Authentic Homemade Tomato Sauce for Pasta (Quick and Easy)
This authentic Italian tomato sauce (yes, it’s what you’d call “marinara”) 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, store-bought sauces, or inauthentic 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. (I HAVE ADDED A LINK TO A TIK TOK VIDEO!) 🍝
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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?
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, trottole, and penne arrabbiata. If you want to add both onion and garlic to this sauce, you may, but I’d suggest making it as written the first time.
Here’s a picture of farfalle rigate with this sauce along with the recipe.
How do you make Marinara Sauce?
Let me first explain that “marinara” sauce in the US is not what marinara sauce is in Italy. The recipe I am sharing today for a quick homemade tomato sauce is what Americans would refer to as a “marinara” sauce. So if you’re looking for a marinara sauce recipe, you have found it!
Now, what is a marinara sauce in Italy? Unless it’s a pizza, marinara refers to seafood (the English word “marine” comes from Latin. “Mare” in Italian means “sea”.) So this recipe is more of a marinara sauce in Italy. A bit confusing, especially since I just realized that most Americans searching for this recipe are googling “marinara sauce”, and they’ll probably never find it! 😭
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!
This is 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 the Quality of your Tomatoes.
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.
I’ve 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. See the “Il Pomodori di Napoli”? These are from Naples, so they’re the real deal and delicious! Discover lots of new canned tomato recipes that you can enjoy on my latest post!
At the tomato factory in Italy, I was advised that it’s best to buy whole tomatoes in the can, that way you can see what you’re getting (as opposed to purée.) The cans will always say “pomodori pelati Italiani”, which simply means “Italian peeled tomatoes”. Makes sense to me, but there’s nothing wrong with buying a quality tomato purée you trust.
Once you decide to purchase said tomatoes, here’s the second test: open the can/jar/carton and taste 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!
CLICK TO SEE THE VIDEO MY DAUGHTER MADE FOR ME ON TIK TOK!
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!
What’s the Difference Between Italian Tomato Sauce and Marinara?
Italian tomato sauce is just any authentic tomato sauce that you’d find in a home or restaurant in Italy. However, marinara sauce means two things depending on where you are. In the US, marinara is used to refer to a meatless or vegetarian sauce, whereas in Italy, marinara means a seafood sauce. To add more confusion, a marinara pizza doesn’t have any seafood on it, but is a plain tomato sauce pizza with garlic, oil and oregano.
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)
recipe almost everyone in Italy makes enough for 1 lb of pasta
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh garlic
- fresh Italian parsley
- carton/jar of whole, chopped tomatoes or puree (like Mutti, or Bionaturae) or about 1 lb of fresh tomatoes
- Diamond Crystal Kosher or sea salt (note: salts are not all equally salty)
- fresh basil
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). You can use an immersion blender to purée the tomatoes if you like a smooth sauce.
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 to a medium heat, or higher. 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. This is not a super thick sauce, so don’t let it cook too long.
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.)
You can top this dish with a little freshly grated authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese DOP or Pecorino Romano DOP, however, know that most Italians don’t add a strong cheese to a light, fresh sauce like this one. At this point, you shouldn’t really need to add any salt and pepper. I like to eat pasta with a fresh cayenne pepper and nice glass of red wine.
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! Pasta is also never a side dish!
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!
Don’t miss another post! Sign up for my free subscription at the top of this post.
Authentic (Quick) Italian Tomato Sauce for Pasta
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves fresh garlic preferably grown in USA/Europe
- 1 bunch Italian parsley fresh, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp)
- 28 oz whole tomatoes or purée canned or fresh
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 5 fresh basil large leaves
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).
- Sauté 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 lively 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. Use as desired.
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).
- Add drained pasta to the sauce (save some pasta water to add back into the pasta in case it's too dry), and enjoy immediately.
- I like Mutti, La Valle or Bionaturae brands, or about 1 lb of fresh tomatoes (San Marzano, Roma or cherry tomatoes are great)
- 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. You will 100% taste the difference.
Nutrition
You can’t get a simpler, better tasting Italian tomato sauce!
