Cherry Tomato Sauce - The Recipe Critic (2024)

You can easily make tomato sauce using cherry tomatoes with just a few ingredients. Cherry tomatoes infused with fresh garlic and Italian seasonings make this cherry tomato sauce perfect for pasta, on top of roasted vegetables, or with a side of artisan bread.

When my garden is bursting with tomatoes, I have plenty of tomatoes to make all the homemade sauce recipes I love. My easy tomato sauce and my homemade pizza sauce comes in so handy when we make pizza. I also love making a big batch of spaghetti sauce because my family will eat it throughout the week!

What Does Cherry Tomato Sauce Taste Like?

Cherry tomatoes surprisingly make a rustic and savory sauce! If you aren’t familiar with cherry tomatoes, then you are probably wondering what is different about them! Cherry tomatoes are much sweeter than larger tomatoes. They produce more pectin than most kinds of tomatoes. The pectin is what helps your tomato sauce get nice and thick.

Everyone knows that when you plant tomatoes, you better have recipes ready to use for your crop! What can you do with the overloaded tomatoes from your garden? Try using them in this incredible baked chicken or these tasty kabobs as a side dish. I also love to make this salad in the summertime with fresh cherry tomatoes.

What Do You Need For Cherry Tomato Sauce?

Using fresh tomatoes always makes tomato sauce taste much more homemade and adds many flavors. I always make sure to plant cherry tomatoes and fresh basil so I can make this rustic sauce. You can find cherry tomatoes and fresh basil year-round at most stores, so the good news is you can make this sauce anytime! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact measurements.

• Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is my favorite because it has a little extra flavor.
• Garlic: I always like to use fresh garlic. It adds such a delicious flavor, and I want to put it in everything!
• Cherry Tomatoes: Keep your cherry tomatoes whole. Just remove the stems and leave the skin on. Just try to resist devouring them all!
• Salt: Salt helps balance out all the tomato sauce flavors.
• Pepper: Cracked black pepper is always what I reach for to add a little bit of flavor but not too much heat.
• Italian Seasoning: Adding Italian seasoning flavors the sauce perfectly! I love homemade Italian seasoning, but feel free to use store-bought.

How Do You Make Cherry Tomato Sauce?

The beauty of this cherry tomato sauce is that it doesn’t require any blanching or removal of the tomato skins to make it. It comes together so quickly that it makes for a great weeknight meal. A tip I learned when making tomato sauce is to add in just a pinch of sugar. This helps balance out the flavors if the sauce tastes acidic.

1. Heat Skillet and Oil: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and heat through for about one minute.
2. Add Garlic: Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and softened.
3. Combine: Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil if you desire.
4. Cook: Cook and stir sauce the sauce for 10-15 minutes. Allow the sauce to simmer on medium-low heat until the tomatoes burst.
5. Mash: Mash the tomatoes using a mashing utensil. You can also use the back of a fork to mash the tomatoes.
6. Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh basil and serve over pasta, with a side of bread, or add meat.