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    Home » Blog Post

    Hearty Vegan Roasted Tomato Sauce

    August 17, 2013 18 Comments

    Thick tomato sauce that combines heirlooms and balsamic roasted tomatoes for a meaty flavor.

    how to make homemade roasted tomato sauce

    One of things I think about when all the heirlooms show up at the market is making homemade tomato sauce. I don't eat beef much more than once or twice a year, but I grew up loving a tomato chunky, meaty sauce for pasta. I've had to experiment a bit to get a tomato sauce that can match it.

    I won't kid you that this is exactly the same as a meaty tomato sauce, but it's a kick-butt serious tomato sauce all the same. I use fresh juicy heirlooms and my Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes. The roasted tomatoes with the balsamic gives off the thick texture I like, and a deep savory flavor that approaches meat. I just coarsely chop them so that they end up being the chunks in the sauce.

    Roasted balsamic tomatoes

    I keep the sauce pretty simple so that I can do different things with it, but feel free to add some garlic, onions, or some herbs to your liking. I'm going to experiment canning some this year so that I can have this sauce all winter long, so I'll let you know how that goes. Canning tomatoes can be a little tricky as there needs to be enough acid for it to be safe. Most canning recipes for tomatoes add some lemon juice. I have balsamic vinegar in mine, so I'm thinking it will be fine, but until I try it myself, I can't recommend it.

    how to make homemade roasted tomato sauce

    But I can recommend eating this sauce today. Totally. Most recently, I used it on the BBQ Chicken Pizza I posted earlier in the week.

    how to make homemade roasted tomato sauce
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Meaty Roasted Tomato Sauce

    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Condiment
    Servings: 1 cup
    Author: Susan Pridmore

    Ingredients

    • 3 large heirloom tomatoes
    • 8 halves of Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • Salt and Pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Peel the heirlooms with a sharp knife. It doesn't have to be perfect - this is intended to be a rustic tomato sauce. Core the tomatoes and chop them into 2 inch chunks. Place in a small pot over medium heat.
    • Add the Balsamic Roasted Tomato halves. (I keep this staple in my refrigerator all the time. It's amazing the number of uses I find for them.)
    • Add the olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper and stir.
    • Simmer until the sauce reaches the thickness you prefer. I typically simmer mine for about 30 minutes, but this at least partly depends on how juicy the heirlooms are that I'm using. Correct for seasoning.
    • I've refrigerated mine for up to two weeks without any problem.
    « Roasted Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Warm Corn Salad
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. apuginthekitchen

      August 17, 2013 at 5:37 am

      This is just lovely, I love tomato season and the heirlooms are my favorite, so sweet naturally and I love the many varieties. I also love to make a balsamic tomato roast or reduction and keep it in my fridge it's delicious. Your sauce looks meaty without the meat, thick and rich. Love it!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        August 17, 2013 at 10:05 am

        Thanks Suzanne! I'm hoping to be able to can it so I can add this to my regular "pantry" of things to make meals easy.

        Reply
    2. lizthechef

      August 17, 2013 at 7:54 am

      The perfect summer tomato sauce, Susan - I use a lot of Meyer lemon juice in mine.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        August 17, 2013 at 10:07 am

        Meyer lemon juice is perfect! Especially with your wonderful Meyer lemon tree 🙂

        Reply
    3. TasteFood

      August 17, 2013 at 8:21 am

      I love roasted tomatoes and use them in everything I can think of. That photo is gorgeous.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        August 17, 2013 at 10:09 am

        Thanks so much Lynda! Me too - roasted tomatoes is such a versatile ingredient. And I've found it to be a great substitute for meat in some dishes 🙂

        Reply
    4. Deb

      August 17, 2013 at 9:43 am

      What a robust vegetarian recipe! Seasonal and scrumptious, a perfect dinner idea!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        August 17, 2013 at 10:08 am

        Thanks so much Deb!! Totally vegetarian and vegan!!!

        Reply
    5. apuginthekitchen

      August 17, 2013 at 10:07 am

      Yes canning is a great idea, it will bring a taste of delicious summer produce as winter approaches.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        August 17, 2013 at 10:11 am

        Exactly! I just need to figure out the acidity levels, and do some testing. I think I'll add lemon juice to one of the jars and label it so I can see which ones turn out the best.

        Reply
    6. Choc Chip Uru

      August 17, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      What s hit of flavour this sauce would give my friend it takes tomato sauce to a whole new level 🙂

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

      Reply
    7. Terra

      August 17, 2013 at 7:09 pm

      Simple is totally okay with me!!! I love a flavorful homemade tomato sauce:-) Your recipe sounds delicious, Hugs, Terra

      Reply
    8. Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl

      August 18, 2013 at 3:53 pm

      Roasted tomato sauce is one of my most favorite ways to use garden tomatoes, yum! I can't get enough of it. beautiful pictures.

      Reply
    9. mjskit

      August 20, 2013 at 9:55 pm

      WOW! Does this look good or what?!?! What a beautiful sauce!

      Reply
    10. Amy Tong

      August 23, 2013 at 12:05 am

      Oh my...Your Roasted Tomato Sauce looks incredible and I bet the flavor is wonderful too. I can't wait to try this with my homegrown tomatoes. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing. Have a happy Friday and a great weekend ahead.

      Reply
    11. Cynthia

      August 24, 2013 at 5:58 am

      I grew up loving a chunky tomato sauce, too, Susan. And a pizza sounds like just the thing for a Saturday night supper!

      Reply
    12. Marika Bezuidenhout

      January 17, 2021 at 3:57 am

      I cannot wait to make this sause, I can taste it in my mouth(almost drooling)
      What was the outcome fo the test, is the balsamic enough to bottle it?

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        January 17, 2021 at 1:16 pm

        I haven't bottled it yet, so I'm still not sure. Sorry to not be able to answer that question. But the sauce is one I make regularly!!

        Reply

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    I'm a mostly vegetarian married to a mostly carnivore and am on a constant hunt for healthy, delicious recipes we'll both like. Most recipes here are vegetarian with tips for adding meat or fish for the meat-eaters at the table. Whether you're vegetarian, or just wanting to eat less meat, I hope you'll find inspiration here to try something new for your own table, even if you're sharing it with someone with different eating preferences.

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