This homemade Italian tomato sauce is easy, simple to make and uses canned San Marzano tomatoes for terrific flavor and convenience. With a taste superior to jarred tomato sauce, this red pasta sauce doesn’t take all day to cook—it’s ready in about 1 hour! Serve over al dente pasta noodles and finish with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. And it's even better the next day!
When you hear the words “homemade spaghetti sauce”, what image pops in your head?
An Italian grandma stirring a gigantic stockpot of sauce for hours on end?
Or does a jar of spaghetti sauce heated in the microwave and tossed with hot pasta come to mind? That’s spaghetti sauce made at home, after all.
Which is it?
Can I really make homemade Italian red sauce?
Abso-flippin-lutely!
As the daughter and granddaughter of some amazing Italian cooks, I've learned that not only can you make an old-fashioned Italian spaghetti sauce easily and successfully —you can even make it on a weeknight! Without stirring for hours.
Or being or needing a grandma.
My friend, you’re going to make a canned tomato sauce recipe that has been known to make intelligent people pour it in a bowl at the end of a meal and sop it up with a crispy piece of homemade garlic bread.
What's the difference between Italian gravy, red sauce and marinara sauce?
Red pasta sauce recipes are classified a few different ways, depending on the ingredients and sometimes even how an Italian family refers to them ("my ma is making her Sunday gravy, ya wanna come over?")
- Italian red sauce like this one is simmered for a long time on the stove and is one you can do just about anything with. Having some of this red sauce in the freezer means lasagna with ricotta or a quick pasta dinner can be part of the week’s menu.
- Gravy traditionally implies sauce has been simmered with some sort of meat in it. My grandma used to put in a piece of pork (bone-in) in her Sunday gravy and simmer it for a couple of hours. You can also roll some homemade meatballs and cook them in the sauce. Mouth watering!
- Marinara sauce is usually just tomatoes (fresh or canned) simmered with some garlic and fresh basil. This fresh tomato marinara sauce is such a simple but unbelievably good sauce and a great place to start if you've never made homemade sauce before.
Ok —be honest: is it worth it to make homemade sauce?
I’m no dummy. Trust me - I know it’s way easier to crack open a jar of your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce (and Rao’s Marinara is mine). I also know that making homemade spaghetti sauce sounds daunting — especially on those days when you’ve had “a day.”
Here are some compelling reasons to make this simple Italian red sauce:
- The smell. Your house will smell so good!
- The leftovers. You’ll have enough sauce for another meal or two (at least!)
- The satisfaction. There’s nothing like sitting down to a plate of pasta with homemade sauce, some red wine and sharing the experience with the people you love.
Chopping an onion and pureeing some canned tomatoes is as difficult as this spaghetti sauce gets. And takes as little as 45 minutes!
Canned Tomatoes Tip
The best canned tomatoes come from San Marzano which is right outside of Naples. San Marzano tomatoes are sweeter, have less acid and fewer seeds making them perfect for sauce. Check the label for "certified San Marzano" as well as a certification number/tag. Tap below to learn how to easily find these high quality canned tomatoes in your grocery store.
What you'll need
In addition to canned tomatoes (that you can also use for this tomato sauce recipe with butter or this spicy tomato vodka sauce recipe), you'll need:
- onions
- garlic
- seasoning like salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper
- a little sugar
The art of sauce making
- Start with the best canned tomatoes you can find [1]. I have a whole buying guide for San Marzano tomatoes to help you officially call this a San Marzano tomato sauce recipe.
- Place the tomatoes in a blender and pulse a few times until you get the texture you want [2]. The longer you run the blender, the thinner the sauce will start out to be. I like it a little chunkier but completely embrace those who don't.
- Saute chopped onion in some olive oil [3]. Give it a chance to soften and get a good tan. You want it golden but not too dark.
- Quickly saute the garlic. You are flavoring the oil and onion but you don't want to brown the garlic.
Optional: Add in some red wine. This adds so much flavor to the sauce and onions!
p.s. I always add more garlic because it's garlic and life is short. If you don't love it, don't put as much. Just promise me you won't leave it out all together. And if you do, don't tell me.
- Caramelize the tomato paste. As it heats and melts, the paste will relax with a big old sigh into the onions and garlic [4].
- Lower the heat, add your seasonings and a little bit of sugar. You want the sugar to slightly caramelize but not burn. Sometimes, I even take the pan off the heat for this step because it's plenty hot.