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
This is a great staple recipe to use with loads of other dishes too. It’s one of my favourites too, in addition to this recipe i also use finely chopped (or puréed onions – to hide from my kids), a bayleaf, dried oregano and also use a combination of tinned and fresh tomatoes – other then that i have been using the same recipe for many years now. Love this xx
Love it! Especially the pureed onion part! haha! Thanks, Marina!
I just made this sauce last week after work. It really is quick and I give it a delicious FIVE stars! l!!
It’s a perfect sauce to make when you don’t have much time (or nothing to eat)! haha! Thank you, Sue!!
This recipes looks divine. I didn’t know about cooking at a higher temperature for a shorter time. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks for the note on Pomi. My last several boxes have been so bitter that I have stopped buying too. Glad to have your confirmation.
Absolutely, Dana! You picked up on the key to this sauce. Use good quality ingredients and cook it on high and you’ve got a great sauce! :)
This makes a truly lovely sauce! It’s one of my favorites.??
Fantastic, Jana! So glad you love it!
My sauce turned out slightly bitter is this normal? I used tinned roma tomatoes
Hi Rosanna, I’m so sorry I missed your comment until now (I was in Europe when you commented). The reason your sauce was bitter was probably due to the brand of tomatoes you used. Were they from Italy? Did you do the taste test when you opened the can? Can you remember which brand you used? I gave some names of good brands of tomatoes in the recipe, why don’t you try with those and see if you get the same results. I bet you won’t!! :)
I know this is a really old post, but: oh my goodness this is lovely! I bookmarked this recipe when you posted it but hadn’t made it because I’ve tried so many tomato sauce recipes and they keep turning out really acidic or one-dimensional, and never have the richness that I remember from the pastas my cousins made me in Italy. This was a first attempt but wow! I thought it was too good to be true with so few ingredients and so little time required to make it, but I should have known better (considering how much I love your other recipes). It really gets the richness that most of my attempts have lacked. Thank you for showing me that I don’t have to wait until my next visit for good pasta! Your sticky toffee pudding is still my favorite recipe on the blog, but this is joining the list!
I just got back from Mexico, Taylor, and am now just reading your comment. Thank you so much! What a lovely sentiment and I must say I’m delighted to hear that you tried this recipe and love it! It really is a good one to have simply because it’s so easy when there’s nothing on hand to eat for dinner! :) Next you’ll have to try my aunt’s Penne Alla Vodka recipe! Very similar to this one, but a bit more naughty :)
Thanks again! Keep on cooking (and baking)! :)
I find it humorous what you say about Pomi, yet what zoe you siding in the photo . ???
That’s the EXACT reason that I wrote that, Mary. I USED to use Pomi when it was good, but since I took that photo, the product changed, so I updated my post to warn others. Sorry that wasn’t clear. CC
Hello! This recipe is basically what one of my Italian friends calls a red sauce “base” – as in something to then layer on top of to make other sauces. So my question is this…. how? From here would I, say, add meat? Or diced tomatoes for something a little bit chunkier? I’m just a bit lost–Italian food is way outside of my wheelhouse.
Hi Holly, authentic Italian food is one of the easiest to make. If you want to make a more traditional sauce, use a pot instead of a saucepan. Then, just add whatever type of meat or vegetables you want in the oil, then add the garlic and parsley before adding the tomatoes (puree, or chunky, fresh or from a jar). You don’t have to turn the heat way up just before adding the tomatoes, just bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and add the salt. Simmer gently for 45 minutes to an hour, then add basil at the end (check for salt). :) See, easy peasy! :)
Thank you so much for your kind and prompt response! I appreciate it very much! This is very helpful.
How long would you reccomended cooking the meat in the oil for before adding everything else. And what would you say is the best cut of pork to use
Oh dear, I missed this question, Rich! I’m so sorry! If you will still get this, you just need to sear/brown the meat for a few minutes on each side as it will continue to cook in the sauce. I don’t usually put pork in my sauce, but anything with a bit of fat with have more flavor in the sauce. Sorry again, I usually respond within hours! :(