a winner for freezing 🙂
Amara says
Super delicious! Tastes authentic and makes canned sauces and no go from here on out! I’m very texture sensitive so I ran the sauce through an immersion blender before adding the cheese/pasta/meat and it was perfect! Never imagined I’d be eating real onions and garlic over the powder seasonings! Thank you!
Emilie Pullar says
This is so amazing to hear Amara! I blend it so much, I really only love a super smooth tomato sauce! Thank you so much for leaving such a lovely review 🙂
Stefan says
Easy to do and delicious
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much Stefan 🙂
Barbra says
I have made this sauce many times and its always super delicious