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Making your own tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes is way easier than people think! This easy cherry tomato sauce recipe is made using simple ingredients like ripe sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and classic Italian seasoning herbs. In about 30 minutes, you’ll have your own scratch-made flavorful tomato sauce!

A small bowl of cherry tomato sauce garnished with fresh basil is in a small bowl, surrounded by fresh ingredients.

Growing up with a grandma from Calabria means you get a front-row seat to all things Italian. I loved hearing about how my grandma and great-grandma would cook from scratch, and tomato sauce was a staple recipe in every Italian household.

The best sauce is a homemade one, it’s just the facts, and this homemade tomato sauce is not only super flavorful, but it’s super easy to make! You can use this sauce in a variety of ways, as a classic spaghetti sauce, as a pizza sauce, or even as a dipping sauce for Italian appetizers like meatballs and pizza bites! If you’ve ever found yourself with a few extra pints of cherry tomatoes laying around a little longer than you’d like to admit…this recipe is for you!

why this tomato sauce recipe works:

🍅 use any tomato. You can use whatever tomatoes you have on hand, and tomato season is an especially wonderful time to make this sauce!

🙌 stovetop simple. All you need is one pot or sauté pan to make this sauce on the stovetop, making it the perfect choice for a busy weeknight dinner!

⏱️ quick & easy. From start to finish, you can have this sauce ready to serve in 30 minutes or less! It’s cooked at a medium-high heat, allowing the tomatoes to burst quickly and then cook down in a flash.

🛒 ingredients

A labeled ingredient shot of the ingredients used to make a cherry tomato pasta and pizza sauce.
  • cherry tomatoes – fresh cherry tomatoes are especially sweet and flavorful, so they are wonderful to use in this recipe. As they cook, they pop open, creating a burst cherry tomato sauce that’s sweet and deep in flavor.
  • olive oil – use a good quality cooking olive oil. You don’t necessarily need to use your best extra virgin olive oil, but you’ll want a nice robust oil that will support the sweet taste of the tomatoes.
  • garlic – chopped fresh garlic sautés with the tomatoes, getting a deep and roasted flavor!
  • shallots – while optional, I love adding these small root veggies to add a light onion flavor. They also help boost the garlic flavor, too.
  • salt & pepper – description for why it’s important or how it impacts the recipe
  • dried herbs – a combination of classic Italian flavors like basil, oregano, and parsley work great in this recipe! For sauces that are cooked quickly at a higher heat like this one, I like to use dried herbs during the cooking process.
  • fresh herbs – okay, I know what I just said about using dried herbs instead of fresh, but!!! I do like to finish this sauce with a sprinkling of fresh herbs, especially when using it on pasta, because it adds a nice herbaceous layer of flavor and a pop of color! Choose fresh varieties of the dried herbs you used, like oregano or basil!

See the recipe card for the exact quantities.

🍳 instructions

Pan frying garlic and shallots for a cherry tomato sauce recipe.

1: Wash and dry your tomatoes, then peel and chop your shallots and garlic. Heat the olive oil in your pan, then add the garlic and shallots.

Seasoning cherry tomatoes.

2: Add the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs.

Pan roasted cherry tomatoes beginning to break down into a sauce.

3: Cook at a medium heat until the tomatoes start to get tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Smooshing cherry tomatoes with the back of a spatula.

4: Using your spatula or spoon, gently press on the tomatoes until they burst to help them along.

A spatula is stirring a homemade cherry tomato sauce.

5: Continue to stir and smash the tomatoes until they’re all popped.

Fresh herbs have been added to a cherry tomato sauce.

6: Add in fresh herbs, if desired, to amplify the flavor of the dried herbs. If using it in pasta dishes, the sauce is ready! If you’re using it as a dipping sauce or on pizza, allow it to cool for a few minutes before using it.

💡tips & tricks for getting it right

🍽️ serving tips

  • pizza sauce – top fresh pizza dough for a truly spectacular pie! Want an even more indulgent pizza? Use olive oil and herb marinated mozzarella as your cheese!
  • pasta sauce – this rustic sauce is perfect for any cooked pasta! Boil your favorite pasta and toss it with the tomato sauce. Be sure to save some starchy pasta water from boiling the pasta to help the noodles and sauce maintain a velvety texture.
  • freeze it – when you find yourself with an abundance of tomatoes in the summertime, you can make a big batch of this sauce and freeze the leftovers in portions that are easy for using! It’s a great way to keep dinner options stocked and ready in the freezer.
  • dipping sauce – another one of my favorite ways to use this fresh tomato sauce is to serve it alongside bite-sized appetizers, like pan fried meatballs, garlic bread, or homemade pizza bites.

