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An authentic and delicious Italian Tomato Sauce that has been passed down through generations.
This recipe for Italian Tomato Sauce is a recipe that my husband Jack spent years perfecting. For Jack, knowing how to make a great Italian Tomato Sauce is a very personal thing – and it brings back fond memories of his childhood.
To this day, Jack clearly remembers the amazing smells coming from a pot of tomato sauce that was always simmering away on the stove anytime he visited his Italian grandparents. He worked hard to recreate that wonderful recipe in our own kitchen – and this is it!
In fact, ever since posting this Italian Tomato Sauce recipe here on A Family Feast back in 2013, we’ve had so many readers write to us to tell us how much they love this sauce. And, many of our readers have told us that they now consider this their ‘go-to’ Italian tomato sauce recipe. (Note: We haven’t made any changes to the recipe over the years, we just included some updated photos today!)
There are so many different ways to make an Italian Tomato Sauce and depending on whom you ask – and where their family originally came from – you will find many different family recipes. Some use different types of tomatoes, some with or without meat, some cooked for a long time giving the sauce a deep, rich taste and others cooked for just a short time for a light fresh taste. Some families even refer to their Italian tomato sauce as Sunday Gravy or Marinara. (Click on those links – we have our own version of those recipes too!)
What’s the difference between Italian Tomato Sauce, Sunday Gravy, Marinara Sauce and other kinds of sauces?
- For Jack, an Italian Tomato Sauce is a tomato-based sauce that simmers for a long time on the stove so that the flavors really deepen and develop. (This recipe is a delicious example!)
- A Sunday Gravy recipe is a tomato sauce cooked along with a variety of meats including meatballs, spare ribs, sausage, and pork chops, so the sauce picks up additional flavor from the meat.
- Finally, Marinara is also a tomato-based sauce, but it’s a quickly-cooked sauce, yielding a bright, fresh tomato flavor.
- And – since we’re talking about all types of tomato sauces – we also have a Roasted Tomato Pizza Sauce recipe AND an Easy No-Cook Pizza Sauce recipe you might be interested in checking out too. Pizza sauces typically have a bold flavor that is meant to both complement and shine through the flavors of the dough, cheese and toppings on a pizza.
- We also have recipes for Bolognese (a meat sauce that is cooked low and slow with milk), a more traditional Italian Meat Sauce (made with ground beef and Italian sausage), and finally an Italian Meat Ragu (made with shredded beef and other ingredients).
Today’s recipe is originally inspired by a version of Italian Tomato Sauce that Jack grew up with, and he credits his Aunt Mary for this recipe, plus some additional influences from the sauce that Jack’s father (aka Grampa) used to make. If you happen to be growing San Marzano Pomodoro tomatoes in your garden – definitely use those! However, if fresh tomatoes aren’t available, we think some of the best San Marzano Pomodoro canned tomatoes are made by Cento and Pastene – and both brands are readily available at most local grocery stores.
Mangia!
P.S. We freeze our Italian Tomato Sauce in gallon zipper seal bags for long-term storage, laying the bags flat after filling and squeezing out any excess air. Freeze the bags flat on a sheet pan, then once frozen you can fit them more easily in your freezer. For information on how to can a high-acid food like tomato sauce, we suggest that you visit the Ball Canning website here. Here is another interesting link about canning tomato sauce which suggests that the pressure method should be used to ensure safe canning of any homemade tomato sauce.
You may also like these other Italian family classics:
- Marinara Sauce
- Nanny’s Italian Stuffed Peppers
- Classic Lasagna
- Sunday Gravy
- Grandma Gennaco’s Beef Braciole
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Italian Tomato Sauce
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.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 4 crushed garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup chopped onion (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, divided, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, divided, or 1/2 tablespoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped mint, divided
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 28–ounce cans of whole tomatoes or two quarts of freshly canned garden tomatoes
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesano Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- 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.
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Notes
The old saying about the sauce tasting better the next day reheated is true. It gives the flavors a chance to blend and mellow out.
This is the best tomato sauce recipe I have found to date! I gave a jar of this sauce to my Italian neighbor after he shared his bounty of home grown tomatoes with me, and he raved about it. It’s one of the few times I daydreamed a dish for days after eating it. We grow our own garlic, basil, oregano, and mint, so this is a great way to show off our gardening prowess. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’m looking forward to trying more things on your website.
Wow Jenny – So glad you (and your neighbor) enjoy the sauce!