- Add in the pureed tomatoes and simmer for about 45 minutes. Taste and season [5].
Tips for the Best Red Sauce
- Add some fresh basil if you have some.
- Taste the sauce throughout the cooking to adjust the seasoning and heat.
- If you find the sauce isn't as well-rounded in flavor or is on the hotter side, add a little water (start with ¼ cup) to the sauce along with a pat or two of butter. The taste can vary depending on your tomato of choice.
The Italian Starter Pantry
Some ingredients to keep on hand for Italian recipes include:
- 28 oz cans of Italian whole plum tomatoes
- 6 oz cans of tomato paste
- Good olive oil
- Tubes of triple concentrated tomato paste (for times when a tablespoon or two is needed)
- Garlic
- Onions
- Fresh or frozen cubes of parsley
- Fresh or frozen cubes of basil
- Red wine (both for cooking and drinking while cooking!)
- Dried spices like crushed red pepper, oregano, thyme, garlic powder
How to sauce pasta like an Italian
In Italy, they sauce things lightly and gently to allow the pasta, meat or star ingredient to shine, something that I respect and totally agree with. My mom tosses the drained and cooked pasta with a couple of coffee-sized cups of sauce right back in the pasta pot.
That’s a memory ingrained for life!
San Marzano Tomato Sauce FAQ's
How easy is it to double this recipe?
Feel free to double or triple the recipe but don't double the salt or the crushed red pepper. Start with a 1 ½ ratio if doubling the recipe and go from there. Better to salt as you go and for the crushed red pepper, the heat intensifies over time. Unless you want an arrabiata sauce, then go for the heat!
Can I make this pasta sauce in the slow cooker?
Go right ahead! Use the saute setting on your appliance for the onion, garlic and caramelizing the tomato paste. Cook it low and slow (on the 3-4 hour setting). Don’t add extra water or wine as enough moisture will be created during the cooking process.
Can I use this canned tomato sauce for pizza sauce?
Yes! Simmer it down a little longer until it thickens for homemade pizza. It would be great for in this cast iron skillet pizza recipe!
Storage, Reheating and Freezing Tips
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat on the stove on low until heated through. Can also be microwaved in a microwave-safe bowl (covered) until heated.
- Freeze cooled, cooked spaghetti sauce in freezer-safe bags or sealed, airtight containers for up to 3 months.
📖 Recipe
Italian Red sauce with San Marzano Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 28 oz can whole, peeled Italian tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, see note
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped, ½ cup
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup red wine, optional - see note below
- 3 oz tomato paste, or ½ of a 6 oz can
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt, to start
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- crushed red pepper, to taste - try ¼ teaspoon to start if you like heat.
- water , as needed (in ¼ cup increments)
- fresh basil, optional
Instructions
- Place tomatoes in a blender with their juices and pulse until desired consistency reached.
- Heat olive oil in a 4qt. saucepan (or larger if doubling) over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent and rich in color, about 5 minutes. Briefly add garlic for 30 seconds until you smell it.
- Add red wine here, if desired. Cook for at least two minutes until wine is incorporated. See note below.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomato paste. Swirl around until softened and combined with onions about 2 minutes. Add spices ending with sugar and quickly combine because you don’t want the sugar to burn but to caramelize just a bit.
- Quickly add pureed tomatoes and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes. Check the seasoning after 30 minutes or so. Add more salt/pepper or a little more sugar if the tomatoes are more on the acidic side.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning.
- The sauce will thicken which is what you want. You are looking for a rich, red, sauce with kick-butt flavor. You can leave it as it and use it w/meat or as a pizza sauce.
Notes
- Check flavor and consistency after 30 minutes. The sauce can be thinned down with ¼ cup of water.
- You also can add some red wine (½ cup) right after the onions and garlic are added.
- Make my homemade meatballs using this sauce.
- You can cook down and use as dipping sauce for focaccia, a pizza sauce or even your favorite appetizer (I see you, frozen mozzarella stick lovers!).
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat on the stove on low until heated through. Can also be microwaved in a microwave-safe bowl (covered) until heated.
- Freeze cooled, cooked spaghetti sauce in freezer-safe bags or sealed, airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Sorry the best tomatoes no longer come from Italy. American canned tomatoes have a better taste according to "America's Test Kitchen"
I agree.
Also, paste comes last to avoid scorching the sauce while it cooks.
