There are very few things in this world that are better than a relaxing weekend pasta dinner. Sure, those jarred sauces work for weeknights, but for a weekend dinner, taking a little extra time to make your own marinara sauce really takes it up a notch. Rich was out of town this weekend, so I indulged in some serious me-time and this pasta dinner (with plenty of leftovers for him when he gets back!). You know what makes this meal even better and perfect for fall, though? It’s an heirloom tomato marinara.

Heirloom tomatoes are in peak season right now (find out what else is in season here), and they have so much juicy flavor, I don’t know if I ever want to go back to regular tomatoes. I roasted them in the oven with onions and garlic and then pureed them into this awesome marinara. The result is a beautiful, flavorful sauce that I’m thinking about jarring and selling (any takers? LOL). To round out the dinner, I made basic turkey meatballs and boiled up some homemade pasta that I made earlier in the day, but you can definitely just boil some out of the box. Side Note: Making pasta is like meditation, I swear.

I’ve put the recipe below. Let me know if you try it out!

HEIRLOOM TOMATO MARINARA

Serves: 6-8

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 6-7 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled & halved
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• teaspoon oregano

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place heirloom tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a rimmed sheet pan. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano. Bake for 45 minutes.

Transfer to a blender or food processor, and pulse until it becomes a chunky, but well-blended sauce. (You can also use an immersion blender if you have one.) Pour the blended marinara into a sauce pan and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens up, about 30-45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with meatballs and/or pasta.

Have fun and good luck if you try it! Although you won’t need it because it’s that easy.