This authentic Italian tomato sauce is so quick, and easy to make that it’s ready before the pasta is finished cooking! Read the reviews; when you make this once, you’ll never go back to those inauthentic, sugar-filled jar sauces or inauthentic American recipes. Buon appetito!
As promised, here is my own “how to make tomato sauce” post. This is continued from my last rant (here) where I dissected BuzzFeed’s attempt to write a recipe for making “the best” tomato sauce, explaining why it was all wrong.
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Actually, this is not “my” recipe—this is a basic recipe that millions of Italians have used for ages to make one type of Italian pasta sauce. It’s the equivalent to posting a recipe for a basic hamburger in the US.
It’s not an actual copyrighted recipe, and of course there are variations, but almost everyone knows how to make a hamburger. However, many Americans ask…
How do you Make Fresh Tomato Sauce for Pasta?
It’s not difficult at all, and you’ll be so happy with the results (just read the reviews below).
This is a super quick Italian pasta sauce recipe which is actually ready by the time the pasta is done (usually it’s ready before then). You can choose to make a smooth or chunky sauce according to the tomatoes you use. Just remember, there should be no need to add any sugar, not even a pinch! Yes, it cuts the acidity, but if you use the right tomatoes, there is no acidity!
You may also like to make homemade gnocchi and serve it with this sauce.
This is also a base for many other types of sauces, including penne alla vodka and penne arrabbiata.
Do you need to make this sauce using fresh or frozen tomatoes? Use this fresh tomato sauce recipe.
CAVEAT: If you substitute any of the ingredients which I list, or alter any of the directions, you must realize that you will not have the same outcome, or the same flavor as the sauce that I describe here.
Cooking your pizza sauce? You’re doing it wrong!
It’s how they make it in Naples, and takes less than 5 minutes to stir together!
Once, I gave a friend a recipe with instructions on which specific ingredients to use. The friend made the recipe and then told me, “It didn’t taste as good as yours.” After a brief investigation, I realized that she had substituted inferior quality ingredients. If you want the best results, use the best ingredients!
If you’d like to make a spaghetti sauce with meat, I’ve just added this recipe (4/2021)
UPDATED July 7, 2016: eating authentic Italian pasta as part of the Mediterranean diet, can actually aid in weight loss according to a recent study.
How to Check Whether Your Canned/Jar/Box Tomatoes are Good Quality.
Want a tip on testing if your choice of canned tomatoes are top quality? First, read the label: tomatoes from Italy are usually very good, but do check the ingredients. You do not want anything added other than tomatoes, salt, basil or citric acid.
The best product is just tomatoes (I prefer the ones from a glass jar). I’ve also seen news stories where tomatoes were brought from China, then canned in Italy so they could say “made in Italy”. They added color and all sorts of nasty things, so don’t just rely on the label.
UPATE (Oct. 2019) I am now collaborating on a campaign called
The Greatest Tomatoes From Europe, with ANICAV.
Once you decide to purchase said tomatoes, here’s the second test: open the can/jar/carton and dip your fingertip into the tomatoes or puree.
Does it taste good? If you made a sour face, they’re probably not going to make a great sauce. If the answer is “Yes, they’re sweet and tasty!” then you’ve found the right tomatoes, and they will make a great sauce!
TIP: allocate one wooden spoon for making your Italian tomato sauce. Don’t use it for other dishes, especially something like a white sauce, as it can flavor more delicate recipes. Here’s mine; can you tell I’ve made quite a lot of tomato sauce over the years?
If you’re looking for an authentic bruschetta recipe, I have that for you, too!
How to Freeze Italian Tomato Sauce
This will answer any question you may have about freezing this sauce. It freezes beautifully, and all you have to do is cool it to room temperature, place in a freezer-proof container (preferably not plastic) and refrigerate until cold. Then you can label and transfer it to the freezer. It will keep for at least 6 weeks, but I don’t know who can go 6 weeks with this wonderful sauce in their freezer and not use it before then!