ℹ️ troubleshooting tips

  • too thick – if your tomatoes don’t release lots of liquid, you can add some extra water to thin things out.
  • too chunky – use an immersion blender or food processor to purée your sauce if you want a smoother, less chunky sauce, or if you want to blend the tomato skins and seeds into the sauce.
  • not enough flavor – add another pinch or two of salt to increase the flavor of the sauce. You can also add more herbs a little at a time, tasting as you go!
  • bitter or acidic – depending on the tomatoes you use, the acidity of your sauce will vary. If it tastes bitter or sour, add a pinch of sugar or a little honey. It sounds weird, but it’s a tried and true Italian trick: the sweetness helps to balance the acidity of tomatoes out!

♻️ substitutions & variations

Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!

  • tomatoes – the best part about this sauce is that you can use whatever tomatoes you have on hand. I’ve made this sauce using grape tomatoes, multi-color snacking tomatoes, and roma tomatoes, too! If you use larger tomatoes, you may want to scrape the seeds out before cooking them down.
  • tomato paste – adding in a few teaspoons or tablespoons of tomato paste for a richer tomato flavor without cooking your sauce down.
  • red peppers – throw a red bell pepper or two into your pot to add even more flavor to your sauce. You can also use a bit of crushed red pepper flakes to make an arrabbiata style sauce!

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🧰 equipment needed & storage tips

  • saucepan or sauté pan – depending on how much sauce you’re making, you’ll need at least a 1.5-quart saucepan or a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan. Make sure to use something non-reactive— tomatoes are very acidic and reactive pans can impart a metallic taste in your sauce!
  • spatula or spoon – I love using a silicone spatula for my sauces because they’re easier to clean than wooden tools. Don’t tell my ancestors. 😬
  • cutting board & knife – a small cutting board and chef’s knife are essential for chopping garlic and shallots!
  • kitchen scale or measuring tools – I like placing a silicone trivet on my scale to measure ingredients right in my saucepan as I cook, it helps cut down on dirty dishes! But if you don’t have a scale (whyyy don’t you have a scale?!) you can use measuring cups and spoons.

🫙 storage tips

Store any unused sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the sauce for longer-term storage!

Homemade cherry tomato sauce, to be used on pasta or pizza.

If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
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A small bowl of cherry tomato sauce garnished with fresh basil is in a small bowl, surrounded by fresh ingredients.

Cherry Tomato Sauce (Easy Sauce for Pasta or Pizza)

This easy cherry tomato sauce recipe is made using simple ingredients like ripe sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and classic Italian seasoning herbs. In about 30 minutes, you’ll have your own scratch-made flavorful tomato sauce!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate

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Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Sauce, Spread
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: dipping sauce, pasta, pizza
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 161kcal
Author: Lindsey Neumayer

Ingredients

  • 320 g cherry tomatoes about 2 cups
  • 15 g shallot 1/2 small shallot
  • 7 g cloves 2 cloves
  • 26 g olive oil 2 TBSP
  • 2 g dried oregano 1 TSP
  • fresh oregano optional, small pinch, to amplify flavor
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Wash and dry your tomatoes, then peel and chop your shallots and garlic.
  • Heat the olive oil in your pan, then add the garlic and shallots.
  • Add the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs.
  • Cook at a medium-high heat until the tomatoes start to get tender. Using your spatula or spoon, gently press on the tomatoes until they burst to help them along.
  • Continue to stir and smash the tomatoes until they’re all popped.
  • Add in fresh herbs, if desired, to amplify the flavor of the dried herbs, and stir to combine.
  • If you’re using it as a pasta sauce, you can use the sauce immediately. Otherwise, allow the sauce to cool a bit, or store it in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Notes

Substitutions & Variations

  • tomatoes – the best part about this sauce is that you can use whatever tomatoes you have on hand. I’ve made this sauce using grape tomatoes, multi-color snacking tomatoes, and roma tomatoes, too! If you use larger tomatoes, you may want to scrape the seeds out before cooking them down.
  • tomato paste – adding in a few teaspoons or tablespoons of tomato paste for a richer tomato flavor without cooking your sauce down.
  • red peppers – throw a red bell pepper or two into your pot to add even more flavor to your sauce. You can also use a bit of crushed red pepper flakes to make an arrabbiata style sauce!

Nutrition Information

Servings: 2
Calories: 29mg
Total Fat: 29mg
Saturated Fat: 29mg
Trans Fat: 29mg
Cholesterol: 29mg
Sodium: 29mg
Carbohydrates: 29mg
Fiber: 29mg
Sugar: 29mg
Protein: 29mg

The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.

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2 Comments

    1. Yay! I’m so glad to hear it was an easy recipe to make, Cindy! I seriously make this a few times a month when I don’t know what to make for dinner. Thank you for sharing your review! 💕

5 from 1 vote

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