How to Make Italian Pomodoro Sauce
Learn how to make the best traditional Italian pomodoro sauce with canned tomatoes! This homemade tomato sauce is simple to prepare with authentic flavor. Perfect for pasta or as the base in many Mediterranean recipes.
Servings 8 servings
Calories 75kcal
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 28-oz cans San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper or fresh black pepper, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat.
- Add garlic and a pinch of kosher salt. Gently saute (without browning!) until the garlic is soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes with their juice. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Puree the sauce either in batches in a blender or using a stick blender in the pot.
- Add kosher salt. If using add red pepper or black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve with fresh basil.
Notes
- Tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes are the classic choice for tomato sauce. (See the post for info on picking authentic brands.) You can also use other types of plum or sauce type tomatoes. Just make sure the tomatoes are whole and packed in juice (not puree).
- Adding Pepper: I prefer to add any pepper to the sauce when I'm going to use it in a recipe and keep the base recipe mild.
- Basil: You can also add a sprig of basil to the sauce as you cook it down. Just remove it before pureeing.
Nutrition
Calories: 75kcal