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!
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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
- Prep tomatoes. Wash and dry your tomatoes, then peel and chop your shallots and garlic.320 g cherry tomatoes
- Cook garlic + shallot. Heat the olive oil in your pan, then add the garlic and shallots.15 g shallot, 7 g cloves
- Add tomatoes. Add the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs.320 g cherry tomatoes, 26 g olive oil, 2 g dried oregano
- Cook down. 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.
- Stir + smash. Continue to stir and smash the tomatoes until they’re all popped.
- Season. Add in fresh herbs, if desired, to amplify the flavor of the dried herbs, and stir to combine.
- Use or store. 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
♻️ customize your sauce
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- 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.
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- tomato paste - adding in a few teaspoons or tablespoons of tomato paste for a richer tomato flavor without cooking your sauce down.
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- 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!
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!
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 29mgPotassium: 422mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 805IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg
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Keyword: dipping sauce, garlic, pasta, pizza, shallot, summer, The Feels, The Oomph, The Pop