This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Italian Trade Commission / The Extraordinary Italian Taste. All opinions are 100% mine.
This quick and easy 5-Ingredient Pasta Pomodoro Sauce is the perfect combination of sweet, ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, and rich Italian Extra Virgin olive oil. It's a simple, delicious, and family-friendly way to dress up your next spaghetti dinner!
Did you know that you can take your taste buds on an Italian vacation -- without leaving the comfort of your own home?
With some help from authentic Italian-made ingredients, this fresh Pomodoro sauce will convince your mind, body and soul that you're relaxing in a small Venetian cafe, sipping on a glass of wine, and enjoying a beautiful summer sunset. Doesn't that sound dreamy?!
Okay, so while you might not have a European vacation etched into your weekly planner, you can prepare an incredible Italian meal at home -- in about 45 minutes!
What is Pomodoro Sauce?
"Pomodoro" means "tomato" in Italian, and that's exactly what this is -- a fresh tomato sauce. I can't think of a better way to take advantage of summer's produce!
Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, you'll want to use the finest Italian imported products that you can get your hands on. When all you taste is fresh tomatoes, herbs and extra virgin olive oil, you want the best!
5 key ingredients for the perfect Pasta Pomodoro Sauce:
- Fresh tomatoes (I used plum tomatoes. If you can't find fresh tomatoes, canned San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino PDO tomatoes would be a nice alternative)
- Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (such as Olio Toscano PGI)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano, and parsley)
That's it!
Don't forget to use high-quality Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, since the olive oil and tomatoes form the base of the sauce.
I also recommend serving the Pomodoro sauce over authentic Italian spaghetti and garnishing with freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO cheese. Check the label to be sure that you're purchasing genuine products from Italy. Just because they look Italian, doesn't mean that they are Italian!
Trust me, the superior flavor and taste is well worth the slight premium price of these imported goods. They will make the dish!
This Pomodoro sauce is different than a jar of store-bought marinara sauce, since it's much chunkier and made with fresh ingredients. Imagine that you tossed your pasta with garden tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil -- that's basically what you've got here!
It's a perfectly satisfying vegetarian entree, but it's also delicious served as a side dish with a piece of grilled fish or chicken.
When you're staring at piles of sweet, ripe summer tomatoes this season and dreaming of your next Italian vacation, I hope that you'll pull out this recipe and treat yourself to a special meal.
It doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming to taste amazing -- especially when you're working with the finest Italian ingredients.
Discover the never ending journey through the unique and authentic Italian flavors, and learn more at Discover more!
5-Ingredient Pasta Pomodoro Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. fresh tomatoes (I used 8 plum tomatoes)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil imported from Italy
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as a combination of basil, oregano, and parsley)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For serving: cooked Italian pasta; Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO cheese
Instructions
- Quarter the tomatoes and use your fingers to quickly scoop out most of the seeds. It helps to run the tomato under cold water to get any extra seeds out, and don’t worry – you don’t have to be meticulous about it. This should only take a few minutes!
- Puree tomatoes in a food processor. Transfer to a strainer and set aside to strain excess liquid.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Be sure to stir the garlic and onion constantly so that the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add the strained tomatoes and the fresh herbs and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Depending on the sweetness of your tomatoes, you may need to add a dash of sugar too, to taste.
- Serve over pasta and garnish with cheese and additional fresh herbs.
Notes
Nutrition
5-Star rating for sure!!
Blair - I tried your recipe yesterday. A friend on Facebook had posted it and I am so glad she did!! It is a wonderful dish. Very easy, tasty and healthy!! Thanks so much.
Thank you! I'm so glad to know that you enjoyed it! 🙂
You may want to consider Spanish Virgin Olive Oil. It is much superior and more flavoursome to most commercial Italian brands and also a lot cheaper.
Thanks for that tip, William!
Hi Blair, would you recommend altering the recipe if trying to make a pomodoro style dip?
Hi, Nikki! That's a great question. I've never thought to turn it into a dip, but it's a lot like bruschetta, so I think it would work well. I wouldn't change anything -- just serve it in a bowl with crusty baguette or crackers for dipping!
Made this tonight and used Mediterranean Olive oil from Aldi. It was really good, but I do think I'll be looking into a more flavorful oil next time. My favorite is from Strappagio. Expensive, but it's delicious!
Perfect! Thanks, Chelsea! The more expensive oil is usually worth it! 🙂
Where do you buy your oil? I haven't found anything great in the grocery store.
Hi, Janice! I get it at a big local grocery store (Martin's around here), but you can also order it online. 🙂
Do you take the skins from the fresh tomatoes?
Nope! The skins can stay on. 🙂
the recipe says to add additional herbs at serving, doesn't say when to add during cooking?
Hi, Sheila! Thanks for catching that typo! You can add the 3 T of herbs when you add the strained tomatoes in step 4. I'll fix that mistake. Thanks again!
Yes indeed the best sauce I ever cook. Thank you so much to get this recipe posted for us to enjoy.
Thank you! 🙂
The first time I had this sauce was at Olive Gardens. Now of course they don't make it anymore. But Oh my gosh I love this sauce. I could stuff my face with this spaghetti and sauce till I can't breath.
Well I'm glad that you can now make it at home! 🙂 I agree -- you can never go wrong with a bowl of pasta!
I serve it over spaghetti squash and a a little crushed red pepper to kick it up a notch but it is excellent without the red pepper too
Thank you! Great tip to serve it over spaghetti squash to lighten it up. 🙂
Should I strain as much water from the tomatoes as possible? I’m seeing that my tomatoes and olive don’t mix all that much visually but the flavors sure do! Is it typical to have oil and water floating at top when the sauce is done? Either way, this my new favorite recipe!
Hi, Mary! Yes -- in Step 2 it says to strain off liquid from the tomatoes. I would definitely do that next time. Glad you liked it anyway, though! 🙂
Hello. The recipe says to puree the tomatoes in a food processor, however in the photo the tomatoes looked chopped. Am I misinterpreting somewhere? In the food processor it took seconds to puree and it smells lovely by the way - just not chunky.
Thanks!
Hi, Linda! Sorry for that confusion. Puree might not be the right term -- you can process the tomatoes to any texture that you prefer. I don't typically puree them until they're totally smooth. Instead, we like it more chunky, so I process them until they reach a finely-chopped texture. It's really up to you, though -- anything will work!