BEST Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe (Sugo Al Pomodoro)
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The BEST Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce (Sugo al Pomodoro)! You will love this easy, classic, flavorful tomato sauce recipe! It comes together in less than 30 minutes with only four ingredients. This is my Nonna’s recipe, which we’ve used for generations!
Serve with your favorite pasta, Easy Fried Cheese Balls, or Crusty Bread. Try my Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce next!
This recipe is straight from my Nonna’s kitchen, where I grew up in Italy. Now, people from all over the world use it as their staple Italian pomodoro sauce recipe. It is also best paired with Neopolitan pizza dough to make pizza and homemade margherita pizza.
“I’ve made this twice(in 4 days)!! Oh. 👏 My. It is so delicious!! It is now a staple in our kitchen! It feels good to be feeding your family yummy food and also know exactly what’s in it! My picky 5 year old looooved it! I also did it with meatballs (your recipe) and my non meat loving kiddos loved it!”
– MCCALL
Use it as your favorite pizza sauce for our Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe and Pizza Al Taglio. You can also make our favorite baked rotini pasta, Nduja pasta sauce, baked eggplant with ricotta cheese, and meatless baked ziti!
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
The ingredient list is simple, but the best ingredients will elevate this Italian sugo recipe to authentic status!
- Onion
- Best quality olive oil (see recommendations)
- Best-quality canned tomatoes (see recommendations)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Variations
This authentic Italian sugo recipe is simple and rustic. If you want to vary the recipe, try these variations the next time you make it.
- Add a couple of cloves of fresh garlic. (Cook the onions and garlic separately so you don’t burn the garlic!).
- Fresh herbs such as fresh oregano, fresh thyme, or fresh rosemary, or fresh parsley as a garnish.
- A dash of Italian seasoning with dried herbs.
- Sprinkle red pepper flakes for heat.
How To Make Italian Tomato Sauce
Making this sauce is nostalgic for me, as I saw my nonna and mother do it many times. Start by slicing or dicing your onion. Add good-quality olive oil to a large pot. Heat the oil and place the onions in the pan to cook until translucent.
Then, add the whole canned tomatoes and crush them with the back of a wooden spoon. If you like, you can blend for a very smooth consistency.
Stir occasionally as the sauce cooks for 20-25 minutes on low heat. After turning off the heat, add a little salt and pepper and the fresh basil, and stir to combine. The fresh basil at the end will add a depth of fresh flavor to the pomodoro sauce.
FAQ’S
Most canned tomato pasta sauces are filled with a dozen ingredients and spices. The overdone sauce complicates the pure sweet flavor of the tomato itself. The key is using the right canned tomatoes and good quality olive oil as a base. Italian recipes are mostly simple- a few fresh ingredients create a balanced combination of flavors that complement one another perfectly. This is the authentic Italian way!
Absolutely! I encourage it. If you harvest and can your own fresh tomatoes in the summer months, they are perfect for this simple sauce. You will highlight the freshness of the tomatoes with this minimalist Italian tomato sauce recipe.
For this recipe, we use the best-canned tomatoes we can find. Picked at the peak of ripeness and properly packaged, the right canned tomatoes are perfect for this classic Italian tomato sauce recipe. Don’t use a brand that uses a lot of citric acids to preserve freshness- or it can make the sauce acidic. If you end up with a sauce that is a little acidic, add a teaspoon of sugar. I like to use whole tomatoes, such as the San Marzano tomatoes. Whole tomatoes are less processed since they aren’t diced or crushed by a machine.
Brands I recommend: Bianco DiNapoli Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes, Cento Italian Style Peeled Tomatoes, Dellalo San Marzano (DOP) Whole Peeled Tomatoes, Muir Glen Organic, and Mutti Peeled Whole Tomatoes.
If you are interested in reading more in-depth about canned tomatoes the NY Times published a great article.
I don’t cut corners regarding quality extra virgin olive oil. Flavorful olive oil is a good base for any recipe. I always recommend using high-quality ingredients because you will really taste the flavor difference, and it is worth it!
These are the olive oil brands that I recommend that you can find at most grocery stores in the United States: DeLallo, Colavita, Bertolli, California Olive Ranch,HemisFares, and Spectrum. (Contains affiliate links.)
How To Make Tomato Sauce Less Acidic
To mellow acidity in tomato sauce, try these quick tips:
- Add grated carrot or a whole carrot – It naturally sweetens the sauce without added sugar.
- Use high-quality tomatoes – San Marzano style are less acidic.
- Finish with butter or a splash of cream – Adds richness and softens sharpness.
How To Thicken Tomato Sauce
Thicken:
- Simmer uncovered to let excess liquid evaporate.
- Add tomato paste for a richer, thicker consistency.
- Stir in grated cheese like Parmigiano for flavor and body.
Thin:
- Add a splash of pasta water, broth, or plain water until the desired consistency is reached. Stir well and simmer briefly to blend.
What To Serve With This Recipe
This sugo di pomodoro sauce pairs perfectly with long or short pasta, simply topped with freshly grated Parmigiano. You can also serve it over Easy Polenta, Potato Gnocchi, or Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce, Authentic Homemade Pappardelle Pasta Recipe.
