Cherry Tomato Sauce

Learn how to make your own Cherry Tomato Sauce from scratch using roasted cherry tomatoes and a short list of aromatics. This mouthwatering red sauce is perfect for pasta, pizza, and so much more. It’s also freezer-friendly, meaning you can double the recipe and use it year-round! 

If your garden gifted you with a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes, you have a few options: enjoy them fresh off the vine, toss them in a healthy chicken cobb salad, or use them up in a homemade Cherry Tomato Sauce!

Don’t get me wrong, I love my Multi-Purpose Tomato Sauce and Roasted Tomato Sauce, but making tomato sauce from cherry tomatoes is one of the best ways to preserve an abundance of cherry tomatoes.

It’s quick, insanely easy, and stores for months at a time. No canning or special equipment needed! It’s all done in one big pot and a blender. That said, I recommend making extra because this cherry tomato sauce is useful in far more than just pasta.

You won’t be able to get enough of the fresh flavors. They’re complex, balanced, and full-bodied despite the minimal spices and seasonings. The tomatoes are roasted first, intensifying their natural flavors and adding a rich, caramelized element to the sauce. There’s truly no other tomato sauce like it!

Ingredient notes

• Cherry tomatoes – They may not be the traditional choice (Roma and San Marzano are considered the best tomatoes for red sauce) but cherry tomatoes make for a fantastic sauce! Roasting them beforehand is the best way to go, as it enhances their flavor.
• Onion and garlic – Otherwise known as the aromatics. They provide a baseline of savory flavor, bring balance, and tone down the sweetness from the tomatoes.
• Spices and seasonings – Keep it simple with oregano, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. Feel free to add even more if you’d like, such as basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, or marjoram.

How to make cherry tomato sauce

Making sauce with cherry tomatoes requires minimal effort. These step-by-step instructions will guide you through the process:

Step 1: Spread the whole, unpeeled cherry tomatoes in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper. Place them in the oven and roast until the skins soften and begin to burst. 

Step 2: Heat more olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot on the stove. Add the onions and garlic and saute until they’re soft and fragrant. 

Step 3: Season the aromatics with oregano, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Take the tomatoes out of the oven and add them to the pot.

Step 4: Let the roasted cherry tomato sauce cook on low heat. Afterward, discard the bay leaves and adjust the seasonings to taste. 

Step 5: Transfer the sauce to a large blender or use an immersion blender. Blend the sauce until it’s smooth and voila! The sauce is ready to be used right away or stored for later.

Tips to make the best tomato sauce

• Use extra tomatoes – You don’t have to stick to cherry tomatoes. Instead, add the extra Roma or Heirloom tomatoes you already have at home. Cut them into quarters and roast them along with the others.
• For a creamy finish – Stir ricotta, burrata, mozzarella, or a splash of heavy cream into the batch of sauce after it’s blended.
• Craving more heat or a spicy arrabbiata sauce? Add up to 4 teaspoons of red pepper flakes.
• Adjust the acidity – If your cherry tomato pasta sauce has bitter or acidic undertones, add a pinch of baking soda or sugar to help balance it out.

Serving suggestions

Tomato sauce with cherry tomatoes doesn’t have to only be used with pasta. Step outside the box and explore the almost endless ways to use it:

• With pasta: This is a no-brainer! Cook your favorite pasta noodles or vegetable noodles and toss them with the cherry tomato sauce or use it in other Italian recipes, like meat lasagna or spaghetti and meatballs.  
• Pizza sauce: Spread the sauce over pizza bites, thin crust pizza, and more homemade pizzas.
• Cooked with seafood: Use the sauce as a base for poached cod, halibut, mussels, or shrimp, or add some to an easy seafood stew.
• For shakshuka recipes: This is a wonderful sauce for shakshuka recipes. Elevate it with extra spices, vegetables, or meat, and poach a few eggs on top.
• Vegetable side dishes: You can use this sauce to braise green beans or to top stuffed peppers and cabbage rolls.

Don’t forget the crusty bread on the side to soak up every last drop of sauce!

Frequently asked questions

Do cherry tomatoes need to be peeled for sauce?

Nope! Leaving the skins on your cherry tomatoes eliminates most of the work involved in other homemade tomato sauce recipes. In addition, the skins add elements of texture, flavor, and nutrition. 

Do cherry tomatoes have to be roasted for sauce?

Technically, no. Cherry tomatoes are naturally sweeter than other varieties and will yield a bright and flavorful tomato sauce regardless. However, roasting cherry tomatoes intensifies the sweet flavors and adds a rich, caramelized complexity that sets this sauce apart from the rest. 

How do you store cherry tomato sauce?

If you plan to use the sauce within the week, let it cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.

Can you freeze it?

Yes, the sauce freezes very well! Once it’s completely cool, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag and freeze for 3 to 4 months. Let the batch thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Looking for more ways to use up cherry tomatoes?

• Roasted Vegetable Pasta
• Tomato Stuffed Eggplant
• Sheet Pan Bruschetta Chicken
• Mediterranean Hummus Salad
• Classic Pasta Salad