Boost The Flavor Of Tomato Sauce With One Extra Step

Pasta night is always a family favorite, and depending on the dish, you might only need a few ingredients for a big, hearty meal (like with the lazy cook's favorite tomato sauce, pomodoro). Whether you're using a sauce right out of the jar or making your own from scratch, you can use a simple technique to take your dish up another notch. To increase your marinara's depth and complexity, try roasting your tomatoes.

This trick takes a bit of extra time, but it's not prep-intensive. All you have to do is pop the fruits in the oven for a while. When they undergo caramelization via the intense heat, your tomatoes develop more complexity and savoriness, making for one of the best umami boosters for tomato sauce. Your sauce will taste like it was simmered on nonna's stove for eight hours — delizioso.

We recommend whole canned or raw Roma or San Marzano tomatoes. Diced tomatoes will work in a pinch, but using whole fruits is best, as they will caramelize properly without overcooking, or releasing too much juice and simply stewing. And while you can buy fire-roasted canned tomatoes, they aren't recommended, as the extra smoky flavor from a second roasting could make them too intense.

If you're roasting canned tomatoes, all you need is a can or two of whole, peeled fruits and a bit of garlic. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, empty the tomatoes into a baking dish (liquid and all), and add a few whole cloves of garlic. Roast them for two to three hours, stirring after each hour. It's that simple. After your tomatoes and garlic are roasted, mash them together with a potato masher or fork, then add them to whatever sauce you're making. You'll love the sweet and smoky flavor that turns a ho-hum plate of spaghetti into a gourmet meal.

Meanwhile, if you're using raw tomatoes, your sauce will end up a bit fresher and chunkier, but will still have a solid smoky flavor. Just cut them in half, and sprinkle some Italian herbs, salt, and pepper on each exposed side. Roast them at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 50 minutes, or until they begin to brown on top. You can even leave the skins on while roasting and they'll be easy to remove once cooked — just make sure to let the tomatoes cool!

Roasted tomatoes pair perfectly with any basic tomato sauce recipe, or they can be a tasty addition to a celeb chef-recommended, store-bought pasta sauce — just mix the tomatoes into the sauce and let it simmer until the flavors meld. Add Italian herbs, salt, and pepper to taste, and enjoy all the smoky goodness with your favorite pasta.