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Easy Slow Roasted Canned Tomato Sauce with Basil

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This easy slow roasted canned tomato sauce with basil transforms pantry staples into a rich, restaurant-quality sauce with minimal effort. The oven does all the work, concentrating the flavor and deepening the sweetness for a versatile sauce perfect for pasta, pizza, and more.

Ingredients

  • Canned whole peeled tomatoes (28 ounces / 800 grams)
  • Garlic cloves (4-5 large cloves, smashed)
  • Extra virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons / 45 ml)
  • Dried basil (1 teaspoon)
  • Dried oregano (½ teaspoon, optional)
  • Red pepper flakes (¼ teaspoon, optional)
  • Salt and black pepper (about ½ teaspoon kosher salt to start)
  • Fresh basil leaves (¼ cup, chopped, for finishing)
  • Optional: Balsamic vinegar (1 teaspoon)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Give it a full 15 minutes to come to temperature.
  2. Open your can of whole peeled tomatoes and pour everything — tomatoes and their juices — into your baking dish. Use your hands or a spoon to gently break up the tomatoes into smaller chunks. Don’t crush them completely; you want some texture for roasting.
  3. Add the smashed garlic cloves, dried basil, dried oregano (if using), red pepper flakes (if using), and about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Give everything a gentle stir to combine.
  4. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Don’t stir it in — let it sit on top.
  5. Roast for 45-55 minutes, until the tomatoes are slightly browned around the edges and the juices have thickened. The garlic should be soft and golden when you poke it with a fork. Halfway through, give the dish a gentle shake to redistribute the juices, but don’t stir.
  6. Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
  7. Add the fresh basil and optional balsamic vinegar. Stir everything together, then use your immersion blender to blend until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, pulse a few times instead of blending fully.
  8. Taste and adjust. Add more salt if needed (start with ¼ teaspoon at a time), more black pepper, or an extra splash of balsamic.
  9. Serve immediately or let it cool completely for storage.

Notes

Don’t skip the smashing step for even cooking. Use a rimmed baking dish to avoid mess. Let garlic get soft for mellow sweetness. Blend carefully if using a regular blender. Double the recipe for freezing.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow roasted tomato sauce, canned tomato sauce, easy tomato sauce, basil tomato sauce, homemade tomato sauce, weeknight dinner, pantry recipe

Find it online: https://yumbelle.com/easy-slow-roasted-canned-tomato-sauce-with-basil/