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Best Easy Slow Cooker Cherry Tomato Sauce for Freezer Batch

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This easy slow cooker cherry tomato sauce is a set-it-and-forget-it recipe that transforms fresh cherry tomatoes into a rich, flavorful sauce perfect for freezing. It’s simple, forgiving, and tastes like summer all year round.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 pounds cherry tomatoes (about 1.8 kg)
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
  • 6 to 8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the cherry tomatoes and remove any stems or leaves. No need to halve them.
  2. Smash the garlic cloves by placing them on a cutting board and pressing firmly with the flat side of a knife.
  3. Add the cherry tomatoes, smashed garlic, fresh basil, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil to a 5-6 quart slow cooker. If using balsamic vinegar and onion powder, add them as well. Stir gently to combine.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the tomatoes are very soft and have released their juices.
  5. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until smooth, or use a potato masher for a chunkier texture.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar if needed.
  7. Let the sauce cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes with the lid off), then transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving about an inch of headspace. Label with the date and freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Don’t skip the balsamic vinegar—it adds depth. Watch your slow cooker as some run hotter; check at 5 hours. Season in stages to avoid over-salting. Let sauce cool completely before freezing to prevent ice crystals. The sauce thickens as it cools.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker cherry tomato sauce, freezer batch, homemade pasta sauce, easy tomato sauce, cherry tomato recipe

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