Authentic Italian Fresh Tomato Spaghetti Sauce (+VIDEO)
Fresh heirloom tomatoes and basil straight from the garden gives this classic Italian pasta sauce a fresh and delicious flavor!
Table of Contents
Old fashion Italian spaghetti sauce
Spring is in full bloom here in Florida which means fresh produce from the Palafox Market! Heirloom tomatoes are my favorite thing to pick up. They are juicy, sweet, and Crescere Farms has over 100 varieties available!
We like to call those super juicy and sweet cherry tomatoes “nature’s candy.” We pop them right in our mouth and enjoy the burst of fresh flavor!
Authentic Italian sauce is made with 5 simple ingredients. What’s better than a recipe that uses your garden harvest and requires minimum ingredients!
Real Italian pasta sauce ingredients
- Fresh tomatoes- Heirloom tomatoes are a great selection for this recipe! They are super flavorful and come in a variety of sizes, colors, and flavors. If they are not accessible to you, Roma tomatoes are perfect!
- Onion- Yellow or white onions are great for this recipe since their flavor holds up well with high heat.
- Garlic- An essential part of any classic Italian pasta sauce is garlic!
- Fresh basil- The fresh and peppery flavor of basil compliments the sweetness of fresh tomatoes perfectly!
- Salt
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil
Chef’s tips
- Use different varieties of tomatoes. Look for tomatoes that have a lot of flesh and aren’t as watery. Combining a variety of tomatoes will lead to a super delicious pasta sauce.
- Add fresh herbs. Make this sauce your own by adding fresh herbs! Garden fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano are great choices.
- Use an emersion blender. This will be the easiest way to blend your sauce and create that perfect silky texture. A large blender will work well also. For a more rustic sauce, simply do not blend.
- Add cheese to the sauce. If you really want to kick this sauce up a notch, add 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese!
How to make Italian pasta sauce from fresh tomatoes
- Heat the olive oil in a pot. Place the pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the onion and garlic. Finely chop the onion and garlic, then add it to the pot. Allow the mixture to sautè for 2 minutes.
- Toss in the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes to the pot, give it a quick stir, then place the lid on it. Allow the tomatoes to soften for about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the seasoning. Add a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes to the pot.
- Mash the tomatoes. Use a potato masher and crush the tomatoes well.
- Simmer for an hour. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce without a lid for an hour. The sauce will cook out some of the liquid and become a little thicker.
- Serve. Serve over fresh pasta and top with cheese, fresh herbs, and more pepper flakes! Mangia!
What to serve with pasta
- A fresh salad with white wine vinaigrette is a delicious side dish that would pair well with any Italian dish!
- Five minute oven roasted asparagus is a classic Italian side dish that is healthy, easy, and uses minimal ingredients.
- Pan roasted broccoli with garlic is healthy and addictingly good!
- Rosemary garlic dinner rolls are made from scratch and are perfect for Sunday night dinner!
- Learn how to easily roast any kind of vegetable for a healthy and filling side dish.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay in touch! I love to see your creations! Tag me at #SeaSaltSavorings to show me what you’ve made!
Authentic Italian Fresh Tomato Spaghetti Sauce
Fresh heirloom tomatoes and basil straight from the garden gives this classic Italian pasta sauce a fresh and delicious flavor!
Equipment
- Sharp kife
- Cutting Board
- Large sauce pot
- Large pot
- Potato masher
- Emersion blender (or a regular blender)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 5 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 4 tbsp basil chopped
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb pasta
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil. Place a medium sized sauce pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Sautè the onion and garlic. Finely chop the onion and garlic, then add to the pot. Sautè the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the basil and the red pepper flakes.
- Add the tomatoes. Place the whole tomatoes in the pot and place the lid on it. Allow the tomatoes to soften for 5-10 minutes. The tomatoes will be soft once the skin begins to split.
- Mash the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes have softened, Use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes. The sauce will be chunky.
- Allow the sauce to simmer. Reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer without a lid for an hour. The sauce will reduce and thicken up.
- Use an emersion blender. Once the sauce has thickened, use an emersion blender to blend the sauce into a creamy texture.
- Make the pasta. Heat a pot of water over high heat. Once the water is rapidly boiling, add 1 tbsp of salt and the pasta to the pot. Cooking to al dente, according to package instructions.
- Serve. Serve the pasta sauce immediatly over fresh pasta and top with fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and cheese. Mangia!
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 6gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 201mgPotassium: 282mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 677IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition values are estimates, for exact values consult a nutritionist.
Tried this recipe?Mention @seasaltsavorings or tag us #seasaltsavorings!
When do you take the tops and bottoms off the tomatoes?
This is a great question. I use a paring knife to core the tomato.