Roasted Tomato and Butter Bean Sauce

Name: Roasted Tomato and Butter Bean Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) plum tomatoes, fresh, halved lengthwise, seeds left in; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 5 clove (25 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ can (15 oz each) (840 g) butter beans, canned, drained and rinsed; ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable broth; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); ½ cup (12 g) fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, torn just before serving; to taste kosher salt and black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rustic Italian-inspired sauce made with roasted tomatoes that caramelize and deepen in flavor, combined with creamy butter beans and fresh basil. The tomatoes are roasted until their edges blacken slightly, concentrating their sweetness, then simmered with garlic-infused olive oil and tender butter beans. The beans partially break down and thicken the sauce while staying distinct enough to add texture. Perfect over pasta, this sauce comes together in about an hour and tastes even better the next day.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 3 cups sauce, enough for 1 pound pasta

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)
Drain and rinse canned butter beans if using them
Have fresh basil and garlic prepped and ready

1
Roast the tomatoesOven 425°F / 220°C
- Toss the halved plum tomatoes with 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper on a large rimmed sheet pan.
- Spread them in a single layer cut-side down.
- Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 25–30 minutes, until the edges are deeply browned and some spots are slightly charred.
- The tomatoes should look caramelized and smell concentrated and sweet.
- Let them cool for 5 minutes on the pan.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Tomato edges are deeply browned and slightly charred; flesh is very soft and has released its juices
Tip: Do not stir the tomatoes while roasting—let them sit cut-side down to develop their caramelized crust.
2
Toast garlic in oil
- While the tomatoes roast, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add 5 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the garlic turns pale golden (but not brown).
- Be careful not to let it burn—burnt garlic tastes bitter.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Garlic is pale golden and very fragrant
Tip: Keep the heat at medium to avoid burning the garlic. If it starts to smell harsh, the oil is too hot.
3
Add roasted tomatoes and broth
- Carefully scrape the roasted tomatoes and all their pan juices into the pot with the garlic oil.
- Add 0.75 cup (180 ml) vegetable broth and stir gently to combine.
- If you like heat, add 0.25 tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes now.
- The mixture will be fairly loose at this point.
+ Show details− Hide details
Tip: Use a flexible spatula to get every drop of caramelized goodness from the pan.
4
Simmer and break down tomatoes
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Let it bubble quietly for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently breaking apart the tomato halves with your wooden spoon as they soften.
- You're aiming for a chunky sauce, not a smooth purée—some larger tomato pieces should remain.
- The sauce will thicken slightly as it reduces.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Tomatoes are very soft and starting to fall apart; sauce has reduced and is noticeably thicker
Tip: Maintain a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so the sauce cooks evenly and doesn't splatter.
5
Add butter beans
- Stir in 1.5 cans (840 g drained) of butter beans that you've drained and rinsed thoroughly under cold water.
- Fold them gently into the sauce, being careful not to mash them—they should stay whole or mostly whole.
- Simmer for another 8–10 minutes until the beans are warmed through and have begun to absorb the tomato flavor.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beans are heated through and some have softened slightly at the edges without falling apart
Tip: Rinse canned beans thoroughly to remove excess sodium and any starchy film that could make the sauce gummy.
6
Finish with basil and season
- Remove the pot from heat.
- Tear the fresh basil leaves and stir them in just before serving.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking.
- The sauce should taste bright, rich, and well-balanced.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Basil is evenly distributed and sauce tastes balanced and aromatic
Tip: Add basil off the heat so it stays fresh and vibrant rather than becoming cooked and dull.

Good to know

Tips

For the deepest tomato flavor, use the best plum tomatoes you can find—farmers market tomatoes at peak ripeness will give you a richer sauce than supermarket tomatoes.
If your sauce seems too thin after simmering, simmer it uncovered for another 5–10 minutes to reduce further, or mash some of the butter beans against the side of the pot to release their starch and thicken the sauce naturally.
This sauce pairs beautifully with long pasta shapes like spaghetti or pappardelle that can nestle into the chunky texture, but it's equally good over penne or rigatoni.
Make this sauce when tomatoes are in season (late summer) and freeze it for winter pasta nights. The roasting process concentrates their flavors even more than slow-simmering would.

Make ahead

Prepare the sauce up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently over medium-low heat with a splash of vegetable broth or water if it thickens too much. Add the fresh basil just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container (thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating). Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a little broth or water if the sauce has thickened.

Substitutions

butter beans, canned → cannellini beans or Great Northern beans. Both are creamy and mild-flavored; use the same quantity. Cannellini beans are slightly firmer.
plum tomatoes, fresh → fresh heirloom tomatoes (Roma or San Marzano varieties work too). Choose firm tomatoes that are fully ripe. Heirloom tomatoes may have higher water content, so roast them an extra 5 minutes if needed.
fresh basil leaves → fresh oregano or a mixture of basil and mint. Oregano will give a more herbaceous, slightly minty flavor. Use the same quantity and add it off the heat.
vegetable broth → chicken broth or pasta cooking water. Chicken broth adds richness; pasta water adds starch to help the sauce coat noodles better. Use the same quantity.