Best 6 Traditional Italian Tomato Sauce Recipes

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In the realm of Italian cuisine, few dishes hold a more prominent place than the traditional tomato sauce, a culinary masterpiece that has captivated taste buds for generations. This versatile sauce forms the heart of countless iconic Italian dishes, from the hearty lasagna to the humble spaghetti and meatballs. Its rich, vibrant flavor and versatility have earned it a place in kitchens worldwide, inspiring countless variations and interpretations.

This collection of traditional Italian tomato sauce recipes offers a journey through the diverse culinary landscapes of Italy, showcasing the unique flavors and techniques that make this sauce so beloved. From the classic Neapolitan sauce, with its simple yet exquisite blend of tomatoes, garlic, and basil, to the rich and meaty Bolognese sauce, simmered for hours with ground beef, pork, and vegetables, these recipes capture the essence of Italian home cooking.

Whether you seek a quick and easy weekday meal or a slow-cooked Sunday sauce that fills your home with mouthwatering aromas, this collection has something for every palate and occasion. Discover the secrets of perfetta salsa di pomodoro as you explore the nuances of each recipe, and embark on a culinary adventure that will transport you to the heart of Italy.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

SUGO DI POMODORO (AUTHENTIC ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE)



Sugo di Pomodoro (Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce) image

This is a basic recipe for authentic Italian tomato sauce flavored with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and basil. Toss with your favorite pasta or use for pizza, gnocchi and more.

Provided by SilviaG

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     Pasta Sauce Recipes     Tomato

Time 30m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, halved
2 (14 ounce) cans passata (crushed tomatoes)
¼ cup fresh basil, torn in half
salt to taste

Steps:

  • Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add passata, basil, and salt. Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomato sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove garlic halves before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 152 calories, Carbohydrate 20.8 g, Fat 7.4 g, Fiber 4.8 g, Protein 4.2 g, SaturatedFat 1.1 g, Sodium 303.6 mg, Sugar 2.4 g

DEFALCO'S AUTHENTIC ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE



DeFalco's Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce image

Provided by Guy Fieri

Time 3h20m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
3 to 4 fresh Italian sausages, casings removed
One 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
One 28-ounce can tomato puree
One 28-ounce can tomato sauce
One 8-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup fresh basil, roughly torn
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup marsala wine
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, sausages and onions and cook until lightly brown.
  • Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and 1/2 can water, bring to a simmer. Add the tomato puree, 1/2 can of water and simmer again. Repeat with the tomato sauce, again adding 1/2 can of water and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the tomato paste and cook through.
  • Add the basil, parsley, marsala wine, pepper, salt and sugar into the pot and stir. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring frequently.

ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE



Italian Tomato Sauce image

An important first step to note when making this sauce is to bring the olive oil up to temperature very slowly with the garlic, herbs, and spices, and cook for about five minutes to brown the garlic. This is a step that Jack has seen referenced in a number of great Italian cookbooks and although not clearly stated why, we believe this slow heat-up process allows the oil to be infused with the seasonings providing a really delicious base to your sauce.

Provided by A Family Feast

Categories     how-to

Time 1h45m

Number Of Ingredients 13

1/3 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4 crushed garlic cloves
¾ cup chopped onion (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, divided, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, divided, or ½ tablespoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh chopped mint, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 28-ounce cans of whole tomatoes or two quarts of freshly canned garden tomatoes
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesano Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Steps:

  • Before you begin, pour your two cans of tomatoes into a bowl and crush with your hand. Don't break them up too small, you want large chunks.
  • In a large heavy bottomed pot with a lid, on a burner with no flame, pour in olive oil and add red pepper flakes, garlic, onion, most of the oregano, basil and mint (save a little bit of each for the end), sugar salt and pepper. Turn on the burner and slowly bring up to hot. When the onions and garlic start to cook, stir and heat for five minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the burner and place a heat diffuser over the burner. Place the pot over the heat diffuser and add the tomatoes. Turn burner to medium high and stir until they start to boil. Then reduce to simmer, partially cover and simmer 90 minutes.
  • After 90 minutes, remove from heat and add the reserved herbs and Parmesan cheese. Add the butter to round out the flavors. Stir again and serve.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1/2 cup, Calories 102 calories, Sugar 3.1 g, Sodium 236.6 mg, Fat 8.9 g, SaturatedFat 2.4 g, TransFat 0 g, Carbohydrate 5.5 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 1.6 g, Cholesterol 6.9 mg

MARCELLA HAZAN'S TOMATO SAUCE



Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce image

This is perhaps the most famous recipe created by Marcella Hazan, the cookbook author who changed how Americans cook Italian food. It also may be her easiest. Use your favorite canned tomatoes for this and don't be scared off by the butter. It gives the sauce an unparalleled velvety richness.