Authentic (Quick) Italian Tomato Sauce
for Pasta (Spaghetti Sauce)
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (my friend Amy Riolo’s olive oil manufacturer was just crowned #3rd best olive oil mill in the world! – EASY ORDER HERE)
- 4 or 5 cloves fresh garlic (not in a jar, dried, powdered, or frozen) preferably grown in USA/Europe
- small bunch of fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped (my family likes to use parsley in sugo)
- 1 (28-32 oz) carton/jar of whole, chopped tomatoes or puree (like Mutti, or Bionaturae) any tomatoes listed on the Greatest Tomatoes from Europe site will be fantastic or about 1 lb of fresh tomatoes (San Marzano, Roma or cherry tomatoes are great)
- about 1 1/2 level tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or sea salt
- 3 or 4 large leaves of fresh basil, more to add to each plate, if desired
- Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano to grate on top
To enjoy with pasta as soon as the sauce is ready, put a large pot of salted water on the cooktop over high heat and cook the pasta as directed (if you are using egg or a very quick cooking pasta, do this about half-way through these directions).
Pour the oil into a large sauté pan (not a deep pot) over medium high heat.
Crush the garlic and add it to the oil (if you want a spicy sauce, you can add some hot pepper, fresh or flakes, at this point). Sauté the garlic until it just starts to brown, then add the parsley. Notice I put the thick parsley stems in? You can pull these out later, but they add to the flavor of the sauce.
Turn the heat up to high. Now, add the quality puree (passata) or chopped tomatoes, and quickly cover with the lid for about 30 seconds, until the squirting subsides.
Stir with a wooden spoon and lower the heat a little. It is important that this sauce is cooked at a fast simmer, as it is cooked briefly. Add the salt and continue to simmer at a fast pace, and stir often, WITHOUT THE LID.
The sauce will thicken quickly, so do not overcook it, and have it become too thick; about 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient.
Taste the sauce, if it doesn’t taste delicious, it probably just needs a little more salt and you can add some black pepper if you like. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil (I tear mine into pieces) and stir well. Also, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash your basil. Wipe it with a damp paper towel instead so the water doesn’t ruin the flavor and aroma of the basil.
You can put some sauce in a bowl and set it aside at this point. This way you can add more to the pasta if it needs it (some people like less sauce, and some like more.) When the pasta is almost al dente, start adding it to the sauce in the pan.
If you drain your pasta in a colander, reserve some of the pasta water to add back into the pasta in case it’s too dry, or needs to cook longer in the sauce (turn the heat on and add more water.)
Serving pasta in a bowl, instead of a plate, keeps it hotter. I served it on a plate here as it’s nicer to show in photos, but I always serve pasta in bowls (this is the norm in Italy, too.)
Top with some freshly grated authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or Pecorino Romano. I like to eat pasta with a fresh cayenne pepper; do you like them? You now have an authentic Italian tomato sauce to use as you please!
For example, you can make this same sauce in a deep pot, cook it longer and add meatballs for a different sauce. And I just happen to have an authentic Italian meatball recipe for you. That’s what happens when your mother is born in Italy!
How NOT to Serve Pasta!
Also, if you’ve been plating pasta in a bowl, then topping it with sauce like the emoji 🍝, this is American-style. It honestly doesn’t taste as good if served this way. (If you don’t believe me, try it both ways, side by side.) You’re welcome!
If you want to serve it the way they do in Italy, mix the sauce in with the pasta and then plate it. Domenica Marchetti, who is an authority on Italian cuisine and the author of six Italian cookbooks explains this on her site, also. If you’ll notice, she also has a simple Italian tomato sauce recipe which is almost identical to mine.
BUON APPETITO!
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Authentic (Quick) Italian Tomato Sauce for Pasta
NOTE: To enjoy with pasta as soon as the sauce is ready, put a large pot of salted water on the cooktop over high heat and cook the pasta (I prefer De Cecco) as directed (if you are using egg or a very quick cooking pasta, do this about half-way through these directions).
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (my friend Amy Riolo's olive oil manufacturer was just crowned #3rd best olive oil mill in the world!)
- 4 or 5 cloves fresh garlic (not in a jar, dried, powdered, or frozen) preferably grown in USA/Europe
- small bunch of fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped (my family likes to use parsley in sugo)
- 1 (28-32 oz) carton/jar of whole, chopped tomatoes or puree (like Mutti, or Bionaturae) any tomatoes listed on the Greatest Tomatoes from Europe site will be fantastic or about 1 lb of fresh tomatoes (San Marzano, Roma or cherry tomatoes are great)
- about 1 1/2 level tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or sea salt
- 3 or 4 large leaves of fresh basil, more to add to each plate, if desired
- Parmigiano Reggiano to grate on top
Instructions
- Pour the oil into a large saute pan (not a deep pot) over medium high heat. Crush the garlic and add it to the oil (if you want a spicy sauce, you can add some hot pepper, fresh or flakes, at this point). Saute the garlic until it just starts to brown, then add the parsley.
