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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Published: Jun 15, 2019 · Modified: Apr 3, 2023 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 25 Comments

    Cherry Tomato Sauce

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN WATCH VIDEO
    5 from 24 votes

    Cozy, rustic, and rich Cherry Tomato Sauce made with just 6 ingredients. Ready in less than 20 minutes and perfect with pasta for an easy dinner.

    spaghetti with cherry tomato sauce

    For the carb lovers amongst us who are looking for something new and saucy to smother their pasta in, enter my Cherry Tomato Sauce.

    It's here for all of your pasta tossing and thwapping on top of everything needs. It clings to pasta in all the right ways and is very meal prep and freezer friendly.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How To Make Cherry Tomato Sauce
    • How To Use Cherry Tomato Sauce
    • Storing & Freezing
    • More Pasta Recipes
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Recipe Video
    • Recipe
    • Reviews & Questions

    Ingredients

    Here's what you will be needing to make this delicious cherry tomato sauce:

    cherry tomatoes, onion, tomato pasta, herbs, garlic, olive oil, plant milk, salt & peppere

    And a few ingredient notes:

    • Cherry tomatoes - Or grape tomatoes. This is the perfect recipe for using up your summer harvest! Cherry tomatoes are generally sweeter and higher in pectin than larger tomatoes which means they will create a richer, fuller flavoured sauce.
    • Tomato paste - The combo of fresh tomatoes and tomato paste is what gives such great, concentrated flavour, and creamy consistency. Don't be tempted to use regular canned tomatoes instead.  Use tomato puree in the UK.
    • Plant milk - Adding milk to tomato sauce offsets the acidity of the tomatoes and makes the sauce creamier. Because of this, there is no need for a pinch of sugar like a lot of tomato-based sauces. Any plant milk such as almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk will do. Just be sure it is unflavoured and unsweetened.
    • Herbs - Pretty much any Italian-style herbs work in this recipe and you can use fresh herbs or dried herbs. If using fresh basil leaves though add them immediately before serving.

    Feel free to add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat in your pasta sauce!

    How To Make Cherry Tomato Sauce

    Here's the low down on how to make it:

    1. Sauté the onions, garlic, seasonings, and tomatoes in a large skillet. There is no need to peel/remove the skins from the tomatoes.
    2. Add tomato paste, stir it all up and let it cook in the hot pan for a few minutes.
    3. Add some creamy plant milk.
    4. Simmer for a few minutes until creamy and thick.

    All done, start to finish in under 20 minutes. I like to leave the sauce chunky, but you can blend it or use an immersion blender right in the pan if you prefer a smoother sauce.

    Expert Tip - When you add the tomato paste let it cook in the hot pan for a good few minutes, until it turns a deep browny, brick red. This will caramelize the natural sugars in the paste, intensifying the flavour and eliminating the "canned" flavour.

    tomato sauce in a pan

    How To Use Cherry Tomato Sauce

    I see many situations where this delish and versatile tomato sauce fits: 

    • Got a big family? - Toss through pasta to feed them all quickly and easily.
    • Meal Prep - Make a massive batch and dip into it all week long. It keeps well in the fridge for 5 or 6 days and freezes perfectly. 
    • Date Night - You, your significant other, this, a fresh, crisp salad, and a good bottle of vino.
    • Feeding the fussy kiddos? -  Most of them like spaghetti and pasta sauce!
    • A treat yourself night - You, piles of pasta, lots of vegan parmesan cheese or ricotta, and a soppy movie? 
    • It's also really good with zucchini noodles, vegan meatballs, pasta bakes, lasagna, spread on panini or sandwiches, with on vegan chicken fillets then topped with some melty vegan cheese, or on pizza in place of pizza sauce.
    • My biggest tip though is to really carb up and serve some of my No Knead Focaccia Bread on the side of your Cherry Tomato Sauce-laden pasta dish. Just perfect for sopping up that sauce!

    Expert tip - Pasta water! When serving the sauce with pasta, before draining the boiling pasta scoop out half a mug full of the starchy pasta water. Then when tossing the pasta in the sauce, add a splash of the pasta cooking water. The sauce will become extra glossy and cling to your pasta better thanks to the starch in the water!

    cherry tomato sauce mixed with spaghetti

    Storing & Freezing

    Leftover Cherry Tomato Sauce can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated for 5 to 6 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

    Reheat sauce gently in a pan on the stovetop or in a microwave until heated through.

    More Pasta Recipes

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      Vegan Carbonara
    • a pan of vegan pumpkin pasta
      Vegan Pumpkin Pasta

    Recipe FAQs

    Can this sauce be canned?

    No. Because this sauce contains plant milk it cannot be canned.

    Can I use larger tomatoes?

    You can if you want to, but cherry tomatoes create a thicker, more flavour-packed sauce because they are sweeter and contain more pectin.

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe Video

    Recipe

    spaghetti with cherry tomato sauce

    Cherry Tomato Sauce

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    5 from 24 votes
    Cozy, rustic, and rich Cherry Tomato Sauce made with just 6 ingredients. Ready in less than 20 minutes and perfect with pasta for an easy dinner.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 10 minutes minutes
    COOK TIME: 20 minutes minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil (sauté with a few tablespoons of water for oil-free)
    • 1 medium onion , diced finely
    • 4 cloves garlic , minced
    • 2 teaspoons dried or fresh herbs , rosemary, herbs de Provence, thyme, oregano, basil, Italian seasoning all work really well (or a combination).
    • 1½ teaspoons fine salt , plus more to taste
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 heaping cups (350 grams) cherry or grape tomatoes , halved
    • ⅓ cup (5½ tablespoons) tomato paste (tomato puree in the UK)
    • 1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice , (it must be unsweetened & unflavoured)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Warm a tablespoon of olive oil (or water for oil-free) in a large sauté pan over a medium heat.
    • Add the onions and cook, moving frequently until just starting to colour, then add the garlic. Cook for a minute longer.
    • Add the tomatoes and keep moving everything around for about 4 minutes, until they burst a bit and are just starting to caramelize.
    • Turn the heat down to medium-low, add the salt and pepper and herbs, then the tomato paste. Stir together well and let the tomato paste cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently until it turns a darker brick red.
    • Pour in the milk and stir well until a creamy sauce is formed. Keep it simmering over the heat for about 7 minutes, until the sauce reduces and thickens up enough to coat the pasta well. If you leave it any longer and it thickens up too much, simply add a little drop of milk (or starchy pasta water) to thin it.