Provided by The New York Times

Categories     easy

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 cups tomatoes, in addition to their juices (for example, a 28-ounce can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes)
5 tablespoons butter
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
Salt

Steps:

  • Combine the tomatoes, their juices, the butter and the onion halves in a saucepan. Add a pinch or two of salt.
  • Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, mashing any large pieces of tomato with a spoon. Add salt as needed.
  • Discard the onion before tossing the sauce with pasta. This recipe makes enough sauce for a pound of pasta.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 153, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 6 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 287 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 1 gram

REAL AUTHENTIC ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE (NO CAN'S HERE)



Real Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce (No Can's Here) image

Here's the deal....if you want REAL authentic Italian tomato sauce, you've come to the right place. Sure you can save yourself all the time by opening a couple cans of diced/peeled tomatoes, but then again, that's not authentic at all. You can freeze this sauce for later use. This sauce is perfect for anything that requires a tomato sauce: e.g. spaghetti, lasagne, pizza sauce, etc. My girlfriend learned this authentic recipe while living in Italy for several years. It's simple, but takes a lot of time and a lot of love, but its well worth the effort! This is for your free Saturday or Sunday when you will be in the house for the day. Add more tomatoes, garlic, or basil if you wish. There really is no set amount for each of these, but I do suggest a minimum of 10 whole red ripe tomatoes, and a minimum of 5 garlic cloves. Add some crushed red pepper to give it a kick if you wish. This recipe is the rundown of how I make the sauce now. It took me several attempts to really master this, but once you get it down you can make more tomatoes at a time. I usually work with two pots and start out with 10 in each pot, skin all the tomatoes in both, combine and start more in the empty pot to really make a large pot to freeze. The local vegetable stand sells 25 lb. baskets for $9 while in season. We do 50 lbs. a week for a month, so we can freeze and have great sauce all during the winter. I'm going to put this makes 4 servings, but I'm really not sure. The amount of sauce used per person differs.

Provided by iN TRAiNiNG

Categories     Sauces

Time 7h10m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

10 red ripe whole tomatoes (beefsteak, use more for romas)
5 garlic cloves
1 cup fresh basil leaf
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
crushed red pepper flakes, for arrabiata sauce (angry sauce) (optional)

Steps:

  • Wash, and core tomatoes. I also like to cut the little "nub" off of the bottom of the tomato. Just the nub, and this will make it easier to remove the skins from the tomatoes.
  • Place whole tomatoes in a large pot and drizzle 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over tomatoes. Place lid on pot and heat over medium.
  • After about 15 minutes give the tomatoes a stir (I use a fork to do this), ensuring not to break them up. This moves the ones on top to the bottom to help the skins to become loose and to prevent burning any skins. Cover and allow to cook for 15 more minutes.
  • After 15 minutes, take a fork and fish out a tomato from the bottom. Keeping the tomato in the pot, use two forks, or a fork and wood spoon to start removing the skins. If you like, you can take the tomato out and place on a plate or in a bowl to do this, just make sure you keep the juices. If the tomatoes are not fully ready to be skinned, put the lid back on and check every 5 minutes. (This is the most time consuming part, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes really simple.).
  • After all or most of the skins have been discarded, lower the temperature to medium low and allow to simmer uncovered. This is simply stewed tomatoes at this point.
  • Once an hour, check the sauce and stir thoroughly. Using a wooden spoon, start to break up the tomatoes over the period of checking them. (Note: Don't break them all the way up on the first, second of even third time of checking them. Break them down over time).
  • After about 5 hours, smash all tomatoes with whatever instrument you can find that will work. Add garlic cloves whole, use more than 5 if you like, I DO! (Do not mince/chop garlic) Allow to simmer for another hour. (Note: If you feel the sauce has reached your desired consistency or is nearing, you can add the garlic earlier).
  • After 1 more hour, the garlic should be soft enough to smash easily on the side of the pot and the garlic will literally disintegrate into the sauce. If sauce is at your desired consistency, you can remove from the hot eye at this point and go to the next step, if you like your sauce a little less runny, or thicker, leave on and continue to monitor to your liking.
  • Once the sauce is to your desired consistency, remove from heat and add 1 cup of fresh basil leaves, stir. Fresh is important to making really good sauce. Salt to taste. If you like a little spice, add some crushed red pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 123, Fat 7.5, SaturatedFat 1, Sodium 16.6, Carbohydrate 13.5, Fiber 3.9, Sugar 8.2, Protein 3.3

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE



Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce image

This is a recipe I got from my father who got it from a little old lady he knew from Italy. I always simmer this sauce with my meatballs (recipe posted). You can also add sausage if you like. This sauce is to die for!!!!

Provided by InMemoryofBrats

Categories     Sauces

Time 3h20m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 (28 ounce) cans tomato puree
1 (28 ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion, diced
6 cloves
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated cheese

Steps:

  • In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil.
  • Empty plum tomatoes into large bowl and squash with your hands.
  • Add all ingredients (including any meatballs or sausage you want to add) to pot and simmer for 3 hours.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 145.4, Fat 6.6, SaturatedFat 1.2, Cholesterol 1.8, Sodium 308.8, Carbohydrate 21, Fiber 4.1, Sugar 12.6, Protein 4

Tips:

  • Use ripe, fresh tomatoes: The quality of your tomatoes will greatly impact the flavor of your sauce. Choose tomatoes that are deep red and free of blemishes.
  • Do not peel the tomatoes: Peeling tomatoes is time-consuming and unnecessary. The skins will soften and blend into the sauce during cooking.
  • Use a variety of tomatoes: Using different types of tomatoes will give your sauce a more complex flavor. Try using a mix of Roma, San Marzano, and cherry tomatoes.
  • Cook the sauce slowly: The longer you cook the sauce, the better the flavor will be. Simmer the sauce for at least 30 minutes, but up to 2 hours if you have the time.
  • Use fresh herbs: Fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, and thyme, will add a lot of flavor to your sauce. Add them towards the end of cooking so that they retain their flavor.
  • Season to taste: Taste the sauce as it cooks and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may need to add more salt, pepper, or herbs.

Conclusion:

Traditional Italian tomato sauce is a delicious and versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes, from pasta to pizza to chicken parmesan. It is easy to make and can be customized to your own taste. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create a delicious tomato sauce that will be a hit with your family and friends.

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