Thanks Arty! One of my favorite things about cooking and blogging is hearing everyone's perspectives because food is such a personal thing to each of us and there are so many techniques to explore. As far as the tomatoes go, I'm a big America's Test Kitchen fan and love hearing they endorse American tomatoes. I just happen to prefer authentic San Marzano tomatoes.
I've been making "sauce" since I learned from my Grandma Rose when I was a kid, going to Grandma's every Sunday. Everyone who's tried it loves it. The secret, I use, is Sprite, preferably Sugar free for me. Try it, it gives the sauce a nice sweet flavor.
Hey there Sean! I love a twist on a classic - I will totally give that a try and can totally see that making a great sauce! Your Grandma Rose sounds like one smart lady 😊 I have a new recipe coming out next month for Easter that uses soda for a sweetener so we have something in common. So appreciate your taking the time to reach out!
Did a 2 day spaghetti sauce & meatballs taste test. The ole Betty Crocker one let us down. Absolutely no depth of flavor. Yours reigned supreme. Love the hint of nutmeg in the meatballs. Brought a batch to a friend in need and got rave reviews too. Thanks!
Martha - seeing your message amidst the packing for our move brought a huge smile to my face! Thank you!! And so love that you paid it forward with meatballs -comfort for sure! Thank you!!☺️
Homemade "gravy" is the best! So simple and aways worth it!
So true! Nothing like coming in the door after a long day to a pot of simmering sauce!
Thoughts about using fresh tomatoes? Have quite a few coming in now, both Roma and round ones.
Hi Denise! Thank you for your question. I do mention garden tomatoes in the post briefly but will add it to the recipe card. Absolutely use them! Actually that's what my grandma Nina did from her dad's garden. I'm not a vegetable gardener (lots of shade here sadly!) but I'd definitely peel them and use a food mill to separate the pulp from the seeds and proceed with the recipe from there. Let me know if you have any more questions and if you make the recipe!🤗
Hi Lori, I was wondering if your going to (or maybe already have shown) another red sauce recipe from Aunt Nina, your other grandmother. I have always wondered how her recipe compared to the way I make my sauce. I’d be interested to try hers.
Georgia Bartolomucci
Hi Georgia!! I love that you commented! Hope you are well! I so wish I had my grandma's recipe. I do need to talk more to my mom about it and will definitely get one up here. Her sauce was very smooth comparatively and I know she'd use garden tomatoes once in a while. I can taste her gnocchi as I write this...such a great memory!! Happy Sunday to you!😊
the paste came last because you never knew how thick the first tomatoes would be....so It's an add as needed type of ingredient to enhance flavors and get to desired thickness.
with all the additional multiple flavors and sizes of paste it is much easier to get the sauce to your families taste profile. In the 50's there were basically two brands....so whichever one was "on sale" went in the buggy.
Ps we carried our daytime shopping groceries up the 5 block hill and over 5 blocks....no wimps need apply !
🤣 of course not - but you forgot you did it all in the snow! Thanks Uncle Tony!
I would change the order and add the raw tomatoes first and the tomato paste later. The paste has concentrated flavors already but the raw tomatoes don't. This is a place for that EVO,
you know the expensive one you bought for special foods. Splurge on some, you won't regret it here.
Other familial choices could be peppers, mushrooms, red wine, and larger chopped tomatoes or onions. Using meats to flavor the sauce is popular, some say essential. Josie used scraps of pork. Some use beef and/or cook the meatballs with the sauce too. The peppers and/or mushrooms would be added after the onions and garlic flavor the oil. Josie also used two cheeses in her sauce, romano and parmesan. Both cheeses are added in middle of cooking. Asiago cheese could be used also.
Brown sugar, Josies' choice, is better than white sugar giving a more complex rounded flavor profile to the sauce. Most recipes with garlic use the sugar to take the edginess off the taste. White sugar can be used to cancel any extra hotness you may want to take out of you added too much hot pepper.
There is is no one correct way to cook red sauce, so experiment and use your familial biases to take it where you want it to be.
Slow and easy is the order of the day with homemade sauces.....let all those layers of flavor come together using lots of love, low to medium temperatures, and lots of stirring.
Hey there Uncle Tony!😃 I didn't know Gram used brown sugar - totally trying that! I love caramelizing the paste with the spices but you are exactly right when you say that there are so many different ways to make sauce. So blessed to have had two wonderful role models in both my Grams! And family to help carry on the traditions and relay the memories!🥰 Thank you so much for sharing all of this - love it!