This is the story behind an easy, flavorful Roasted Tomato Pizza Sauce. A generous neighbor recently dropped off a bag of ripe garden tomatoes after our unusually warm winter kept plants producing late into the season. I made a BLT that day, my favorite, but the tomatoes soon ripened faster than I could eat them. Since we love pizza, I decided to roast the surplus tomatoes into a thick homemade pizza sauce to preserve that bright, homegrown flavor.
I sliced the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick, arranged them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzled them with olive oil, and sprinkled kosher salt over the top. Roasting at 375°F for roughly 40 minutes concentrates the sweetness as the juices bubble and some caramelization develops. The result is deeper, more intense tomato flavor than you get from store-bought tomatoes.
After roasting, I scooped the tomatoes into a food processor and added dried basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and a touch of honey. A few pulses produced a thick, rich sauce that kept the fresh tomato brightness while adding a subtle herbal note. I kept the seasoning simple on purpose to let the tomato flavor shine.
For pizza night I used my favorite dough, then spread the roasted tomato sauce and kept my pizza simple: shredded mozzarella, a sprinkle of dried basil, and grated Parmesan. Everyone made their own personal pie and it was a perfect, easy meal. The sauce is versatile — use it right away, refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze portions for up to three months.
I’m excited to harvest my own tomatoes this season — I planted a whole bed of them — and this sauce is a great way to preserve the taste of homegrown fruit. If you ever find yourself with too many ripe tomatoes or ones that need to be used quickly, roasting them into pizza sauce is an easy solution that elevates their flavor.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and share a photo if you try it — I’d love to hear how it turned out.
Roasted Tomato Pizza Sauce
4.9 from 7 reviews
- Author: Julie
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 cups
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
How to turn your abundance of ripe homegrown tomatoes into the most delicious, flavorful Roasted Tomato Pizza Sauce!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ripe tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Wash, dry, and slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Roast 40–45 minutes, until the tomatoes are bubbly and beginning to caramelize.
- Scoop roasted tomatoes into a food processor. Add basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and honey. Process until smooth.
- Use immediately, refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 73
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 361mg
- Fat: 4.8g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7.3g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1.4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg