I’ve been fortunate to have a productive garden this year, and that abundance inspired me to make a simple, versatile roasted tomato sauce. I’ve already tried a few different sauces — some spicy, some herb-forward — but this one is an everyday, no-frills base you can use as-is or customize later.

I used Romas because a lot ripened at once, but you can make this with any tomatoes you have on hand: Patio, grape, cherry, beefsteak, or a mix from the farmer’s market or your garden. The method is straightforward and yields a rich, fresh sauce you’ll find handy for many dishes.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Slice small tomatoes in half, quarter medium tomatoes, and core and cut large tomatoes like beefsteak into eighths. Arrange the tomatoes cut side up in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets. I find placing an old towel beneath the baking sheet helps contain any drips.

Season each baking sheet with about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, add a few dashes of pepper if you like, and either spray the tops with a butter-flavored no-stick spray or drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Roast the tomatoes for about one hour. Positioning sheets on different racks gives you a range of caramelization: the center rack produces a light brown finish, the top has less color, and the lower rack yields more charring. I sometimes use two racks without rotating the pans so the final batch has a pleasing mix of lightly roasted and slightly more charred pieces.

After roasting, let the tomatoes cool slightly. Working in batches, turn them cut side down in a colander to drain excess juices and seeds, then transfer them to a bowl. Use your hands or a slotted spoon—whichever you prefer.

Add drained tomatoes to your food processor or blender in batches, taking care not to exceed the maximum fill line. Process until smooth; the skins can be included for extra body and flavor.

Spoon the finished sauce into jars or freezer-safe containers, leaving about 1 inch of headspace to allow for expansion if you freeze. Let the jars cool, seal them, and store in the freezer. The sauce thaws easily and can be used straight from the jar or cooked down further for a thicker consistency.

This simple roasted tomato sauce is flavorful, versatile, and an excellent way to use an abundance of tomatoes. Use it as a direct substitute for store-bought sauce, or season it with garlic, basil, onions, red pepper flakes, or other herbs and spices to create different profiles.

I hope you enjoy this easy method for making roasted tomato sauce—it’s a great staple to keep on hand. Take care!

Easy All-Purpose Roasted Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• Fresh tomatoes, destemmed and cored if necessary. Halve small varieties (Roma, grape, cherry), quarter medium (Patio), and cut large tomatoes (beefsteak) into eighths.
• 1 tsp kosher salt per filled baking sheet
• A few dashes of pepper (optional)
• Nonstick spray, neutral salad oil, or olive oil

Tools Needed:

• Paring knife
• Parchment paper
• Large rimmed baking sheet
• Colander
• Large bowl
• Food processor or blender
• Jars or freezer containers

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Remove stems, rinse tomatoes with cold water, and dry.
3. Line one or more baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Slice tomatoes: halve small, quarter medium, and core-and-eighth large varieties.
5. Arrange tomatoes cut side-up in a single, full layer on the prepared sheets.
6. Sprinkle about 1 tsp kosher salt per sheet, add pepper if desired, and lightly spray or drizzle with oil.
7. Roast about 1 hour, until the tomatoes look slightly dried, bubbling a bit, and the bottoms show a light char.
8. Remove from oven and let cool briefly.
9. Working in batches, place tomatoes cut side-down in a colander to drain, then transfer to a bowl.
10. Add drained tomatoes to the food processor in batches (do not overfill) and process until smooth.
11. Ladle into jars or freezer containers, leaving 1″ headspace, cool, then seal and freeze.
12. Use in place of store-bought tomato sauce or season to taste.