A simple Italian tomato sugo recipe - this is an incredibly flavorful tomato or pomodoro sauce made with just a few ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes.
This Italian tomato sugo recipe is probably the simplest, best tomato sauce recipe ever. An authentic Italian tomato sauce made with a handful of ingredients, a sauce you will use for everything, not just for pasta.
Check out more tomato sauces: Easy Neapolitan Pizza Sauce (No-Cook) and Hearty Marinara Sauce (for Pizza, Pasta and Lasagna).
Prep Time:ย 5 minutes |ย Cook Time:ย 30 minutes |ย Ingredients:ย 5 + salt & pepperย |ย Servings:ย 8 |ย Difficulty:ย Easy
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What is sugo?
Sugo di pomodoro is a classic Italian tomato sauce, the base for dishes like arrabbiata or amatriciana, made simply with tomatoes, onions, olive oil, and fresh basil.
While traditional Italian sugo uses fresh, ripe tomatoes, I prefer a mix of high-quality passata and canned chopped tomatoes with a pinch of sugar - still flavorful and delicious, even outside Italy.
Try this flavorful Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce, too.
Recipe ingredients
Tomatoes: A mixture of passata di Pomodoro and canned chopped tomatoes. OR fresh ripe, sweet, best-quality tomatoes.
- For fresh tomatoes, choose ripe, firm, juicy ones from the garden or farmer's market. For canned, pick the highest quality - you'll notice the difference.
Basil: Always use fresh herbs for this recipe. You will need one sprig to cook in the sauce, and some more fresh basil leaves to add to the finished dish for extra flavor.
Sugar: It cuts through the tomatoes' acidity (especially if you used canned) and brings out the flavors. It will not make the sauce sweet in any way; the amount is minimal.
See the recipe card for detailed instructions and full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Italian tomato sugo?
Tomatoes: If using fresh ones, remove their peel and chop them finely. If you have canned whole tomatoes, chop them finely.
Step #1: Sautรฉ the onion for about 6 minutes until soft; it should be golden and soft; if it browns too quickly, reduce the heat to very low. Stir often.
Step #2: Add passata, chopped tomatoes, ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt, ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and one sprig of fresh basil.
Step #3: Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the sugo is slightly thicker. Adjust the taste with more salt, pepper, and sugar if necessary. Remove the wilted basil sprig, stir in the chopped basil leaves, and add a drizzle of olive oil.
Make sugo al arrabbiata
Add 3 small dried chili peppers (very finely chopped) and 3 garlic cloves (grated) to the onions during the last 3 minutes of their cooking time. Add tomatoes and continue with the recipe.
Make sugo all'amatriciana
Sautรฉ 5 oz (150 g) guanciale or pancetta in olive oil for about 3 minutes; add the chopped onion, about ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is soft, 5-6 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue with the recipe.
Tips
Don't be tempted to add other ingredients to this tomato sugo recipe. You can, of course, and the sauce will probably be delicious, but if you want to go the authentic Italian way, stick with the recipe.
Remove the peel of fresh tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Score an X at the bottom of each tomato. Plunge them for about 30 seconds in the boiling water. Remove them with a slotted spoon, refresh them under cold water, and remove the peel.
Blend the sauce: You can blend it with an immersion blender to make it completely smooth if you wish. However, the chunkiness is minimal if the tomatoes are finely chopped; we love this texture.
Recipe FAQs
The main difference is in the texture; sugo is a bit thicker and chunkier than marinara. Marinara also contains garlic, oregano, and maybe a bit of chili or other spices.
A ragu is made with meat.
You can, although traditional pizza sauce is not cooked (See Neapolitan Pizza Sauce).
How to store the sauce?
Refrigerate sugo in tightly sealed jars for up to one week.
Freeze it in an airtight container for 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Reheat in a small pan or microwave.
How to serve?
Serve the homemade sauce with hot pasta and a simple green salad. You can top the pasta with Parmesan cheese.
We also love it with cheesy polenta, grilled polenta slices, with boiled or Fried Gnocchi.
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๐ Recipe
Italian Tomato Sugo Recipe
Equipment
- Large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 bottle passata di Pomodoro 25 fl.oz/ 750 ml
- 1 can tomatoes chopped, 14 oz/ 400 g Notes 1,2,3
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon sugar more if necessary
- 2 sprigs fresh basil divided
- ยพ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher salt, more to taste
- ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper more to taste
Instructions
- Tomatoes: If the tomatoes are fresh, peel and chop them finely. If the canned tomatoes are whole, chop them finely. Set them aside.
- Sautรฉ: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Cook 1 small finely chopped onion with a pinch of salt on medium-low heat for about 6 minutes until soft. It should get golden and not brown; if it colors too quickly, reduce the heat to very low. Stir often.3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 1 small onion + pinch of salt
- Add passata, chopped tomatoes (or fresh chopped tomatoes), ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt, ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and one sprig of fresh basil (left whole).1 bottle passata di Pomodoro + 1 can tomatoes + ยพ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper + 1 teaspoon sugar + 2 sprigs fresh basil
- Simmer: Cover the pot leaving a small crack open, bring the sauce to a simmer and cook slowly for 30 minutes until it is slightly thicker, occasionally stirring.
- Adjust the taste with more salt, pepper, and a little more sugar if necessary. Remove the cooked basil sprig. Stir in the chopped basil leaves and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Optional: Blend the sugo until you reach the desired consistency; you can make it completely smooth (I never blend it all).
Notes
- Use high-quality passata and canned tomatoes. DOP San Marzano tomatoes would be perfect.
- If using fresh tomatoes, you will need about 2 ยฝ lbs (1200 g). Ensure that they are ripe and sweet; it's preferable to use garden tomatoes or buy them at the farmer's market.
- Remove the peel from fresh tomatoes before chopping them (See Expert Tips).
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