Oven-roasted tomato passata
Sweet, concentrated passata from an allotment glut—slow-roasted tomatoes, basil and garlic. Blitz, simmer and freeze in portions for winter.
If your allotment has been wonderfully generous, this roast tomato passata is the best way to lock in that summer sunshine. Slow-roasting concentrates the sweetness and softens skins so you get a rich, smooth sauce with very little hands-on time.
Make a big batch, blitz and simmer briefly, then freeze flat in portions. Use it for pasta, soups, shakshuka or to build winter stews — tastier than store-bought and ridiculously easy.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 kg ripe tomatoes — a mix of sizes is fine — roughly 2.5 kg total
- 30 ml olive oil — about 2 tbsp
- 150 g brown onion — about 1 large, peeled and quartered
- 4 garlic — cloves, left unpeeled
- 10 g salt — adjust to taste
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 20 g fresh basil — leaves and tender stalks, roughly torn
- 5 ml caster sugar — optional — only if tomatoes are very acidic
Equipment
- baking tray
- blender or hand blender
- large saucepan
- fine-mesh sieve or food mill
- heatproof funnel
- freezer-safe tubs or bags
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 140°C fan/160°C conventional. Line two large baking trays with a little baking paper if you like — it makes cleaning easier.
Halve large tomatoes (leave small tomatoes whole). Put tomatoes, quartered brown onion and unpeeled garlic on the trays. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt and black pepper and toss so everything is lightly coated and in a single layer.
Roast low and slow in the oven until tomatoes are very soft and beginning to caramelise at the edges — this takes about 2 hours.
Remove trays and leave to cool for 10 minutes so the garlic skins loosen and the tomatoes stop steaming.
Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skins and put the garlic, roasted tomatoes and onions into a blender or use a hand blender in a wide pan. Add the torn fresh basil and the optional caster sugar. Blitz to a smooth or slightly textured purée, depending on preference.
Pour the purée into a large saucepan and simmer very gently for 15 minutes to concentrate the flavour. Stir occasionally and skim any excess foam.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little extra salt or black pepper if needed. If the passata tastes sharp, add the optional caster sugar a little at a time until balanced.
Leave the passata to cool for about 20 minutes, then funnel into sterilised jars or portion into freezer-safe tubs or bags. Label and freeze flat for up to 6 months; or keep in the fridge and use within 4 days.
Tips
- Roast low and slow — 140°C fan gives a sweet, concentrated result without burnt skins.
- Leave garlic unpeeled while roasting; it protects the flesh and squeezes out soft, mellow garlic.
- Freeze flat in freezer bags for quick defrosting and portion control; label with date and volume.
- If you prefer a velvety passata, push the purée through a fine-mesh sieve or food mill before simmering.
- Sterilise jars only if you intend to hot-process properly; for most home cooks freezing is safer and simpler.
Substitutions
olive oil → light vegetable oil, same quantity
Stays closefresh basil → dried oregano or mixed dried Italian herbs, use 1 tsp dried
Noticeably differentcaster sugar → honey, use 1 tsp and test sweetness
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 133
- Calories
- 5 g
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How long will this keep in the freezer?
Up to 6 months frozen if stored in airtight, freezer-safe tubs or bags. Thaw in the fridge or by submerging the sealed bag in cold water.
Can I use cherry or plum tomatoes?
Yes — a mix works well. Cherry tomatoes roast quickly and become very sweet; larger varieties give more bulk. Keep the total weight similar.
Do I need to peel the tomatoes?
No. Roasting loosens skins and blending then sieving (optional) removes them easily without extra fuss.
Can I make this for shelf storage in jars?
Home canning needs proper sterilising and processing equipment. For safety and simplicity, freeze or refrigerate this passata rather than attempting long-term cupboard storage.
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