If you're craving Italian cuisine, this Easy Pomodoro Sauce Recipe is just what you need! With its light, smooth sauce and simple cooking process, it's the perfect dish to whip up for a cozy pasta night or a taste of the Amalfi Coast right in your kitchen.
Why You’ll Love It
This pasta al pomodoro sauce recipe brings together the best qualities of Italian food: it’s fresh, flavorful, and easy to make. My family loves this simple pomodoro sauce recipe and I know you will, to!!
The sauce’s base of DOP San Marzano tomatoes delivers the rich, low acidity flavor essential for authentic Italian tomato sauces.
Cooking this classic italian tomato sauce over medium heat with a handful of ingredients—like extra-virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, and yellow onion—results in a sauce so good, you might find yourself licking the wooden spoon before it hits the cooked pasta!
Whether you're using it for spaghetti al pomodoro, zucchini noodles, or a dipping sauce for garlic bread, the versatility of this dish will make it a staple in your kitchen.
Plus, it’s an excellent use of canned tomatoes for when fresh ones aren’t in season.
Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need a handful of simple ingredients for this easy pomodoro sauce recipe.
For the Pomodoro Sauce:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Sweet Onion: A yellow onion works well if you don’t have sweet onion. Make sure you chop this and the garlic into small pieces
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Just a pinch adds a subtle kick.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are key for authentic Italian flavor.
- DOP San Marzano Plum Tomatoes: These canned tomatoes are essential for that classic Italian fresh tomato sauce taste. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, you totally can! I recommend going for large whole tomatoes over cherry tomatoes because it's way easier to blanche and peel them for this simple recipe.
- Sugar: Although these are low in acidity, a pinch balances acidity in the sauce. I honestly recommend this step in pretty much all canned tomato-based sauces.
- Butter: Adds a luxurious finish.
- Fresh Basil: Use whole fresh basil leaves and remove before serving.
- Kosher Salt: Use a little salt to season as you go.
For the Penne Pomodoro:
- Penne Pasta: Any of your favorite pasta shapes will work for this simple tomato sauce recipe, but penne holds the sauce beautifully.
- Burrata: Substitute with fresh mozzarella or parmesan cheese if needed.
- Fresh Basil: Adds a final pop of flavor and color to this delicious homemade sauce.
- Olive Oil & Red Pepper Flakes: Optional garnishes to enhance the dish.
How to Make It
PREP THE SAUCE INGREDIENTS: Dice the onion, mince the garlic cloves, and puree the canned tomatoes in a food processor, immersion blender, or regular blender until smooth.
COOK THE SAUCE: Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and kosher salt, and sauté until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for another two minutes.
SIMMER THE TOMATOES: Add the pureed tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, and another pinch of salt. Stir with a wooden spoon and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens into a smooth sauce.
FINISH THE SAUCE: Stir in the butter and fresh basil leaves, letting the flavors meld for two minutes. Adjust seasoning with more salt if necessary.
COOK THE PASTA: Boil a large pot of water, add salt, and cook the penne pasta until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta cooking liquid to loosen the sauce if needed.
TOSS TOGETHER: Combine the sauce and pasta over medium-low heat, stirring until the sauce coats every piece. Remove the basil leaves before plating.
PLATE & GARNISH: Add pasta to bowls, top with chunks of burrata, a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
SERVE OR SAVE: Storeyour pomodoro pasta recipe leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 hours, then refrigerate. Reheat in a large skillet with a splash of pasta water to revive the sauce's consistency.
Tips for the Best Flavor
- Choose Good Quality Tomatoes: The best tomatoes—like DOP San Marzano—yield an unbeatable flavor in your pomodoro sauce. If you can find them, GET THEM!
- Blend for Smoothness: An immersion blender makes the process mess-free and easy.
- Cook in Small Batches: For the freshest flavor, make your sauce in manageable amounts.
- Use Fresh Basil: Nothing beats the aroma and taste of fresh basil leaves.
- Don’t Skip the Butter: It’s the secret to a luscious finish. Trust me on that one - and it's not just because I'm Southern and we put butter in everything!
Pairings and Leftovers
You could easily serve this pasta pomodoro recipe with crusty garlic bread, a side of spaghetti squash, or even as a base for chicken parmesan. Here are some more of my favorite dishes to serve this tasty fresh pasta recipe with:
- Burrata Caprese
- Easy Italian Grinder Salad Recipe (Viral on Tiktok!)
- Pepperoni Pizza Caesar Wrap
- Fried Cheesy Mortadella Sliders using King's Hawaiian Soft Pretzel Bites
- Summer Peach and Tomato Salad with Halloumi & Hot Honey
- Prosciutto & Burrata Sandwich Sliders with Fig Jam & Arugula
Recipe
Simple and Easy Pomodoro Sauce Recipe for Pasta
Ingredients
For the Pomodoro Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 medium Sweet Onion finely diced
- ⅛ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper fFakes
- 10 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 large 28oz can DOP San Marzano Plum Tomatoes
- 1 pinch Sugar
- 3 tablespoon Salted Butter
- 3 Fresh Basil Leaves
- Kosher Salt
For the Penne Pomodoro
- 1 lb Penne Pasta cooked al dente
- 2 balls Burrata Cheese cut into thirds
- 1 handful Fresh Basil Leaves
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil for serving
- Red Pepper Flakes for serving
- Flaky Salt for serving
Instructions
For the Pomodoro Sauce.
- Add olive oil to a sauce pot and turn the heat to medium. Add onions, red pepper flakes, and two pinches of salt and stir - cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Meanwhile, use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the can of tomatoes until smooth. Add tomatoes to the pot with a pinch of sugar and two more pinches of salt.
- Stir and cook for about 20 minutes or until the sauce reduces. Add in butter and basil and stir - cook for another two minutes. Season with more salt if needed.
For the Penne Pomodoro
- Add al dente pasta to the pomodoro sauce and cook over medium heat until the sauce coats each noodle - about 2 minutes. Remove the wilted basil before plating pasta.
- To plate, add a few spoonfuls of the penne pomodoro to each bowl. Top each bowl with a chunk of burrata, a pinch of salt, fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
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