- Turn the heat up to high. Now add the tomatoes, and quickly cover with the lid for about 30 seconds, until the squirting subsides. Stir with a wooden spoon and lower the heat a little. It is important that this sauce is cooked at a fast simmer, as it is cooked briefly.
- Add the salt and continue to simmer at a fast pace, and stir often.
- The sauce will thicken quickly, so do not overcook it, and have it become too thick; about 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient.
- Taste the sauce, if it doesn't taste delicious, it probably just needs a little more salt. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil (I tear mine into pieces). Also, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash your basil. Wipe it with a damp paper towel instead, so the water doesn't ruin the flavor and aroma.
- Add sauce to the drained pasta (save some pasta water to add back into the pasta in case it's too dry), and enjoy immediately with some freshly grated authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and/or pepper.
- Also, if you've been plating pasta in a bowl, then topping it with sauce, this is American-style. If you want to serve it the way they do in Italy, mix the sauce in and then plate it.
Notes
To enjoy with pasta as soon as the sauce is ready, put a large pot of salted water on the cooktop over high heat and cook the pasta as directed (if you are using egg or a very quick cooking pasta, do this about half-way through these directions).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 4Amount Per Serving:Calories: 135Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 498mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information is only an estimate.
You can’t get a simpler, better tasting Italian tomato sauce!
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Could I simmer this for a little while?? I would like to make it ahead of time?
Hi Christina, I wouldn’t as you’ll end up with paste, however, you can absolutely make it ahead of time! Just turn it off when it’s ready and then turn it back on a couple of minutes before you want to use it. Easy, peasy!
I intended to hit 5 stars – I’ve no idea why it ended up at 4.7! I’d give it 6 if I could as my life just got a whole lot better because of this one recipe :)
You DID click on 5 stars, Allison! Thank you!! (The overall rating from all readers is probably 4.7.) Your review made me so happy because I want EVERYONE to know what you now know. It’s like this for most “Italian” cuisine in America. Adding balsamic to Caprese salads, adding cottage cheese to lasagna, adding tons of herbs and spices to everything that is just not necessary! I hope you share with friends and family, too! Thanks again and hope you find more recipes to enjoy! :)
I would like to cook my meatballs and country style ribs in sauce. Would the meats ruin or enhance flavour?
I made this yesterday, and it’s so good! I added red pepper flakes, mushrooms, yellow zucchini, and onion to mine.
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Hi! This whole website looks AMAZING! Can’t wait to try ALL the things! Quick question, would this sauce be good to use in your lasagna recipe?
I love making stuff from scratch whenever possible.
I also have a sister who’s stomach is finicky when it comes to tomato based recipes so I definitely try to always use fresh tomatoes.
Any tips are appreciated!!
Thanks so much, Valerie! You could use this recipe for the lasagna, but honestly, I’d cook it in a pot with the lid on part-way and let it simmer for at least half an hour. Enjoy and let me know which recipes you try!
Thank you so much! Will definitely let you know!
Can you freeze this sauce?
Yes, absolutely, Kristin! It freezes beautifully.
I can only find Mutti purée 24.5 oz glass bottle. Because it is purée, do I add any water or anything?
Or I did find a store a ways away that has Bionaturae Crushed Tomatoes in the can…
Which should is best for this recipe?
Hi Kristin, that’s what I use most times for my weekly cooking (Mutti in glass bottles). You will see it’s rather thick coming out of the bottle, so add about half a cup of water to the jar, shake and rinse. Other bottled sauces usually aren’t as thick so I would add less water to rinse the bottle. The key to this is the high heat/quick cooking and enough salt. Enjoy!
So delicious. So simple. So quick to make. I added a lot of chilli (scotch bonnet and chilli flakes) and olives.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Just made this and it was absolutely delicious! I added some courgette it was amazing. Thank you for the great recipe!
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Christina, in your Porchetta recipe, can I use something else for the FENNEL POLLEN. If so give me a list to look for.