Remember to make a batch of easy homemade bread to soak up the extra sauce! Try this fast Italian No-Knead Ciabatta Bread, No-Knead Italian Focaccia Bread, or the Softest No-Knead Bread.
Use this on Italian meat recipes, such as this Braciole recipe.
More Italian Sauce Recipes
We call this our “Mother Sauce” of Italian cuisine. This delicious and authentic tomato-based sauce (Sugo) is the base for Nonna’s Famous Traditional Italian Meatballs (Polpette) and Italian Ragu Recipe, Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna with Tomato Sauce, Best Arrabbiata Sauce Recipe (Spicy Spaghetti Sauce), Pasta with Pink Sauce and Baked Eggplant Slices Recipe with Ricotta Cheese. Another creamy sauce you will love is our bechamel sauce.
If you’re looking for a bit of a twist on this classic tomato sauce, try my eggplant pasta sauce, too! Another sauce variation with canned tomatoes is this homemade marinara sauce with fresh tomato recipes. You will also love our Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe, Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup, and our Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
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Fridge: Store in jars or airtight containers for up to 1 week. Freezer: Freeze in sealed containers or bags for several months. I always keep some on hand—we use it weekly and as a base for many Italian dishes!
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Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe (Sugo Al Pomodoro)
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, yellow or white, chopped or cut into thin slices (depending on preference)
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, good quality such as Colavita
- 1 28-ounce can good quality whole peeled canned tomatoes , you can also use crushed tomatoes, or passata (tomato puree
- 5-6 leaves fresh basil, whole and washed
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or pot, medium heat, add olive oil and sauté onion for about 6 minutes, until translucent.
- Add canned tomatoes. Cover and let simmer on low-medium heat (the sauce should bubble, but not boil) after 10 minutes of cooking crush the whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon to break them up. You can also use an immersion blender.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly. Stir occasionally during cooking.
- Turn off the heat and add the basil to the sauce. Add salt and a bit of pepper to taste. If you notice any bitterness you may add a teaspoon of sugar. If you notice the sauce isn’t as thick as you like it add a tablespoon of good quality pure tomato paste.
- Store in the fridge or freezer and use as a sauce for pasta, polenta, gnocchi and more!
Notes
- Add grated carrot or a whole carrot – It naturally sweetens the sauce without added sugar.
- Use high-quality tomatoes – San Marzano style are less acidic.
- Finish with butter or a splash of cream – Adds richness and softens sharpness.
- Simmer uncovered to let excess liquid evaporate.
- Add tomato paste for a richer, thicker consistency.
- Stir in grated cheese like Parmigiano for flavor and body.
- Add a splash of pasta water, broth, or plain water until the desired consistency is reached. Stir well and simmer briefly to blend.
- Fridge- store prepared tomato sauce in Mason jars or tightly sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Freezer – as long as the cooked sauce is sealed in a proper container or in a proper freezer bag it will last several months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What a fantastic sauce! It was easy to make and turned out perfectly on the first try. It was absolutely delightful with my ravioli!
Thrilled you loved it! It’s a classic.
This is delicious! Canned sauce will not be making an appearance at my house anymore. It is so easy and flavorful. I thought my mom and aunt were just going to start eating the sauce on its own with a spoon when they tried it.
Yes! That’s what we love to hear. I have eaten it plain with a spoon. ha! Tell your mom and aunt I think it’s acceptable ;). Enjoy.
For the Basil, you just add the whole leaves? Do you take them out before using the sauce in something? I’m going to make the spinach and ricotta lasagna and just confused about having random whole basil leaves?
Hi! In Italy, we leave the basil leaves in the sauce. They cook a bit and add a lot of flavor to the sauce. If you prefer, you can take them out.
I made this with my mom. It was so fun to cook together and it was so easy. It is incredibly fresh. I think it will be hard to ever eat jarred tomato sauce again.
Very simple and flavorful recipe. A great staple to know – thank you!
The best recipes are simple! Enjoy for years to come.
It is a staple sauce for so many other recipes as well!
This sauce is easy and absolutely delicious! Fresh and classic the way sugo al pomodoro should be!
Family favorite!
How much salt do you use?
Based on taste and the acidity of the tomatoes. Start with a pinch and add to taste. Enjoy!
Favorite family recipe we’ve made for generations
A simple but tasty sauce. I never thought to use a yellow onion vs a white onion. The fresh mozzarella was a great finishing touch
It is a classic we love!
This sugo sauce recipe is my go-to for dinner. I don’t buy pre-made pasta sauce at all anymore because making this is just as easy as heating a jar of the pre-made stuff. But, it’s so much more delicious and the ingredients and simple and, of course, don’t have all the added sugar and preservatives. I love Elena’s tip to make extra and then store it in the fridge in a quart jar—all ready for dinner through the week.
Erm. That was meant to say sugo sauce! Silly autocorrect. SMH.
This recipe was so simple and easy to make and ended up tasting fantastic. The only thing that threw me was when buying the canned tomatoes I didn’t know what kind to get. I had no idea there were so many options (diced, crushed, stewed, with herbs or without)!
Happy you loved it! There are so many. I like any San Marzano variety or other high quality canned. For this recipe I typically used a crushed variety.
Elena