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cherry tomato freezer sauce

Cherry Tomato Freezer Sauce

Andreea Fegan, www.LittleBitesOfJoy.com
This cherry tomato freezer sauce is the perfect answer to the abundance of tomatoes we receive every summer. It's quick, savory, and perfect for keeping for the winter.
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Equipment

  • Baking/casserole dish (any size, but 9x13 is best)
  • Food Processor
  • Freezer bags and sharpie pen

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 cups cherry tomatoes, any color or size
  • drizzle of olive oil, optional
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • few sprigs of thyme, oregano, and/or basil
  • 2 pinches chili flakes

Instructions
 

Sauce Instructions

  • Use an oven-proof caserole dish of any size. I enjoy using a 9x13 pan and getting in about 4-6 cups of tomatoes. Adjust as necessary (smaller pan, less tomatoes), or even double the pan and double the tomatoes.
  • Simply gather enough cherry tomatoes so they lay in a single layer. Feel free to use any shape of cherry tomato: small, medium, yellow pear tomatoes, anything you have. If you have some medium sized tomatoes (like I did), you can quarter then and add them in also. Just get them all in one layer for the pan you're using. 
  • Pierce all tomatoes with a knife so they don't pop in the oven. If your tomatoes are a bit on the bigger cherry size, quarter them.
  • Drizzle with a little olive oil (very optional ~ you can make this completely fat free), and throw in the garlic.
  • Add a few sprigs of thyme, oregano, and/or basil, salt, and pepper.
  • Roast at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes, until the tomato skins have broken and released some juices.
  • Let cool, remove the herbs, and process in a food processor. I like to add a pinch or two of chili flakes at this point. I also pulse mine so it remains relatively chunky, but you can go all the way and make it smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Freezing Instructions

  • Add the sauce to freezer bags, labeled and dated.
  • Leave headspace, about an inch or two, so that if the sauce expands when frozen the bag won't pop. Pinch the bag to release extra air and seal it.
  • Freeze flat. When frozen, you can line all the bags up together in a row for easy freezer storage.