Calling all tomato lovers! In this super simple sauce, three out of the four ingredients are variations of tomato: #1 ingredient is fresh or canned tomatoes, #2 is tomato sauce, and #3 is sun-dried tomatoes and their oil. The fourth ingredient is milk of your choice: make it vegan using your favourite unsweetened plant-milk, or vegetarian with cow milk.
Better yet, this recipe requires minimal prep work: you roast the tomatoes and then blend them with the remaining ingredients. Spoon over your favourite pasta and dinner is done!
Tomatoes: We've made this with fresh tomatoes, and also with diced, canned tomatoes. Roasting the tomatoes really makes a difference, even with canned tomatoes. However, if you have fresh tomatoes, use them. The better the tomato, the better the sauce!
Tomato sauce: We use lightly salted, unseasoned tomato sauce.
Sun-dried tomatoes and their oil: We used sun-dried tomatoes and some of the oil from the jar. If you don't have the oil, you can substitute with olive oil, or just omit the oil.
Milk: For a plant-based version, use your favourite unsweetened milk. For the vegetarian version, we've used whole milk and also 2%.
Optional ingredients
Garlic powder: You can addgarlic powder to taste during the blending stage.
Basil: You can add fresh or dried basil during the blending stage. We also like using fresh basil as a garnish.
Parmesan cheese: You can add finely grated parmesan, or our 1-minute Plant-based Parmesan to the sauce itself, or you can garnish with shredded parmesan cheese, dairy or plant-based.
Sugar: If your tomatoes are acidic, add a pinch of sugar.
About roasting tomatoes
Tomatoes can be roasted at different temperatures. The lower the temperature the longer the tomatoes will take, but also the more concentrated the flavour will get. In this recipe, we choose a middle ground, roasting them at 325F for about 40 minutes, but if you prefer a higher heat and faster cooking time, you can go as high at 450F. Be sure to watch them closely. You can also slow roast them at 200F to 250, for an hour or two, until soft and jammy.
About roasting tomatoes
Tomatoes can be roasted at different temperatures. The lower the temperature the longer the tomatoes will take, but also the more concentrated the flavour will get. In this recipe, we choose a middle ground, roasting them at 325F for about 40 minutes, but if you prefer a higher heat and faster cooking time, you can go as high at 450F. Be sure to watch them closely. You can also slow roast them at 200F to 250, for an hour or two, until soft and jammy.
Visual Overview: Making 4-ingredient Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce
You need a blender to make this recipe.
Note that the images show canned tomatoes. You can use diced fresh tomatoes as well.
If you want to roast the tomatoes ahead of time, you can roast them and then refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 1: Drain the tomatoes.
Put a colander in the sink and pour in the tomatoes, letting the excess juice drain off.
Tomatoes draining in a colander
Step 2: Put the tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast.
Put the tomatoes in an even layer on the baking sheet.
Diced canned tomatoes on a baking sheet, before roasting.
Roast for 20 minutes, stir, and then roast for another 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to blacken slightly .
Roasted tomatoes on a baking sheet
Step 3: Blend the soup.
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. gr
Making sun-dried tomato cream sauce
Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. If you want to add any of the optional ingredients, such as dried garlic powder, dried basil, or finely grated parmesan cheese, add them now. r
Sun-dried tomato cream sauce
Step 4: Heat and serve with your favourite pasta.
Transfer the sauce to a pot and heat through.
Sun-dried Tomato Sauce
Combine with your favourite pasta. Optionally, garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese (plant-based or dairy).
4-ingredient Sun-dried tomato cream sauce
FAQ: Can You turn this into soup?
Yes, you can turn this into soup. It's very easy: just add more milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
FAQ: Can I turn this into soup?
Yes, you can turn this into soup. It's very easy: just add more milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
Tips: Cooking for mixed groups
This recipe is easy to make either vegan or vegetarian. The only difference is the type of milk that you use. If you want to make both versions, blend them separately.
If you have carnivores in the group, roasted chicken would work well with this sauce, as would spicy sausage meat - be sure to cook and drain it thoroughly before adding to the sauce. Alternatively, you could serve the sauce with tortellini or another stuffed pasta that contains meat.