    NOTES

    This full recipe will make enough sauce to coat about 18oz (500 grams) of spaghetti/pasta.
    Leftover Cherry Tomato Sauce can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated for 5 to 6 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1of 6 servingsCalories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 7.9gProtein: 1.7gFat: 0.6gSodium: 692mgFiber: 1.8gSugar: 4.2gVitamin A: 800IUVitamin C: 18.2mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 1.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Tammy says

      September 16, 2021 at 10:58 am

      5 stars
      Currently simmering this on my stove. Oh my god yum. I’m at the step to add the milk and I don’t know if I really want to. It’s kinda perfect the way it is!

      Reply
    2. Jagu says

      February 22, 2021 at 12:07 pm

      5 stars
      SO SO SO GOOD! Topped it with crushed red pepper and Beyond Sausage for protein.

      Reply
    3. Kerstin says

      February 22, 2021 at 9:30 am

      5 stars
      Melanie, I made this tomato sauce and then made the „meatballs“ out of your book Vegan Comfort Foods . Soo good , but since there is only my hubby and I, I used that dough and To make Swedish meatballs. I only switched the tamari sauce wIth vegan Worcestershire sauce but used only 1/8 cup. Of it. You know it turned out very good Thank you

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        February 22, 2021 at 11:01 am

        What a good combo! Sounds great. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    4. Lynne says

      October 09, 2020 at 8:10 pm

      5 stars
      A delicious recipe! I had about a cup of cherry tomatoes from the garden that needed to be used up so I found this recipe on your site. I halved the recipe so it should have served three. Sorry to report that it was only enough for TWO! Well, that's because it was so yummy we both had huge bowls, and then went back for SECONDS!! I'm already looking forward to next summer's cherry tomatoes! Thank you for another excellent recipe. You never disappoint!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        October 13, 2020 at 2:09 pm

        Ha ha! Thank you Lynne. I'm really pleased you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Heidi says

      September 05, 2020 at 4:35 pm

      If making to freeze should I leave out the dairy/non dairy till I am ready to use it?

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        September 06, 2020 at 1:11 pm

        Plant milks tend to freeze well. I've frozen it made as it is and it was fine. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    6. Myrn says

      September 02, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      5 stars
      I was surprised at how yummy this turned out. It seemed too simple to be so good. I used fresh basil and also used half milk & half heavy cream. This is a keeper!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        September 02, 2020 at 9:13 pm

        I'm really pleased you enjoyed it and thanks so much for coming back to leave a review/rating!

        Reply
    7. Jude says

      August 24, 2020 at 8:51 am

      5 stars
      This is just awesome! We made it for breakfast, so good. It will be our new go to pasta sauce!
      Thank You!

      Reply
    8. Helen says

      July 06, 2020 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      We loved it - and it's so easy! Thanks

      Reply
    9. Ginny Felker says

      June 16, 2020 at 5:23 pm

      Would you recommend using 2 tblsps if I am subbing for fresh rosemary? :)

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        June 16, 2020 at 7:44 pm

        When I make this with fresh I just throw in a sprig about 4 or 5 inches long then pick it out when I serve. Saves having to measure!

        Reply
    10. Jana says

      May 28, 2020 at 8:19 am

      5 stars
      So amazing! It is now my go to sauce whenever I want red sauce. I've even substituted a can of tomato sauce when I didn't have paste & it still turned out amazing. You can't go wrong with this sauce!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        May 28, 2020 at 9:50 am

        Thanks Jana. I'm really pleased you're enjoying it!

        Reply
    11. Evita says

      November 17, 2019 at 3:27 am

      5 stars
      So simple and so delicious!!! thank you for sharing this with those who want to simplify their lives :))

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        November 17, 2019 at 1:41 pm

        Thank you! I'm really pleased you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    12. Anna says

      August 21, 2019 at 5:56 pm

      Can water be substituted instead of milk?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        August 21, 2019 at 6:30 pm

        You could use water, although you probably won't need quite as much. It won't end up as creamy or rich tasting though.

        Reply
    13. Lorna McLeod says

      June 17, 2019 at 1:03 pm

      5 stars
      Another fun DELICIOUS recipe. We ate the focaccia bread with your butter and sprinkled it with granulated garlic for the BEST GARLIC BREAD EVER....Thank-you Mel for making my cooking such a delightful experience.

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        June 17, 2019 at 11:09 pm

        You've certainly been keeping busy in the kitchen! I'm thrilled you are enjoying my recipes so much. Thank you!

        Reply
    14. Nate says

      June 17, 2019 at 1:26 am

      5 stars
      Oh yum! This was totoally delicious. The whole family loved it.

      Reply
    15. Sue Williams says

      June 16, 2019 at 1:39 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight, easy and really delicious, much nicer than the shop bought ones :)

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        June 17, 2019 at 12:16 pm

        I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Sue. Thank you!

        Reply

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