A really dependable tomato and basil sauce for when you crave something easy and delicious. This is a pasta recipe everyone should have in their repertoire to coat strands of spaghetti or even as a pizza base. Easy to freeze if you want to make a big batch and obviously a requirement to shower it with a mountain of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Hi! I was actually developing a recipe for cannelloni and it made me realise I didn't have a really simple tomato sauce on my site. My husband constantly craves a big pile of spaghetti with a red sauce, it's such familiar comfort food right? I do love my Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce as well as my Arrabbiata Sauce which has a kick of chilli but this one is so simple and classic.
My biggest piece of advice is to find the very best tinned tomatoes (and best ingredients as a whole!) you can find. I promise, it makes a difference. San Marzano tomatoes are famous for a reason so try and find them at your grocery store. This sauce is fantastic on any pasta but would be a perfect pairing for my Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli!
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Ingredients
Canned tomatoes - As I mention above, please try and find the best quality Italian tomatoes (San Marzano if you can).
Olive Oil - Good quality is key but nothing with too strong a flavor as it can make the sauce bitter.
Butter - I use a combination of oil and butter as I love the richness and gloss that butter can bring. I think it helps round out the flavor.
Garlic - Depending how strong you want the garlic flavor you either use them whole, thinly sliced or crushed. I personally slice.
Fresh basil leaves - There are so many different methods of a sauce like this. Some people use whole bunches then discard it at the end. I use leaves and leave them in the sauce.
Seasoning - This is a very simple sauce so it needs to be seasoned well with sea salt and black pepper. I also find tinned tomatoes benefit from a touch of sugar too.
Expert tips
- Please see my notes on garlic below!
- This tomato basil pasta sauce is the most simple sauce in the world so high quality ingredients make a difference. For the best results, find top quality Italian tomatoes, preferably San Marzano. Use whole tomatoes, not crushed.
- I like to puree the tomatoes in a food processor (or two batches in a smoothie maker works great!) before starting sauce. It makes the sauce much less watery than if you just hand crush them. I like to see the garlic slices and basil in the sauce rather than pureeing at the end.
- Take the time to simmer the sauce to get some depth of flavor. Tinned tomatoes can taste bitter and the time makes a difference.
- Use this as a base and add anything you like! Some crispy bacon pieces, chorizo or meatballs would be amazing. Check out my Amatriciana which has guanciale.
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The difference between slicing and mincing garlic
Did you know that that the way you prepare garlic changes the flavor and strength? The finer you dice or mince, the stronger it gets thanks to a chemical reaction. Thinly slicing garlic creates a more subtle and sweet flavor which works much better in a tomato sauce.
Using fresh garlic cloves is almost compulsory in my books, jarred garlic has a strange flavor in my opinion. For an even more subtle flavor you can lightly crush the cloves, add them whole, and then discard at the end.
How to make tomato and basil sauce
The full ingredient list and more thorough step by step instructions are in the recipe card below.
ONE: Place the sliced garlic and oil in a cold Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a gentle sizzle over a medium heat.
TWO: Add the pureed tomatoes and bring to a very gentle simmer.
THREE: Add the basil, salt, pepper and sugar and gently simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Finish with the butter.
FOUR: Add your cooked pasta in and let it gently bubble for 2 - 3 minutes. Finish with lots of freshly grated parmesan and some extra fresh basil leaves.
How to cook the perfect pasta
Ever wondered the what the perfect salt to water ratio is? This guide is a must for you!
Recipe FAQs
This sauce will literally work with anything. Spaghetti, orecchiette, whatever you have on hand. I think it is a perfect sauce for ravioli too, store bought or homemade. Check out my Spinach and Ricotta ravioli if you feel like making some!
This sauce actually freezes really well. Transfer into a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 - 4 months.
Whole tomatoes are higher quality than chopped tomatoes so I always go for them and hand crush them myself or puree in a blender.
This recipe isn't totally suited to fresh tomatoes. You can squeeze the seeds out and use a cheese grater to grate the inside and separate the skin.
Some other recipes to try
If you loved this basil tomato pasta sauce then you have to check out my full recipe section as I have a ton of other pasta sauces you will love. I have a collection of just tomato sauce recipes too! My very popular Creamy Tomato Sauce needs to go on the list, here are some others.
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Recipe
Tomato and Basil Sauce
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Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves finely sliced, see notes
- 2 x 400 gram tinned whole tomatoes (san marzano if possible)
- ½ cup basil leaves
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1.5 teaspoon sugar (optional, see notes)
- 40 grams butter (3 tablespoons)
- 400 grams dried pasta
Instructions
- I like to puree the tomatoes in a smoothie maker (in two batches) or food processor BEFORE starting the sauce. It makes the sauce much less watery. Slosh ½ cup of water into each can and add that to tomatoes.
- Put the olive oil and garlic cold in a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a very gentle sizzle over a medium heat.
- Once the garlic has been gently sizzling for a minute (it must not brown) add the tomatoes and bring to a very gentle simmer.
- Add the basil, salt, pepper and sugar if using.
- Lower the heat and very gently simmer for 20 - 30 minutes until the flavor deepens and the tomatoes lose their bitterness. You aren't looking to reduce the sauce much, it's more about deepening the flavor so keep the heat quite low.
- Finish the sauce with the butter, this is optional but it rounds out the flavors really well. An even more optional step is to add ¼ cup of cream.
- Have a good taste and add any extra seasoning.
- Boil your pasta in VERY well salted water (see notes below). I like to undercook it by a minute so it can simmer in the tomato sauce.
- Add your cooked pasta straight in and let it gently bubble away for a good 2 - 3 minutes.
- This is a simple sauce so make sure you load up your pasta with lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese and some extra fresh basil leaves.
Anna says
This is going to be such a staple! The butter made such a difference. So delicious