Roasted Cherry Tomato Pizza Sauce (Family Favorite!)
If you’re looking to take your pizzas to the next level, you need to try this Cherry Tomato Pizza Sauce! This sauce is the perfect blend of tangy cherry tomatoes and aromatic herbs and features a unique color. Its rich consistency, bursting with flavors of garlic, onions, dried basil, and oregano, makes it truly irresistible!
You won’t believe how easy it is to make homemade pizza sauce with all your cherry tomatoes from the garden (or when they are on sale at the grocery store). Fresh flavor but a unique color, this thick sauce is our new favorite for pizza night! You can use mason jars or freezer storage bags to store your pizza sauce if you’re not using it right away. The homemade touch is far superior to any store-bought sauce.
Use this sauce on homemade pizza dough along with your favorite toppings for an incredibly delicious pizza your family will love! Trust me, it goes on our pizza every week and is a true family favorite.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Easy to make: This pizza sauce recipe is incredibly simple to prepare. With just a few steps involving roasting, sautéing, and simmering, you’ll have a homemade sauce that’s ready to top your favorite pizza dough.
Family favorite: This sauce recipe, with its fresh cherry tomatoes and flavorful blend of garlic, basil, and oregano, is bound to become a favorite among your family members. The vibrant flavors will have everyone asking for seconds during pizza night!
Versatile: This cherry tomato sauce isn’t just for pizza. It is also perfect for pasta dishes, lasagna, or as a dipping sauce. You can even adjust the flavors by adding more garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, or fresh herbs, making it truly versatile.
Crowd pleaser: Whether you’re hosting a party or a family gathering, this cherry tomato pizza sauce is sure to please the crowd. It’s not just the unique color that makes it stand out but also its fresh and tangy flavor that compliments a wide range of pizza toppings.
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Key Ingredients
Cherry Tomatoes: These are the star of the show, providing the fresh, vibrant flavor that makes this sauce stand out. Their sweetness is balanced out by the other ingredients, and they’ll break down as they simmer to create a thick, delicious sauce.
Olive Oil: This will be used to sauté the onions and garlic, and it also adds a bit of richness to the sauce. Olive oil is a staple in Italian cooking, and it compliments the flavors of the tomatoes and herbs beautifully.
Medium Onions: Onions add a savory depth to the sauce. They’ll be diced and sautéed until they’re soft and sweet, which will give the sauce a lovely, hearty flavor.
Garlic: Minced garlic adds a punch of flavor that’s essential in any good pizza sauce. It is sautéed with the onions to mellow out its sharpness and infuse the oil with its flavor. We love garlic in our family!
Dried Basil: This herb adds a sweet, slightly minty flavor that pairs perfectly with the tomatoes. It is dried, so it’ll rehydrate and release its flavor as the sauce simmers.
Dried Oregano: Another classic Italian herb, oregano adds a slightly bitter, peppery flavor that balances out the sweetness of the tomatoes and basil.
Salt: A crucial ingredient in any dish, salt enhances all the other flavors in the sauce. It’ll help the tomatoes break down and meld the flavors together as the sauce simmers.
Black Pepper: This adds a bit of heat and a touch of spiciness to the sauce. It is a simple way to add depth to the sauce’s flavor profile.
Equipment
Large Skillet or Pot – You’ll need this to sauté the onions and garlic. A large skillet or pot provides ample room for stirring and guarantees even cooking.
Immersion Blender – This nifty tool allows you to blend the sauce right in the skillet or pot, creating a smooth, velvety texture. If you don’t have one, a regular blender will work too, but be sure to cool the sauce slightly before blending to avoid splashes.
Mason Jars – After your sauce has cooled, you’ll need an airtight container or mason jars to store it in the freezer. This keeps your sauce fresh and prevents it from absorbing other flavors in the freezer.
How to Make Cherry Tomato Pizza Sauce
Preparations
Before you start the cooking process, preheat your oven to a temperature of 400˚ F. This will be used to roast your cherry tomatoes.
Step 1 – Roast the Tomatoes
Spread out the cherry tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and slide them into your preheated oven. Let them roast for about twenty minutes or until you see the skins starting to shrivel and the tomatoes beginning to pop open.
Step 2 – Sauté Onions and Garlic
While your tomatoes are roasting, grab a large skillet or pot and sauté your onions in some extra-virgin olive oil. Once the onions become translucent, add your garlic cloves and sauté for an additional two minutes.
Step 3 – Make the Sauce
Next, it’s time to add your beautifully roasted tomatoes, complete with all their juice, to the sautéed onions and garlic. Toss in the rest of your ingredients, including fresh basil leaves, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Let this mixture simmer for a good two hours, remembering to stir often.
Step 4 – Blend Using an Immersion Blender
Once done, let it cool slightly and use an immersion blender to create your sauce. If you find the sauce isn’t as thick as you’d like, simply bring it back to a simmer. When using an immersion blender, make sure to use extreme caution to avoid burns with the hot sauce.
