Simple Fresh Grape Tomato Sauce

This simple fresh grape tomato sauce is perfect for any weather. If there was a word for fresher than fresh, this tomato sauce would be it. Bright red, grape or cherry tomatoes cooked until burst open to create a juicy, creamy, sauce that comes together in minutes.

A big reason for creating this recipe is because of the surplus of grape tomatoes that can be left over if you have plants.  I have recently started getting into growing vegetables and herbs, and I’m loving it!  So before all those tomatoes go bad, this is the perfect way to use them.

Another benefit is that you can freeze this sauce in case you make a lot and cannot eat it all right away.

The combination of aromatic basil, fragrant garlic slices and warm olive oil gives this sauce life. Maybe you’ll add red pepper flakes to make it arrabbiata. I didn’t find the sauce too acidic, but if you’re concerned, a couple dashes of sugar should do the trick.

To achieve the creaminess, we take about half the mixture once cooked and blended it before returning it to the pan.  We recently upgraded to this food processor, and we are loving it!  You could also use a blender like this Vitamix.

The Vitamix is quite expensive, but we’ve literally used it almost every day since we bought it.  We use it for smoothies, sauces, soup and more!  I’m sure you can find a cheaper blender that will work just fine, but the Vitamix is the real deal.

This 15-minute simple fresh grape tomato sauce makes a great base layer for many meals. Serve this sauce with everything that needs tomato sauce. Zucchini noodles happen to be my favorite at the moment. These photos feature a yellow squash and regular spaghetti mixture.

There’s a ton of options for how you can use this simple fresh tomato sauce, such as:

• Deep Dish Pizza
• Lasagna Bowls
• Cauliflower Parmesan
• Seitan Parmesan

If you happen to make this recipe and enjoyed it, please comment below and tag us on social media @pastabased!

3.65 from 170 votes

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Fresh Grape Tomato Sauce

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

This fresh grape tomato sauce uses only four ingredients and takes 15 minutes to make. It's made with basil, garlic, and olive oil. Bright red, grape or cherry tomatoes are cooked in a pan until burst open to create a juicy, creamy, sauce that comes together in minutes.

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 2 servings

Calories per Serving: 93 kcal

Author: pasta-based

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh grape tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic sliced
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Slice grape tomatoes in half and set aside. Slice fresh garlic cloves and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil on medium-heat until crackling. Add fresh garlic and sauté for a minute or two until fragrant, but not browned. 

3. Add sliced grape tomatoes and fresh basil, stir. Cook until grape tomatoes start to burst open, about 6 minutes. 

4. Scoop half of the grape tomatoes into a food processor or blender.* Blend until smooth. 

5. Add blended tomatoes back into the saucepan, and stir until heated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors. Serve warm over pasta.

Recipe Notes

*If you would rather a smoother sauce, without any tomato skins, blend all the tomatoes instead of half.

This recipe makes about 1.5 cups of sauce

Nutrition Facts

Fresh Grape Tomato Sauce

Amount Per Serving (0.75 cup)

Calories 93 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Sodium 16mg1%

Potassium 730mg21%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 2545IU51%

Vitamin C 42.7mg52%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 0.9mg5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.