This is an incredibly easy, rich and flavorful pomodoro sauce recipe to spice up your dinners. Perfect to serve mixed into pasta for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
It’s bold, fragrant and delicious, and I think you’re going to love it! Much like a classic marinara with a few distinctions, it’s worth the extra step to create a decadent pasta dinner everyone will adore.
This pomodoro sauce is so quick and easy to make and so flavorful!
You know I love my pasta dishes, and this recipe is up one of my weekend favorites, much like my Easy Pasta Bolognese Recipe and Creamy Fontina Pasta.
This pomodoro sauce was inspired by one of my local favorites – Katie’s Pizza and Pasta. Chris said this easy homemade pomodoro recipe I whipped up is better than the original. I know you’ll love it too!
As the tomatoes cook down, the fragrance of the onions, garlic and basil will fill your home with the most delicious scent. It’s worth every minute of waiting for this sauce to simmer, I promise!
What is Pomodoro?
Pomodoro is actually the Italian word for tomato! A pomodoro sauce is incredibly simple, and celebrates that simplicity with perfect ingredients and flavors.
The ingredients in pomodoro and marinara are virtually the same, but the main difference is consistency. Marinara tends to be runnier and more liquid than pomodoro. whereas a pomodoro is thicker and clings to each and every crevice of your pasta.
Pomodoro sauce is one you’ll want to add to your line-up immediately. It’s easy to make, requiring just a few simple pantry ingredients. The simplicity is what makes it so special!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Just Five Ingredients + Pasta
- Smells So Good
- Easy Enough for a Weeknight
- Pantry Ingredients
Spicy Pomodoro Sauce Ingredients
- Olive Oil – Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. You can also substitute with butter.
- Garlic – A hit of garlic adds robust flavor to pasta dishes. Mince the garlic for the most flavor or purchase minced garlic from the produce section of your grocer. That’s an easy shortcut and I’ll never tell!
- Onion – Use a mild, sweet white or yellow onion and chop it finely.
- Tomatoes – I used canned whole tomatoes in this recipe. San Marzano really is the best option here, because they are particularly sweet and not very acidic! They make a great sauce.
- Basil – Fresh basil is stirred in at the end of cooking for a hit of herbal fragrance and flavor.
Variations
- Red Pepper Flakes – Red pepper flakes add some heat and spice to this sauce and really make it come alive. You can adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like it.
- Mascarpone – Two tablespoons of this Italian cheese can be mixed into the sauce for a creamy texture.
- Salt and Pepper – Surprisingly, extra salt and pepper aren’t necessary in this recipe thanks to the flavorful ingredients. However, season as you see fit with thick flakes of salt and pepper to taste. To achieve thick flakes, adjust a grinder to the largest setting.
How To Make Pomodoro Sauce
- Prepare Pasta – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare pasta al dente.
- Blend – Add your canned tomatoes to a blender (or food processor), pulsing until they are smooth.
- Make the Sauce – In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm olive oil or butter. Add chopped onion, stirring frequently. After the onions are translucent (in 6-7 minutes of cooking time) add the garlic.
- Add tomatoes, increasing temperature to medium heat to simmer. Simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in basil and salt and pepper to taste.
To Serve
- Pasta – Of course, you can consider making homemade pasta on this occasion, or pick up any of your favorite noodles. This is a really versatile sauce and can easily be served with any of your favorite pastas. Spaghetti, bucatini and fettuccine all work really well.
- Parmesan – Flakes of parmesan finish this dish.
- Arugula – A handful of arugula adds a delicious, unexpectedly spicy bite of greens to this sauce.
- Chicken Parmesan – Or add it to any of your favorite chicken dishes, like Chicken Spiedini and Baked Chicken.
- Garlic Cheese Bread – Don’t forget the garlic bread with this delicious pasta!
Tips
- As with all pasta dishes, hold back a cup of your starchy pasta water to add to the sauce in case you’d like to thin it out a little.
- If you prefer your sauce to be even thicker, mix one tablespoon of water with one tablespoon of cornstarch and stir it into the sauce towards the end of cooking.
- While the sauce appears finished very early into cooking, let it simmer for longer! You’ll never regret waiting that extra half an hour for this fabulous homemade pomodoro.
Frequently Asked Questions
While the ingredients can vary a little, the main difference between Pomodoro sauce and marinara is how thick it is. Marinara tends to be chunkier, but with a touch more liquid overall for a runnier effect. Pomodoro sauce is thick and smooth, cooking for a more consistent finish.
They are very similar, actually. Pomodoro features more fragrant basil and shines with its simplicity. Arrabbiata sauce, (sugo all’arrabbiata in Italian) is a significantly spicier tomato-based pasta sauce that features garlic, red chili peppers, and olive oil.
How to Store
- Room Temperature – Leave this pasta sauce out at room temperature for up to two hours while serving.
- Refrigerate – You can make this sauce ahead of time and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Just heat it back up on the stove top before adding it to your cooked pasta.
- Freeze – Pomodoro Sauce freezes well. Let the sauce cool to room temperature and transfer to a freezer safe container. It will keep for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature.
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More Pasta Inspiration
Pomodoro Sauce
Ingredients
- 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes (about 3 cups with juice)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
- 4 teaspoons garlic minced (approximately 4 cloves)
- 1 onion medium, chopped
- 6 Large basil leaves chopped (approximately 3 tablespoons)
- 8 ounces pasta spaghetti, fettuccine, penne or your favorite
Instructions
- Prepare Pasta – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare pasta al dente.
- Blend – Add your canned tomatoes to a blender (or food processor), pulsing until they are smooth.
- Make the Sauce – In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm olive oil or butter. Add chopped onion, stirring frequently. After the onions are translucent (in 6-7 minutes of cooking time) add the garlic.
- Add tomatoes, increasing temperature to medium heat to simmer. Simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in basil and salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh grated Parmesan and serve over pasta or your favorite entrée.
Julie’s Tips
- As with all pasta dishes, hold back a cup of your starchy pasta water to add to the sauce in case you’d like to thin it out a little.
- If you prefer your sauce to be even thicker, mix one tablespoon of water with one tablespoon of cornstarch and stir it into the sauce towards the end of cooking.
- While the sauce appears finished very early in the cooking process, let it simmer for longer! You’ll never regret waiting that extra half an hour for this fabulous homemade pomodoro.
To Store
- Refrigerate – You can make this sauce ahead of time and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just heat it back up on the stove top before adding it to your cooked pasta.
- Freeze – Pomodoro Sauce freezes well. Let the sauce cool to room temperature and transfer to a freezer safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
This looks so good, but my crazy husband won’t eat cheese. Any suggestions to replace the mascarpone?
I’m from the Stl region–love Katies Pizza–will have to try this:)
It’s so good, isn’t it?
This recipe actually looks amazing and delicious! I’m definitely going to try it out – and maybe even try to do it oil free – yes, I am trying to lose few kilograms haha. Also – it’s the first time ever I see this kind of pasta! I love it and now I’ll be on a mission to find it somewhere. Thank you for the recipe!
With kindness
Good luck! I hope you enjoy this pasta as well…I love how I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything since I’m still getting my pasta fix. Close your eyes when you see the cookie cakes this week.