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There’s just something irresistible about a big bowl of spaghetti with oven roasted tomato sauce. Sweet grape tomatoes slowly caramelize in the oven with garlic, thyme, and balsamic until they’re rich, jammy, and bursting with flavor. Tossed with spaghetti, the sauce clings to every strand, making this pasta taste like it’s been simmering all day — but with almost no effort.
The best part? You don’t need to fuss with peeling or seeding tomatoes, and since it uses year-round grape tomatoes, you can enjoy this fresh, homemade pasta sauce anytime of the year. It’s the kind of simple, cozy recipe that’s so much better than store-bought and exactly the kind of simple comfort you’ll want on repeat. Perfect for busy weeknights — and especially for Make It Easy Mondays— my weekly round-up of easy dinners that I send out to my subscribers set the tone for a stress-free week.✨✨
If you love really delicious pasta recipes, I hope you’ll try my creamy Tuscan sausage pasta, creamy lemon chicken pasta, and Cajun chicken alfredo next!
Before You Begin
- Use year-round ingredients: This recipe calls for grape (or cherry) tomatoes, which means you can enjoy a fresh, homemade tomato sauce any time of year — no waiting for peak tomato season.
- The oven builds the flavor for you: Slow roasting caramelizes the tomatoes and garlic, creating a rich, almost jammy sauce with hardly any effort.
- No peeling or seeding needed: Unlike traditional sauces, this recipe skips the extra work. Just toss everything in the pan and let the oven do the magic.
- Better than jarred: With olive oil, balsamic, and thyme, the flavor is deeper and fresher than anything you’ll find in a store-bought jar.
- Perfect for Make It Easy Mondays: Quick prep and hands-off cooking make this the kind of stress-free recipe that sets you up for a smoother week.
Why This Recipe Works
- Roasted for maximum flavor: Slow roasting the tomatoes concentrates their natural sweetness and creates a rich, caramelized sauce that tastes like it’s been simmering all day.
- Easy, hands-off cooking: The oven does most of the heavy lifting, so you get big flavor with very little effort — perfect for busy weeknights.
- No tricky prep: No need to peel or seed the tomatoes; just toss them in the pan with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, and let the magic happen.
- Year-round fresh taste: Grape tomatoes are easy to find any time of year, making this a reliable go-to pasta sauce whenever the craving hits.
- Better than jarred sauce: With balsamic, garlic, and thyme, this homemade version delivers fresher, deeper flavor than anything you’ll pull off the shelf.
Roasted Tomato Sauce Ingredients
- Cherry Tomatoes: You can use cherry or grape tomatoes. All red or a pretty mix of colors.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic, not the stuff that comes already chopped in a jar.
- Olive Oil: I like EVOO.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Adds the necessary acidity to the sauce with some added sweetness.
- Fresh Thyme: I love how the oil becomes infused with the fresh thyme flavor. If you live in an area where you can grow this year-round, do it! English thyme is one of the easiest herbs I grow!
- Brown Sugar: Don’t skip this. It absolutely makes the sauce!
- Salt + Black Pepper: Finished the seasoning.
- Pasta: We chose to serve the sauce with spaghetti, but really it would be delicious with most pasta shapes. Be sure to use good, high-quality pasta like Barilla.
- Parsley: Adds a nice touch of herbaceous freshness and a pop of color.
Best Sides for Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato Sauce
This pasta is hearty and flavorful on its own, but it pairs beautifully with classic sides and a little something sweet to round out the meal:
Fresh & Crisp Sides
- Mediterranean Salad– A bright, veggie-packed salad with olives, cucumbers, and feta that adds a fresh, zesty balance to the rich pasta.
- House Salad– My simple house salad tossed with either tangy red wine vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette for a light, refreshing side.
- Strawberry Salad – Sweet strawberries, crisp greens, crunchy nuts, and tangy blue cheese are tossed in an easy homemade sherry vinaigrette that’s such a family favorite it even gets my 3-year-old grand daughter to eat salad!
Bread Basket Favorites
- Garlic Bread – Buttery, golden, and loaded with garlic flavor — the ultimate pasta-night classic for soaking up every drop of sauce.
- Olive Garden Breadsticks – Soft, chewy, and brushed with garlic butter, these restaurant-style breadsticks bring that irresistible Olive Garden magic home.
