Easy Pomodoro Sauce
You don’t need to buy canned, pre-made tomato sauce when you have a recipe as easy as this Pomodoro Sauce! I grew up with tomato sauce coursing through my veins, so this easy sauce that comes together in about 30 minutes brings me right back to childhood.
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From Grandma’s Kitchen to Mine
I’m going to do that stereotypical food blogger thing and talk about my Italian grandma before I get to the actual recipe 😂. Don’t hate me!
I grew up in a big Italian family. My Grandma Connie (dad’s mom) is an Italian immigrant who moved to the US around 1950. She spoke very little English, but she communicated through food. She only lived a street away from me growing up, so when I was young I would walk my dog to Grandma’s house and she’d immediately offer me a meatball sandwich while I raided her pantry for those butterscotch caramels that every grandma kept on hand.
My grandma had a garden in her back yard that she tended to with pride. Every summer she would grow about 80 tomato plants, and every September she would pick her ripened tomatoes, puree and process them, and funnel that liquid gold into sanitized mason jars. The whole family would get involved in this process, and we’d end up with dozens upon dozens os jars full of homemade sauce that were stored in Grandma’s basement.
Every few weeks, we would go back into the basement to grab a few new jars of sauce to take home so we could make our weekly Sunday gravy (we were a “gravy” family, and rarely called it “sauce”). To grandma’s sauce, we would always add a jar of Pastene ‘Kitchen Ready’ Ground Peeled Tomatoes. The gravy would simmer for hours, and when it was ready we’d rip up some Italian bread and dip it directly into the pot, eating each sauce-soaked slice over the kitchen sink.
Continuing the Gravy Train
My dad has since taken over the tradition of gardening and growing tomatoes, jarring sauce, and distributing it to anyone who wants some. I live over 3000 miles away, in an apartment without a garden, so I rarely have the opportunity to taste that nostalgic gravy. My diet has also changed a lot since I was a kid–I’m no longer eating spaghetti and meatballs for 5 out of 7 dinners each week, and I only have one other mouth to feed right now. So I’m not making a big batch of Sunday gravy every week like my family did. But whenever I want a delicious pasta sauce without having access to my family’s jarred tomatoes, I love to make this super simple San Marzano tomato sauce.
Easy Pomodoro Sauce using San Marzano Tomatoes
“Pomodoro” is Italian for “tomato,” so the term “pomodoro sauce” is quite general. But an authentic pomodoro sauce recipe consists of fresh tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, basil, and salt.
This sauce literally comes together in as little as 30 minutes (though, I often recommend simmering for longer if you add a parmesan cheese rind for extra flavor!). I typically like a smooth sauce, but depending how I’m serving it, sometimes I love some chunky bits of tomato throughout.
The kind of tomatoes you use is super important, too. If you’re being budget-conscious, you can always just use the cheapest store brand crushed tomato. My family is always partial to Pastene, Cento, and Contadina. I prefer Cento, but if I can get my hands on authentic San Marzano tomatoes, I will always choose that over anything else!
How to Spot Authentic San Marzano Tomatoes
San Marzano tomatoes are considered the best tomatoes in the world to use in sauces! That’s because they have a lower water content, fewer seeds, a meatier flesh, and a perfectly balanced flavor which makes for a luscious and rich tomato sauce.
If you’ve ever heard the real champagne is only made in the Champagne region of France, and any “champagne” made anywhere else in the world is not real champagne, the same logic applies here with San Marzano tomatoes! San Marzano tomatoes are grown in potassium-rich soil in the Southern region of Italy near Mount Vesuvius. So, similar to how the grapes for wine can taste different depending on the region and soil it is grown in, terroir is just as important in creating the best tasting tomatoes for sauce! The mineral content in the soil helps to produce a sweeter and less acidic tomato.
Authentic San Marzano tomatoes will have two stamps on a label to indicate that they are certified real San Marzano tomatoes. The two stamps are a red and yellow DOP (Denominazione D’Origine Protetta) stamp from the EU, and the colorful logo of the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino Consorzio that says “Pomodoro S. Marzano Dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino.”
Some authentic San Marzano brands you can find online or in some grocers in the United States: include: La Valle, Mutti, and Rega. If you have an Italian imports store near you, check their selection, too! Some local grocery stores will carry a few brands of authentic San Marzano tomatoes.
Ingredients for Pomodoro Sauce
- San Marzano Tomatoes. You can always use a can of crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes, even if they’re not San Marzano. I typically use Cento, which isn’t authentic and certified San Marzano, but they’re grown in Italy and from my experience are the closest in quality and the easiest to find at many grocery stores.
- Extra virgin olive oil. Good quality is important here, too! But I’ll save that rant for another blog post.
- Garlic. I used about 5 cloves, minced. Your nostrils will thank you for the smell produced by sautéing garlic in olive oil to start off this sauce!
- Parmesan rind (optional). This ingredient is not in a traditional pomodoro sauce recipe, but I had just finished up a wedge of parmesan and thought I’d add some cheesy flavor to the sauce!
- Sugar (optional). If you are using certified San Marzano tomatoes, they are already naturally balanced in their sweetness and acidity, so you likely won’t need to add sugar. I like to add a teaspoon (to taste) if I feel like the sauce needs to be balanced a bit.
- Salt & pepper. Season to taste, of course!
- Fresh herbs. Adding some chopped basil brings a lot of brightness and flavor to this sauce! Fresh oregano is great here, too. I had some parsley on hand that I decided to use.
