Introducing my overnight roasted tomato sauce recipe – a culinary delight that promises to elevate your pasta dishes to new heights! If you’ve been searching for the perfect tomato sauce with rich, deep flavors, look no further. My step-by-step guide will walk you through the simple yet magical process of slow-roasting tomatoes overnight to create a sauce that’s bursting with intense taste.
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Jump to RecipeWhy slow roast tomato sauce?
- Enhanced Flavor: Slow-roasting tomatoes allows them to caramelize, concentrating their natural sweetness and intensifying their flavor. This results in a sauce with a rich, deep, and complex taste that can be far superior to sauces made from quickly cooked or canned tomatoes.
- Improved Texture: Slow-roasting breaks down the tomatoes’ cell walls and naturally thickens the sauce over time. This gives the sauce a smoother, silkier texture without the need for added thickeners or excessive cooking.
- Minimal Effort: While it may take several hours, slow-roasting tomato sauce requires very little active effort. You can prepare the ingredients, put them in a roaster oven, and let time do the work for you. This makes it a convenient option for busy home cooks.
- Versatility: Slow-roasted tomato sauce serves as a versatile base for a wide range of tomato dishes, like homemade tomato soup and pizza sauce to name a few. Its intense flavor and texture make it an excellent addition to various recipes.
- Batch Cooking: Slow-roasting allows you to make a large batch of tomato sauce at once, which can be portioned, separated, and stored for other uses. Canning your homemade roasted tomato sauce means you can enjoy homemade tomato sauce whenever you want, even during the off-season when fresh tomatoes may not be readily available.
- Health Benefits: Slow-roasting preserves more of the tomatoes’ nutrients compared to rapid cooking or boiling methods that expose them to high heat for a short time. You can enjoy the health benefits of tomatoes, including their high lycopene content, in your slow-roasted sauce.
Equipment needed to make overnight roasted tomato sauce
The only item needed to make this tomato sauce is an electric oven roaster. I use a 22qt like this one. I also use a roaster liner in my roaster oven for super easy cleanup! If you would like to preserve your sauce, you will also need a water bath canner with rack, canning jars/lids/bands, jar lifter, and funnel. If you would like to make tomato soup with your roasted tomato sauce, you will need a food mill or strainer. More about that below!
Ingredients to make overnight roasted tomato sauce
- Tomatoes – 1 peck. I use Amish paste tomatoes, but any kind of sauce tomato will do just fine. Simply core and cut the tomatoes into quarters.
- Onions – 2 large onions peeled and quartered
- Garlic – 1 whole head, peel the cloves
- Green pepper – 2 peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
- Hot pepper – I like to add 2 hot banana peppers to the mix. Feel free to omit if you like.
- Carrots – 2 medium roughly chopped. This is my secret ingredient that adds sweetness to the sauce without processed sugar
Make it!
Making this sauce couldn’t be easier…add all ingredients to the roaster and set the temperature to 225 degrees. Place the lid askew so that the steam will allow to escape. Let it roast for 8-10 hours.
Note about seasoning
Do not add seasoning to the sauce until after the roasting process. I think adding herbs to the sauce prior to roasting causes them to become bitter. I also prefer to season the finished product with salt and pepper to my taste. Adding sooner may result in an over-seasoned product.
How to use your overnight roasted tomato sauce
I make one HUGE batch of this sauce overnight, then finish it in very different ways, depending on what I want to preserve or use.
Tomato sauce
If you are looking for a simple, flavorful tomato sauce then take your slow roasted tomatoes, place the contents into a stock pot, and use an immersion blender to whip up the best sauce you have ever tasted! I only add dried herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
Tomato soup
Run your roasted tomato sauce through a food strainer or sieve to get a fine, silky sauce. I use this Weston food strainer for both my tomatoes and my homemade applesauce. Place the strained sauce into a stock pot, and add chicken or vegetable stock to create the most flavorful tomato soup you have ever tasted! Season with dried herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.
Pizza sauce
There is nothing better than homemade pizza sauce, and this roasted tomato blend is perfect! Simply place your tomato sauce into a stockpot, add some tomato paste, and cook a little longer to reduce the sauce even further. Add dried herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.
Preserving your tomato sauce
Fresh tomato sauce will last up to five days in the refrigerator. Fresh tomato sauce freezes well and should be used within six months.
Any of the above variations of slow roasted tomato sauce can also be easily preserved for long term storage! Simply add 1/2 tsp per quart (or 1/4 tsp per pint) of lemon juice to each canning jar. Don’t worry, you won’t taste it. The lemon juice ensures the proper acidity of the product for water bath canning. Fill your jars and process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes.
Slow-roasting tomato sauce is a time-tested method that results in a sauce with exceptional flavor, texture, and versatility. While it may require an overnight process, the delicious and authentic taste it produces is well worth the wait.
Easy Overnight Roasted Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Electric oven roaster
- 1 Oven roaster liner optional
- 18 Pint canning jars (or 9 quart jars) optional if preserving
- 18 Canning lids/bands optional if preserving
- 1 Water bath canner with rack optional if preserving
Ingredients
- 1 Peck Sauce tomatoes, cored and quartered Amish paste, Roma, San Marzano
- 2 large Onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 Green peppers, seeded and rough chopped
- 2 Hot banana peppers, seeded and rough chopped Optional
- 2 Carrots, peeled and rough chopped
- 1 head Garlic, peeled
- Lemon juice Optional – For canning purposes only
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dried Italian herbs to taste
Instructions
- Chop all vegetables and place into an electric roaster oven
- Set temperature to 225 degrees and place lid askew to allow steam to escape. Roast overnight (8-10 hours)
For Tomato Sauce
- Transfer roasted vegetables to a large stock pot. Puree with immersion blender until smooth.
- Add salt, pepper, and herbs to taste
For Tomato Soup
- Run roasted vegetables through a food mill.
- Add 1-2 quarts of chicken or vegetable stock to achieve desired thickness
- Add salt, pepper, and herbs to taste
For Pizza Sauce
- Transfer roasted vegetables to a large stock pot
- Add 1 large can of tomato paste
- Cook sauce to desired consistency, about 1 hour
- Add salt, pepper, and herbs to taste
To Preserve Tomato Sauce, Soup, and Pizza Sauce
- Add 1/2 tsp per quart (1/4 tsp per pint) of lemon juice to clean canning jars
- Fill jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace
- Wipe rim with clean cloth to remove residue
- Add new canning lid and ring tightened to fingertip tightness only
- Place jars into a water bath canner. Cover jars with water to at least 1 inch over top
- Bring to a full rolling boil. Process jars for 15 minutes
- Turn off heat and allow jars to rest with lid off for 5 minutes
- Remove jars and place on a towel-lined surface. Let cool for 24 hours
- Check for seal, remove rings, label your jars and store in a cool dark area
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