Sheet-Pan Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
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This is a robust roasted tomato sauce that you can make entirely hands-free. It’s a spicy sauce is made on a sheet pan with cherry tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and extra virgin olive oil and pairs with any type of pasta. Dress up the finished plate with fresh basil and ricotta cheese and enjoy one of my favorite pasta dinners.
Me and pasta. It’s one love, one heart. This sheet pan pasta sauce is my lazy version of a classic all’amatriciana sauce recipe. It’s easily made on a rimmed baking sheet with a handful of ingredients — because pasta dinner on a sheet pan makes life so much easier.
If you want the other end of the spectrum — no oven, no stove, but five minutes flat — try my no-cook fresh tomato sauce instead.
Key ingredient notes
- Cherry tomatoes: I’ve experimented with different types of tomatoes, and I’ve found that cherry tomatoes or small, greenhouse-grown vine tomatoes give up the most juice for that ultimate saucy texture.
- Garlic: I recommend using fresh garlic that has been grated or very finely chopped because the fine texture is the best way to infuse the sauce with flavor quickly. Adding it toward the end of roasting the tomatoes ensures the garlic doesn’t burn.
Steps for success: Making roasted tomato sauce
1. Toss extra-virgin olive oil, fresh tomatoes on a sheet pan with chili pepper. 2. Roast 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes are very soft. 3. Top with garlic and fresh basil, and gently mash into a sauce. Add some of the starchy pasta water to the tomatoes to loosen the sauce
- For a restaurant-worthy plate, dish out the pasta and serve with a creamy dollop of ricotta cheese.
Sheet-Pan Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds (680 g) cherry tomatoes, or small vine tomatoes such as Campari
- ¼ cup (65 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ – 1 teaspoon crushed red chili, to taste
- 1 fresh red chili pepper, halved lengthwise, optional
- Kosher salt
- 12 ounces (340 g) dried bucatini or spaghetti
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (125 g) whole milk ricotta cheese
- Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 (220C) degrees.
- Put half of the cherry tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Slice the remaining tomatoes in half and add to the baking sheet.
- Toss the tomatoes with the oil, crushed red pepper, fresh chili and ¾ teaspoon salt.
- Roast 20-25 minutes, until the tomatoes are very soft, shriveled and juicy. Use the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to lightly crush the tomatoes. For extra heat, chop the chili pepper and add back to the sauce, otherwise remove it.
- While the tomatoes are roasting, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil with 2 tablespoons salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions 7 – 10 minutes for perfect al dente texture.
- Scoop out ½cup of the pasta water and reserve. Drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl (cover to keep warm).
- Pour ¼ cup of the pasta water onto the sheet pan. Add the garlic and stir to create a saucy, chunky consistency, adding additional water little by little as needed. Stir in the basil.
- Add about half the sauce to the pasta and toss to coat. To serve, portion the pasta into bowls and spoon 2 tablespoons ricotta alongside each one. Add more sauce to taste and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Notes
- Keep the sauce refrigerated up to a week, and frozen 1-2 months.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Can you make this with beef steak/roma tomatoes?
Yes, you can! Slice your tomatoes into 2-inch chunks and roast as directed.