How to Make The Easiest Pasta Sauce
This sauce is SO easy to make with minimal ingredients and as little as 30 minutes (though, I do like to simmer the sauce for a lot longer, if I have the time). Keep scrolling to find the recipe card with detailed measurements and instructions. Here are some images to walk you through an overview of the process of making pomodoro sauce!
- Crush the tomatoes. I like to get my hands dirty here! Pour the tomatoes into a mixing bowl, roll up your sleeves, and crush the tomatoes with your hands. This leads to a slightly chunky sauce. If that’s not your thing, you can always throw these in a blender and puree the tomatoes.
- Sauté the garlic. Perhaps my favorite part of the recipe is cooking the garlic in olive oil. Heat oil in your pan until it starts to shimmer, then add minced garlic. You’ll only cook for about a minute as it becomes super fragrant!
- Add the tomatoes and season. Pour in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add in optional ingredients. As your sauce simmers, give it a taste to test the acidity. Does it taste a bit sour or acidic? Add a teaspoon of sugar to help balance the sauce. You can also add a parmesan rind (if you already have one on hand) if you want to add some cheesiness to the sauce.
- Simmer and finish with fresh herbs. The sauce should cook for at least 30 minutes on low, but if you have time, let it simmer for an hour or two! In the last few minutes of cooking, stir in your fresh basil.
Storing and Reheating Pomodoro Sauce
You can store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. You can also freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat from refrigerated, pour the sauce into a pan and simmer over medium or medium-low heat. From frozen, defrost in the refrigerator over night before reheating on the stovetop.
FAQs
Why are San Marzano tomatoes considered the best for sauce?
San Marzano tomatoes have a sweeter, more concentrated flavor, a thicker flesh, lower water content, and fewer seeds, making them perfect for a rich, smooth, and flavorful pasta sauce. They are grown in a specific region of Italy near Mount Vesuvius and have a protected Designation of Origin (DOP) to guarantee quality and authenticity. So, when you’re shopping for San Marzano tomatoes, keep an eye out for an indicator on the label that shows they are real and authentic!
How can you tell San Marzano tomatoes are authentic?
Canned San Marzano tomatoes are only sold whole, peeled, and preserved in their own liquids. They will never be diced or pureed. If you see a label that says “San Marzano Style” then it’s also not quite a real San Marzano tomato. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for two specific stamps on the label that indicate the authenticity of the tomatoes: the red and yellow DOP stamp from the EU, and the colorful logo of the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino Consorzio. If the tomatoes aren’t whole and peeled and the label does not include these two logos, they are not real San Marzano tomatoes. You can learn more about this here!
Why add sugar to tomato sauce?
Adding a bit of sugar to tomato sauce helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes by adding a little bit of sweetness. If you taste your tomato sauce before adding sugar and it tastes a bit sour or acidic, add a teaspoon of sugar and let it simmer for a bit, then taste it again! You might notice a slight difference in how the sauce is balanced. It should not be overly sweet, but it will bring out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes while toning down the acidity.
Can I add meatballs to cook in the sauce?
YES! This is how my family does it! My dad actually likes to cook about an ounce of ground beef and ground sausage in the pan first before adding garlic and tomatoes. We bake our meatballs before adding the meatballs and juices from the pan directly into the sauce. The version of our sauce recipe on this page is vegetarian, but if you like to add some meaty flavor to your sauce, too, I highly recommend cooking your meatballs directly in the sauce!
Can you add onion to a pomodoro sauce?
Absolutely! Many tomato sauces do call for onion to be sautéd in olive oil before adding garlic. Just dice or mince the onion so your sauce doesn’t end up too chunky. Alternatively, I have an aunt that likes to cut an onion into quarters and cook it directly in the sauce to infuse some onion flavor, then she’ll remove the onion before serving the sauce.
What can I use pomodoro sauce for?
I love tossing some homemade pasta in pomodoro sauce! Check out my lemon ricotta ravioli to pair perfectly with this sauce!
Equipment
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Easy Pomodoro Sauce
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
A pomodoro sauce that is so easy to make, you’ll stop buying store-bought pasta sauces!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 28oz can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 small parmesan rind (optional)
- 1–2 tbsp fresh herbs (basil, oregano, parsley)
Instructions
- Crush the tomatoes. Pour the canned tomatoes into a mixing bowl. Use your hands to crush the tomatoes for a chunkier sauce. You can also push tomatoes through a fine mesh sieve. Or if you prefer a smoother sauce, put the tomatoes into a blender and puree until smooth.
- Sauté the garlic. In a sauce pot or large high-sided pan with a lid over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add minced garlic and stir, cooking for one minute until it becomes fragrant. Be careful not to brown or fry the garlic.
- Add the tomatoes and season. Pour in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in optional ingredients. As your sauce simmers, give it a taste to test the acidity. If it tastes a bit sour or acidic, add a teaspoon of sugar to help balance the sauce. If you have a parmesan rind on hand and want to infuse some cheesy flavor into the sauce, add it to the sauce at this time.
- Simmer and finish with fresh herbs. Let the sauce simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes, but if you have the time, I recommend cooking for 1-2 hours! In the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, add in fresh herbs and stir.
- Store or serve. If you’re not using the sauce right away, let the sauce cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator or freezer. If you’re serving it immediately, toss your pasta directly in the sauce with a bit of pasta water to bring it all together!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup sauce
- Calories: 87
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 545.8 mg
- Fat: 7.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
