After traveling to Italy and visiting Rome, the Amalfi coast and Tuscany, I believe I have perfected homemade pomodoro sauce.
Ingredients
You can find all of these ingredients at your local grocery store… or your pantry. I’m always stocked with Italian classic!
- Extra virgin olive oil – This is used to sauté the onion and garlic. It helps to prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- White onion – When paired with the garlic and the rest of the ingredients, fresh onion provides both texture and flavor to this classic pasta pomodoro sauce.
- Garlic – I almost always prefer using fresh garlic rather than garlic powder when cooking. A good pomodoro sauce has a good balance of garlic that provides a depth of flavor unmatched.
- Whole tomatoes in puree – You can find these canned tomatoes at your local grocery store. I prefer them to fresh tomatoes for this quick recipe. I like San Marzano tomatoes.
- Fresh basil leaves – Fresh herbs really take a homemade sauce to the next level. You can also add things like parsley, oregano or thyme.
- Sugar – Adding sugar helps balance out the acidity while bringing out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes.
- Salt and pepper – I used a simple blend of coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep in mind different salts measure differently so if you are using a finer salt, use less.
- Pasta – You want this to be cooked to al dente and drained. You can use anything from rigatoni to spaghetti, whichever noodles you prefer. I so like something with texture so it can let the bigger pieces of the sauce stick well.
Variations
There are plenty of ways you can make this pomodoro sauce recipe your own. Here are a few suggestions.
- Spicy – If you want to make your pomodoro sauce spicy, try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes, extra black pepper or aleppo pepper flakes to taste. My grandmother used to add finely chopped hot peppers in with the onions and garlic for a sweat-inducing sauce.
- Vegetables – If you’d like more veggies in your pasta sauce, you could add things like zucchini or carrots. Finely chop them and saute along with the onions and garlic.
- No chunks – I prefer a pomodoro with body and texture, so I choose to leave mine a chunky. That doesn’t mean some aren’t smooth and velvety (although technically speaking this makes it more of a marinara). Place your whole tomatoes in a food processor and give them a few pulses. You can also do this at the end of making the sauce with an immersion blender.
How to Make Pomodoro Sauce
You are going to love how easy it is to make this simple tomato sauce recipe
- Sauté onions and garlic. Heat the olive oil in saucepan and add the onions and garlic. Sauté until they start to soften and are fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, basil, sugar and seasonings. Roughly chop the whole tomatoes, adding to the pan along with any leftover puree. Also stir in the freshly chopped basil, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Allow to simmer. Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally. Sauce should be a little chunky.
- Serve with pasta. Toss with your favorite cooked pasta and top with a fresh grates of fresh Parmesan cheese or other desired toppings. Other favorites include more fresh basil, red pepper flakes or fresh burrata or ricotta cheeses.
How to Serve Pomodoro Sauce
Toss with your favorite pasta, which is my daughter’s case is “long springs,” also known as long fusilli, and dinner is served.
Ok, not totally, because no meal in Italy would be served without bread or breadsticks with quality olive oil for dipping. If you haven’t tried our garlic knots, give them a whirl!
If you want to add protein, try serving this pasta with shrimp, homemade italian sausage or Italian style meatballs. You could even use it as pizza sauce on homemade pizza!
Storage & Freezing
How to Store Pomodoro Sauce
Leftover pomodoro sauce and pasta can be stored in airtight containers together or seperate for up to a week. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Can I Freeze Pomodoro Sauce?
Pomodoro sauce alone can be frozen for up to 6 months in an airtight container or plastic freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
More Homemade Pasta Sauces
If you know me, you know I love a good pasta dish; you can’t have a good pasta without a homemade sauce. Here are some of our favorites.
Pomodoro Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in puree
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil minced
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound favorite pasta cooked to al dente and drained
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in saucepan and add the onions and garlic. Sauté until they start to soften and are fragrant.
- garlic and onions in olive oil
- Roughly chop the whole tomatoes, adding to the pan along with any leftover puree. Also stir in the basil, sugar, salt and pepper.
- how to make pomodoro sauce recipe
- Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Sauce should be a little chunky.
- chunky sauce on wood spoon
- Toss with your favorite cooked pasta and top with a fresh grates of Fresh Parmesan cheese.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!
Nutrition