- Practically No-Knead Bread – A crusty, artisan-style loaf that’s shockingly easy to make, perfect for serving warm alongside spaghetti.
- Pull Apart Garlic Bread – A fun, shareable twist with gooey cheese and garlicky goodness in every bite — it disappears fast at the table!
Veggie Sides
- Sheet Pan Mediterranean Vegetables – Colorful, roasted veggies with olive oil and herbs that add a light, healthy balance to pasta night.
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts – Paired with pancetta and sage, are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of caramelized flavor that pairs beautifully with tomato sauce.
- Garlic Sauteed Asparagus – Fresh asparagus quickly sautéed with garlic for a simple, flavorful side that comes together in minutes, and everyone loves.
- Simple Roasted Peppers – Crazy easy to make with no peeling required — the oven does all the work, and the peppers turn sweet and candy-like as they roast.
Sweet Finishes
- Tiramisu – A classic Italian favorite with creamy layers of mascarpone and espresso-soaked ladyfingers. People beg for this recipe!
- Italian Christmas Cookies – Soft, sweet, and glazed — a reader favorite I make all year long, not just for the holidays. This recipe makes a big batch, so I cut it down in half for everyday baking. These little cookies are deliciously authentic! You’re Nonna will be proud.
- Italian Rainbow Cookies – Colorful almond cake layers with jam and chocolate, a festive treat that always impresses. They’re a bit of a project to make, but so worth the effort!
- Italian Fig Cookies – A traditional Italian cookie filled with spiced figs and nuts, perfect alongside a cup of coffee. Another project cookie, but these are bakery-quality little gems!
Storing + Freezing + Reheating + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This pasta with roasted tomatoes and garlic will last 3-5 days in the fridge.
- Can You Freeze This? This slow-roasted tomato sauce is best made fresh.
- How to Reheat:
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- On the Stovetop (Best Method): Place leftovers in a skillet or saucepan with a splash of water, broth, or even a drizzle of olive oil. Warm over medium heat, tossing gently until the pasta is heated through and the sauce loosens up.
- In the Microwave (Quick Method): Transfer to a microwave-safe dish, sprinkle a little water over the pasta, cover loosely with a lid or damp paper towel, and heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring in between until warmed through.
- In the Oven (For Larger Portions): Transfer pasta to an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for about 15–20 minutes, or until hot. (If using a glass or ceramic baking dish, let it come to room temperature first before placing in the oven to prevent cracking).
- Food Safety: For more information on food safety, please visit this link.
More Pasta Favorites
- Chicken Spaghetti Bake
- Spaghetti Recipe With Ground Beef
- TikTok Spaghetti
- Cavatappi With creamy tomato sauce
- Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Chicken Riggies
- Chicken Alfredo
- Chicken Spaghetti With Rotel
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Spaghetti with Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce
This easy spaghetti with oven roasted tomato sauce is made with year-round grape tomatoes for a cozy, homemade dinner that’s so much better than jarred.”
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound 6 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 16 ounces dried spaghetti
- 2-3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- In a nonreactive 9x13-inch baking dish, add the olive oil 91/2 cup), balsamic vinegar (2 tablespoons), thyme (1 tablespoon), brown sugar (2 teaspoons), salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon) and whisk to combine.
- Add the tomatoes (1 pound 6 ounces) and garlic (3) and toss to coat well.
- Bake in preheated oven until tomatoes are softened and caramelized about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, cook spaghetti (16 ounces) according to package instructions. Drain well. Pour the drained pasta back into the completely dry pot, it was cooked in. Pour the baked tomatoes and all the rest of the ingredients from the baking pan over the pasta and toss well. Serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 677IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg
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My husband is a picky eater, he looooved it! This recipe is a keeper!
Woohoo! Celebration! Thanks so much, Elaine 🙂
CAN YOU USE OTHER TYPES OF TOMATOES IF CHERRY IS NOT AVAILABLE, PLEASE REPLAY ASAP IF POSSIBLE TO MY EMAIL ADDRESS AND THANK YOU FOR YUMMY RECIPES
Hi Dorothy. This recipe is designed to capitalize on the sweetness and the skins of the cherry tomatoes. The only other tomato I would suggest would be grape tomatoes. Perhaps if you can not find either, you could try a plum tomato, like a Roma and quarter it then proceed with the recipe. I hope that helps!
Also, I sent you an email to make sure you get the info you need! <3