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!) 🍝
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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?
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!
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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!
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So the tomatoes were marked down to 3p for 6 so I used them peeled in this recipe. Seems good to me even though I used garlic paste. My garlic hasn’t even sprouted yet 😀 So 15p later I have my first batch. I’m going to add chilli to one lot and freeze batches. Then it’s time to use my other 15 p worth. I don’t want to waste the skins though.
That’s brilliant, Michelle! What a healthy inexpensive way to make prep-ahead meals! If you think it tastes good with garlic paste, wait until you try it with fresh garlic! Why don’t you buy some at the store until yours is ready? It really makes a difference in the flavor. Next time, keep the skins on and if you don’t like the feel in your mouth, just blend them up! :) Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Hiya! Fellow English girl here :), so I have recently been browsing the internet for authentic italian tomato sauce for pasta and ALL of them say for onions and garlic to be added with a many different array of dried herbs. None of them called out to me. It’s so difficult to find authentic recipes because everyone labels their own as authentic when they’re really not! After literally months of searching I landed on this recipie, I must say, it looks promising :) I’ve only seen 1 other recipie call for only garlic, tomatoes and basil, I saw this recipie and thought it must be real so i had a read of the comments and they all look good! It looks like I’ll be giving this a try :) I have a question though….. i brought a tin of “peeled plum tomatoes” they are in a rich tomato juice and are prepared and packed in italy. They are also a good well known brand. My question is, would these be ok to use for this recipie?? Thanks :)
Hi Rebecca! You share in my frustration (don’t know if you saw the other post where I ranted for miles?)! I understand “authentic” is different to different people, BUT show me ONE person from Italy that makes their sauce with tons of herbs and spices. I bet there’s not one as that’s an American thing.
You can add onion, that’s not “wrong” as every part of Italy makes their sauce a bit differently. However, I see recipes putting in ingredients in the wrong order and that will change the flavor. This recipe is from the southern part of Italy (south of Rome).
Regarding your tomatoes: once you open the can, dip your finger in and taste the tomatoes. If they are acidic and make you pucker, no, they’re not good. You should be able to taste it and actually enjoy the flavor straight from the jar or can. That’s the best test. :)
Let me know how it turns out! CC
When I was a kid…(I’m not saying anything more, LOL), Cento was the go to brand. When Pomi came along i tried them but I find them bitter, so stopped using them. I live in Florida now and it is difficult to find Italian brands of tomatoes. I tried going back to Cento but i find every variety of them to be bitter. Is it just me, or has something changed?
I do believe it has. Lots of companies are putting $ over quality of product and we are suffering. I’m sure there’s a Cost Plus World Market near you, no? Check out their Mutti tomato puree (in glass jars). I think you’ll like them.
What happened to Pomi tomatoes? Not too long ago they were the darling of the food community. I notice that your article must have been written before the change because the photo shoes a tetra pack of Pomi. Your comment about no longer liking Pomi must have been a more recent edit.
Good question, Charlie. I do need to update my photos as it confuses readers seeing the Pomi and then me saying I no longer use them. They used to be FANTASTIC, then one day I bought a load of them and they were disgusting. Dark red, but with a blackish tint to them (didn’t look like tomato puree) and the worst part was they tasted horrible. I took them back to the store. My mother had the same experience, so I don’t know if they fell into the category of the companies buying Chinese tomatoes and coloring and doctoring them and claiming they’re from Italy, or what happened? There was a documentary about the tomato industry, much the same as what’s happened with the olive oil industry. We just don’t know where our food is coming from, and WHAT is actually in it. I recommend Mutti, their tomatoes are consistently good (and I drove by their plant in Emilia Romagna)!
Christina, thanks for the quick response! Believe it or not, I use Mutti more often than I use Pomi, mainly because I find the Pomi tetra pack to be cumbersome. I use the Mutti 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes (which are chopped so small as to be almost a crushed tomato product) and their glass jar of passata. I also use a glass jar of passata from Bionaturae. Earlier this week I made a tomato-garlic-basil sauce using a pack of Pomi, and they seemed to be ok.
Bionaturae are good, too. I use the Mutti glass jars and rinse with a bit of water as they tend to be a bit thick for me. Maybe Pomi is okay again? I’ll just stick with Mutti though. My husband bought 10 cases, so we’re good for a while!! haha!
Hi – love this quick and easy sauce. I’ve never made sauce from fresh Roma tomatoes. Can you walk me through this? I’m told the difference is outstanding with fresh tomatoes and I’d like to give it a try. Do you blanch the tomatoes first to remove the skin? Remove seeds then simply dice?
Thanks
Hi Annemarie, the difference IS outstanding IF you have good quality fresh tomatoes. Don’t bother if they’re tasteless as the sauce will be, too. If you get your hands on some really nice Roma or grape/cherry tomatoes, then yes, you can do either (blanch to remove the skin or just remove the seeds and chop). You can leave the seeds in, too. Or you can make the sauce then blend it so there are no bits. Any way will work! Enjoy!
What’s a small bunch of parsley?
1 or 2 tbsps of chopped parsley. Not imperative to have an exact amount of parsley, you just don’t want to overload it with a large bunch of parsley :)