Step 5 – Store the Sauce
After your sauce has reached your preferred thickness, let it cool down and then store it in an airtight container. Pop this into the freezer until you’re ready to thaw it out and enjoy it on your pizza dough, perhaps with some fresh mozzarella and fresh herbs to boost the flavors!
Expert Tips
Roast the Tomatoes: Roasting cherry tomatoes at a high temperature of 400˚ F until the skins start to shrivel will help to intensify their flavors and create a rich, deep-tasting sauce.
Simmer to Perfection: Let the sauce simmer for two hours, stirring often. This slow cooking process will allow the flavors to meld together and create a sauce with a robust, well-rounded taste.
Blend Carefully: Once the sauce has cooled slightly, use an immersion blender to create a smooth texture. Be careful to avoid burns from the hot sauce.
Adjust Sweetness: If your sauce turns out more acidic than you prefer, don’t fret. Add a teaspoon of sugar to balance out the acidity and make it sweeter.
Strain for Smoothness: If you prefer a smoother sauce, strain your sauce through a fine-mesh strainer once it cools to remove seeds and skins. This will give your pizza sauce a silky, smooth texture.
Recipe Variations
Add Fresh Herbs: For a more aromatic flavor, try adding a handful of fresh herbs to the sauce. Fresh basil leaves or oregano can make a huge difference. The freshness of the herbs will add a new depth to the sauce, making your pizza even more delicious.
Make it Spicy: If you’re a fan of heat, this variation is for you. Add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the sauce while it simmers. The red pepper will infuse the sauce with a spicy kick that will add an exciting twist to your pizza.
Switch up the Tomatoes: For a fun twist, try using a mix of cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and heirlooms in your sauce. Each type of tomato brings its unique flavor and texture to the sauce, making your pizza sauce even more interesting and delicious.
What to Serve With
- Elevate your pizza night with this homemade cherry tomato pizza sauce. Spread it generously over your favorite pizza dough, sprinkle some fresh mozzarella and top it off with fresh basil leaves. The blend of these flavors will make your pizza night unforgettable.
- Try it as a pasta sauce! Toss it with your favorite pasta and a sprinkle of cheese. Add some sautéed garlic cloves and fresh herbs for a homemade pasta sauce.
- If you’re looking for a twist on your traditional bruschetta, spread this sauce on toasted bread. Top it off with fresh heirlooms, extra-virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt and black pepper for an explosion of flavors.
- If you’re a fan of stuffed vegetables, try using this sauce in your recipe. Stuff bell peppers with a mixture of this sauce, cooked rice, and cheese. Bake until the peppers are tender, and the cheese is bubbly.
Recipe FAQs
For this specific pizza sauce, cherry tomatoes are the ideal choice. You could also use grape tomatoes or heirlooms. However, remember that different types of tomatoes may slightly alter the flavors of your sauce.
Not a problem! After the sauce has cooled, you can strain it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds and skins. This will give you a smoother texture.
If you find your sauce to be more acidic than you prefer, try adding a teaspoon of sugar. This should help balance out the acidity and make the sauce sweeter.
While an immersion blender can help to create a smoother sauce, it is not absolutely necessary and you can use a regular blender instead as well. If you do use an immersion blender, remember to exercise caution to avoid burns from the hot sauce.
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerate: If you plan to use your cherry tomato pizza sauce within the week, simply store it in the fridge. Use airtight containers or mason jars, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Your sauce will stay fresh and flavorful for up to seven days.
Freeze: If you’ve made a large batch of sauce and want to save some for later, freezing is a fantastic option. Just like with refrigeration, use airtight containers or mason jars, leaving about an inch of space to allow for expansion. Your sauce can be frozen for up to three months.
Thawing Instructions: When you’re ready to use your frozen sauce, let it thaw in the refrigerator for at least twenty-four hours. This slow thawing process helps preserve the sauce’s texture and flavor.
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Serving Size
What to Expect: This recipe makes thirty-two ounces or two pints of sauce. One pint will provide sauce for 12-inch medium pizzas.
How to Scale: If you want to make more than 32 oz of sauce, you can double the recipe and follow the instructions as directed. Make sure to use a larger skillet or pot.
Homemade Pizza Sauce from Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 200 cherry tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium onions diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Spread cherry tomatoes on a large baking pan lined with parchment paper. Roast tomatoes for 20 minutes or until the skins start to shrivel and the tomatoes start to pop open.
- While roasting, sauté onions in olive oil. Add garlic once translucent and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add roasted tomatoes with all juice to the sautéd onions and garlic in addition to all remaining ingredients. Simmer for two hours stirring often. Let cool slightly and use an immersion blender (carefully!) to create a sauce. Bring back to simmer if the desired thickness is not achieved yet.
- Let cool and store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to thaw and enjoy.