Your recipe sounds wonderful and it looked like the perfect way to use the mountain of San Marzano I have coming on. I was disappointed when it didn’t give equivalent amounts of fresh tomatoes to use, especially when it mentioned fresh tomatoes in the intro. Can you elaborate?
Hi Sondra – We actually have a fresh tomato version of this recipe written – but not yet posted. Here it is – enjoy!
Ingredients
4 pounds fresh plum or San Marzano tomatoes (try and get the San Marzano)
½ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 cup diced shallots
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
¾ cup fresh packed basil chopped and divided
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Method
Using a tomato shark or paring knife, remove the stem and core top from each tomato.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and have a large bowl standing by with ice water.
Once the water boils, drop in all of the tomatoes and as soon as the peels start to come off (30 seconds to a minute), remove to the ice bath with a spider or strainer.
Drain and place the tomatoes in a bowl. One at a time, pull skins off until all the tomatoes are skinned.
Place a small fine strainer over a large bowl.
Cut each tomato in half the long way. Pick up each half and scrape the seeds into the strainer letting the liquid drain into the bowl. After the seeds and any stems are removed to the strainer, place the flesh into the bowl under the strainer. Tear large pieces with your hands as you go. Repeat for all of the tomatoes.
With the back of a spoon, press and stir the seeds and stems around in the strainer to release any juice into the bowl and then discard the seeds and stems. Set prepared tomatoes aside, you should have 5 cups.
Leave burner off and in a 5 quart heavy bottomed pot, place oil, garlic, shallots and pepper flakes. Heat slowly to hot and stir and cook until the shallots are tender.
Add tomatoes, oregano, mint, ½ cup of the basil, sugar, salt and pepper.
Place a diffuser under the pot and bring the mixture to a bubble. Cover with lid slightly ajar and cook for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and using an emersion blender, blend slightly to combine but leave some pieces.
Add the remaining basil, Romano and butter and stir to combine.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
I have made many tomato sauces in my day. This recipe rates as the very best I think the slow sauté of the spices and the simmering of the sauce is the key! Many thanks for sharing a great recipe. I will make it many times.
So glad you enjoy the sauce Leasue!
Following your instructions And indulging in the results, It was As if I have spent as much time as your husband developing this recipe thank you very much
Glad you enjoyed the sauce Carlos!
I made this recipe as a surprise for my wife, deviating slightly by sautéing the onions in the olive oil first and adding 1tbsp of plain tomato paste at the end, and everyone loved it. This recipe is so delicious I cooked eggs in it for my family the next morning. I’ll be looking at your other recipes soon.
So glad you enjoyed the sauce Mr F!
Fantastic. I hate when people review a recipe after having made a ton of changes to it, but I’ll admit I did add a little celery at the beginning with my onion. My Italian grandmother always did, and it felt wrong not to. I also didn’t have red pepper flakes so I used pimentón picante but in my experience the end flavor is the same. I made this with fresh picked tomatoes and they were still pretty chunky after 90 mins of cooking so I gave it a really quick mix with an immersion blender. Just a tad, and the consistency turned out great. I was really happy with this, definitely a keeper!!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Helen!
I’m making this sauce tonight for the second time in a week and I love it! Only thing I didn’t have was red pepper flakes and forgot to get some today. Will grab some for next time. Would tomato paste help the sauce stick to the pasta a little better? Although to be honest, after adding meat to this at the end I’d be content eating the sauce alone with some garlic bread!
Hi Mike, this is Jack. Appreciate the kind words. I find that the best way to get the sauce to stick to the pasta is to slightly undercook the pasta, add it to the hot sauce and finish cooking the last minute or two in the sauce. Adding tomato paste will certainly make it stick better but will make the sauce too thick unless you add a little pasta water when you add the pasta to the sauce.
Good luck,
Jack
My family and I enjoyed this recipe a lot. We licked our plates clean at the end. Thank you all the way from India!
You’re very welcome! Glad you enjoyed the sauce!
Made this last night and it’s fantastic. First time making sauce from scratch and I’ve added this to my repertoire. Served it with meatballs over spaghetti….so good. The simmer took a little longer than the recipe called for but no biggie. Just make sure your sauce looks right. Let it cool a bit before serving
Thank you so much Stephen – so glad the recipe was a success!
Fabulous ! I made this sauce today from my garden tomatoes. It’s perfect! I was able to can a quart of this and have enough to enjoy with our dinner.
Thank you for generously sharing!
You’re welcome Pam – glad you enjoyed the recipe!