Thank you,
Carlo Bruno
Hi Carlo, you can omit it, but honestly, it would be like making cinnamon rolls without cinnamon. This is the main flavor of this porchetta recipe. There are definitely less expensive brands available, you just have to source them. Good luck!
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I was wondering about how much sauce this recipe yields as I would like to make it with fresh tomatoes from the garden and can it to use later
Hi Dylan, I’ve never measured after making this with fresh tomatoes, but it’s enough for a pound of pasta, if that helps. Great idea to can your own, enjoy!
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I made this today exactly as written and it was amazing.
I used a little more than half a pound of linguini,(I probably could have used .75 pound. There was plenty of sauce. This was a guess on my part.) and did the Italian style plating. I ate it hot and loved it. My daughter and her college friend came back from the beach around an hour later and devoured it at room temperature. Her friend said, completely unprompted, that it was just like the best pasta she had on a trip to Italy.
Fantastic to hear, Shannon! What a compliment from your daughter’s friend! I bet you’ll be making this again! Thank you for the lovely review!
Made this the other night. Followed recipe almost exactly. So incredibly simple and delicious. I did use mutti whole tomatoes which I mushed by hand into pan, I also had a couple of fresh Roma’s which I added and a teaspoon of sugar – just a tad of bitterness which this took care of. A definite keeper. Such a fresh vibrant sauce.
I’m really confused why you would add the sugar if you used Mutti and fresh tomatoes, Ann? The Mutti are already sweet, no bitterness at all. An entire teaspoon of sugar would make this so sweet so I’m wondering if you’re mistaking the lack of salt for bitterness? Give it some more salt instead of sugar next time, but glad you liked it!
Adding sugar is not about sweetness, it’s about lowering the acidity. My grandma always did this with tomato sauce.
I understand that, however, my point is that sugar is NOT NEEDED if the tomatoes are not acidic in the first place.
Hmm, why does the garlic have to be grown in the USA? We have nice garlic here in Europe.
Oh sorry, Pat. I should have specified for US readers. I see a LOT of garlic in our grocery stores that is grown in China. I’m simply telling people here that they should be aware and buy US garlic vs. Chinese. Of course, European garlic is WONDERFUL!! Especially the purple variety! Lucky you!
Hi!
I simply LOVE this recipe but…….. I am now on an AIP protocol and was wondering if you have an instapot version of this as I need to pressure cook the lectins OUT.
I’m sorry, I have no idea how to pressure cook this sauce. I think it would taste completely different, and I have no idea about using an instant pot. Sorry!
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It’s very easy recipes I give thanks to you for share this recipe.
Can I use fresh tomatoes for this because I’m not comfortable using canned goods, if yes then how many can I use
I’m wondering same..
Oh sorry I missed this question, Hitashree (and Tracy.) Yes, you absolutely can use fresh tomatoes! The number of tomatoes is completely up to you, depends on how much sauce you want to make. Use more or less olive oil, garlic etc, depending on how many tomatoes you have. You can chop the tomatoes and make it chunky or peel and blend them first, (I don’t even peel them.) The “canned” tomatoes I use come in glass jars, you might feel more comfortable using those. I highly recommend the ones from Europe in the campaign noted above.
Love this sauce! So easy to make and so delicious! Have you ever tried making a large batch and canning it?
Hi Ashley, glad you found it and love it. I haven’t canned it, but I’m sure you could! :)
There was this Italian restaurant here years ago. My family and I would go there at least once a week. Everyone who worked there was Italian. I wanted to make an authentic spaghetti sauce because I’ve been on an Italian kick, and have loved learning about their cuisine. I tasted the sauce after thinking it needed a tad more salt, and it took me back to my childhood, going to Gina’s every Sunday. I honestly had no idea how authentic the restaurant was until I tasted this sauce. I never could figure out how to make spaghetti sauce that touched my tongue in the ways I really wanted it to. This hit everything. The first time I made it I only had dry ingredients, but I have fresh today! So excited!
This makes me so very happy, Amber! I’m so glad you are now able to enjoy the pasta sauce you love whenever you want! Thank you so much for the comments, I truly appreciate them! (I do have one favor, though, since these are the comments: could you just click on the 5 stars above the PRINT button on the recipe card? It would be most appreciated!) Thanks again! CC
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