Description
This easy garlic herb tomato sauce for freezing is made with fresh Roma tomatoes, roasted garlic, and herbs. It’s perfect for capturing summer’s peak flavor and enjoying it all winter long.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 pounds Roma tomatoes
- 1 full head garlic
- 1 cup packed fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash Roma tomatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Place cut-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Peel onion and cut into 8 wedges. Separate garlic cloves (leave skins on). Scatter onion wedges and garlic cloves around tomatoes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Toss gently to coat.
- Roast for 40-45 minutes until tomatoes are wrinkled, blistered, and caramelized around edges. Garlic should be soft and golden. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from the bottom to remove skins. Discard skins.
- Transfer roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic to a Dutch oven or large pot. Add fresh basil, oregano, thyme, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth (or pulse for chunkier sauce).
- Place pot over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust salt and pepper. Add balsamic vinegar if desired.
- Let sauce cool completely to room temperature before freezing. For faster cooling, refrigerate for an hour.
- Ladle cooled sauce into freezer bags or containers. For bags, lay flat on a baking sheet to freeze. Label with date and contents. Makes about 6 cups.
Notes
Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their natural sugars and adds smoky depth. Don’t over-blend to avoid frothy sauce. If sauce tastes too tangy, add a pinch of sugar or a grated carrot while simmering. Cool quickly by dividing into smaller containers. Freeze in flat bags for easy stacking. Label everything with date and contents.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 290
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 0.7
- Carbohydrates: 9
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 2
Keywords: tomato sauce, garlic herb sauce, freezer-friendly, homemade sauce, Roma tomatoes, easy sauce recipe