This easy Pomodoro Sauce Recipe is thick, smooth, and delicious. It tastes amazing over pasta, but is versatile enough to be used in so many other dishes.
For other tasty Italian recipes, you should try our Margherita pizza and quick spaghetti and meat sauce.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I just love this simple Pomodoro Sauce. It’s got great flavor is, doesn’t take long to make, and works with lots of dishes, making it my go-to when it’s pasta night.
- TASTE: This sauce has the sweetness of the tomatoes with the pungent flavor of the onion and garlic. Fresh basil adds some hints of citrus and spice.
- TEXTURE: Smoothly textured and thick with deliciously fresh ingredients, this tomato-based sauce is perfect with so many dishes.
- TIME: This Pomodoro Sauce takes about 30 minutes.
- EASE: It’s really easy to make this sauce and it uses only a handful of ingredients you probably already have on hand in your kitchen.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Canned tomatoes- We’ll use whole peeled tomatoes because they add thickness to the sauce and keep it from getting runny.
- Basil- Use fresh basil leaves for this recipe because it adds more aromatic flavor than dried herbs.
- Sugar- This little bit of sweetness counteracts the acidity of the tomatoes, making the sauce smoother.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Use fresh tomatoes- If you like, you can substitute fresh chopped tomatoes in this recipe. You can also use diced tomatoes, but not tomato sauce.
- Add parmesan cheese- Give this Pomodoro Sauce a nutty, cheesy flavor with the addition of some parmesan cheese.
- Add meat- Beef up this sauce with some ground beef, sausage, or shrimp.
- Make it spicy- Add some red pepper flakes to give this sauce a little heat.
How to Make Pomodoro Sauce
- Prep the onion and garlic. Chop half a yellow onion and mince the garlic cloves.
- Cook them. Place the minced garlic and onion in a pan with extra virgin olive oil. Over medium heat, stir the ingredients until the onion turns translucent.
- Blend the tomatoes. In a blender, pulse the whole peeled tomatoes until they are pureed, about 5 pulses.
- Add the tomatoes. Pour the pureed tomatoes into the pan and stir over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.
- Season the sauce. Add the sugar, salt, and basil leaves. Cook for another 5 minutes and then serve hot.
Pro Tip: Tear the basil leaves rather than chop them to preserve the essential oils and add more flavor.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t rush the onions and garlic- Cooking these two first is important because they need time to soften and release their aromatic flavors.
- Pulse the tomatoes just enough- You want this sauce to end up being thick with small pieces of tomato. Under-blending will leave it too chunky. Over-blending will result in a runnier sauce.
- Don’t skip the sugar- This adds a little sweetness that balances out the salt and acidity in the recipe.
FAQs
This Pomodoro sauce is made with fresh, flavorful ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, Garlic cloves, Yellow onion, a can of Whole peeled tomatoes, Sugar, Kosher salt, and Basil leaves.
Pomodoro sauce may have similar ingredients to marinara, but the big difference is in their textures. Marinara is more liquid and runnier, and it is often chunky. Pomodoro is thicker and smoothly textured.
Serving Suggestions
This Pomodoro Sauce is so versatile, you’ll want to make it all the time. It works with pasta, pizza, and as a base for soups.
- Pasta: Add this sauce to your favorite pastas, or try it on this Cajun Chicken Pasta, Rasta Pasta, or Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Rotini Pasta.
- Pizza: Use it as the sauce on a Margherita Pizza, Chicken Bacon Ranch Flatbread Pizza, or with some Homemade Pizza Dough.
- Soup: Make it the base for a soup, like Tortellini Soup or Homemade Chicken Meatball Soup.
- Sandwiches/Bread: Dip a Grilled Cheese Sandwich into this tasty sauce. Or use Copycat Pizza Hut Breadsticks and Garlic Cheese Bread.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Once the sauce has cooled, you can then store it in your refrigerator. Just reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop when you are ready to serve it.
Storing: Keep this Pomodoro Sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freeze: Just place the cooled sauce in ziplock freezer bags and lay them flat in your freezer. Then when they are completely frozen, stand them up to save room. Defrost it in the fridge before warming it for serving.
More Yummy Sauces!
Full Recipe Instructions
Easy Pomodoro Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 kosher salt or to taste
- About 5 basil leaves
Instructions
- Chop up 1/2 a small yellow onion and mince up 2 garlic cloves.
- Then add the onion and garlic to a pan filled with 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
- Stir the onion and garlic until the onion becomes translucent.
- Now add 1 (28 oz) can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes into a blender and pulse it into the tomatoes are puréed. About 5 pulses.
- Now add the puréed tomatoes to the pan and stir over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.
- Now add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 5 chopped basil leaves.
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes and serve over hot buttered pasta.
Notes
- Don’t rush the onions and garlic- Cooking these two first is important because they need time to soften and release their aromatic flavors.
- Pulse the tomatoes just enough- You want this sauce to end up being thick with small pieces of tomato. Under-blending will leave it too chunky. Over-blending will result in a runnier sauce.
- Don’t skip the sugar- This adds a little sweetness that balances out the salt and acidity in the recipe.
Nutrition
- Spaghetti and Meatballs - September 22, 2023
- Greek Chicken Pasta Salad - September 20, 2023
- Egg Sandwich - September 18, 2023
RNangel says
Delicious…and quick & easy. I added some crushed red pepper to the onion/garlic when onions were soft, and to the tomatoes in blender, I added a few sun dried tomatoes (the kind in oil), then blended. Have added this recipe to my Favorites page:)
Dina says
Yay! I am so happy to hear this pomodoro sauce recipe will be a repeat in your home! Very happy that you enjoyed this recipe and thank you so much for your feedback! I hope you find more delicious recipes to enjoy from my food blog! 🙂
Wendy King says
Love it!!
Dina says
Thank you Wendy! 🙂 Very happy to hear you loved this pomodoro sauce! 🙂
Dina says
Thank you!
Leona So says
Easy and delicious sauce , I made this sauce exactly like you said .it came out so rich and flavorful it could not be easier thanks as always your faithful reader.
Dina says
Thank you, Leona 🙂 So happy that you loved this pomodoro sauce! Always thankful for your support and feedback! 🙂
Mari says
Hi Dina! I really want to make this sauce and I’m wondering if I need to drain the tomatoes. It looks delicious!!
Thanks!
Dina says
Hi Mari, no need to drain the tomatoes. I hope you love this recipe! 🙂
Joy Panem says
Keep up the good work
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Joy! 🙂