This classic Italian-American Red Pasta Sauce Recipe Perfect for spaghetti, Parmesan chicken, eggplant Parmesan and lasagna. You can make this homemade sauce with canned or fresh tomatoes.
Our family ate a lot of pasta (see all our pasta recipes as proof). We went through a lot of spaghetti sauce, especially loved this homemade version. I love its vegetarian spaghetti, topped with homemade meatballs, served with fresh homemade pasta, and more!
This red pasta sauce freezes very well. It’s easy and tastes just as good, if not better, like your favorite Jarred spaghetti sauce (my favorite is Rao’s, and so does this homemade sauce). To use a lighter fresh sauce, see our homemade marinade sauce.
Key Ingredients
- olive oil: Italian seasoning usually starts with olive oil in the pan before anything else, and this homemade pasta sauce does. I used 1/4 cup, which made the sauce delicious and rich. For more richness, use half of olive oil and half of butter.
- Spicy green onion and garlic: Onions will be nice in this sauce, but I like to use shallots, which are milder and more refined. I also stirred a tablespoon of chopped garlic. If you are sensitive to garlic, feel free to reduce or use roasted garlic for a sweeter flavor.
- spices: I like the sweet heat of Aleppo peppers, so I added a little to the bottom of the sauce, but the crushed red pepper flakes also solved the problem well. I also stirred a tablespoon of Italian seasoning for extra flavor.
- Tomato sauce and tomatoes: The tomato sauce adds color and richness, while the whole canned tomatoes make up most of our sauce. I love San Marzano tomatoes, but any quality fully lined tomato will work. I used the same canned tomatoes in my homemade tomato soup. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, I have added tips below the recipe!
- Basil: I love this simple sauce with fresh basil when it comes to season, but I offer tips for dry basil in the recipe.
How to make pasta sauce
This pasta sauce recipe is simpler! I do this often on spaghetti nights (Lasagna) and even the foundation of my favorite Italian meatballs.
First, you will cook the scallions (or onions) in olive oil until they are soft and smell good. Then stir in a lot of garlic, pepper, Italian seasoning and tomato sauce. When you cook the tomato sauce, it breaks down into oil and turns into a burning orange instead of red.
Next, I poured the whole canned tomatoes and seasoned with salt and pepper. As the sauce fades, I split the whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon so that it can be cooked into the sauce.
I like to reduce the seasoning by about 1/3, which means it still tastes fresh but has a richer, deeper tomato flavor. Just before setting the heat down, I stirred the fresh basil and it was done!
Homemade pasta sauce
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How to make red pasta sauce is perfect for spaghetti, chicken parmesan, eggplant parmesan and lasagna. Made this homemade spaghetti sauce with canned or fresh tomatoes. We usually use canned tomatoes with fully peeled, but I provide tips for fresh tomatoes in the tips below. This pasta sauce is naturally vegetarian when you use olive oil. For a richer sauce, use butter instead of olive oil.
Made 6 cups
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You will need
1/4 cup (60 ml) super olive oil
1/2 cup (75g) chopped shallot or onion
4 to 6 cloves and garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo chili or chopped red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons (35g) tomato sauce
2 (28 oz) canned fully peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1/2 cup (15g) chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 to 2 tablespoons dried basil
direction
1Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot with a large bottom. Add the scallions and cook until 3 to 4 minutes.
2Stir in garlic, pepper, Italian seasoning and tomato sauce. Cook for one minute to let the flavor develop.
3Pour the juice into canned tomatoes. Use a spoon or mashed potato mixer to gently break them into thick sauce. Don’t worry about perfect consistency!
4Lower the heat and allow the sauce to stir gently. Add salt and pepper (you can add it later if you want). Let it cook on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until it is reduced by about one third. Taste and adjust the seasoning while cooking.
5Turn off the heat and stir the fresh basil. We will chunks of seasoning, but you can mix it with a stand or immersive blender to make the sauce smoother.
6You can use pasta sauce immediately, store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- storage: Homemade pasta sauce lasts up to 4 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen for up to 3 months (maybe more). Thaw the frozen soy sauce in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the pasta sauce in a pot over medium heat.
- Fresh tomatoes: Swap the canned tomatoes for 4 to 5 pounds of fresh, ripe tomatoes. While specific varieties are ideal for seasonings, any delicious tomato can be used. You can peel the tomatoes to make them smoother, but this is optional. To do this, cook a pot of water and prepare an ice bath. Cut a shallow “X” at the bottom of each tomato. Then, boil for 30 to 45 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath. You can remove the tomato skin with a knife or hand while it cools.
- Seasoning sauce: If the sauce lacks flavor, add more salt. If it’s too acidic, a small pinch of sugar can balance it. Try some small snacks or chopped anchovies to give it a deep salty flavor.
- Optional Parmesan peel: Add the remaining parma peel while the sauce rubs for extra richness. Remember to delete it before eating!
- Thickened pasta sauce: If your sauce is too thin, leave it on medium-low heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes to make it thicker. As the sauce fades, it thickens.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
Service size
1/2 cup
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Calories
65
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Total fat
5G
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Saturated fat
0.7 g
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cholesterol
0mg
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sodium
207.8mg
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carbohydrate
5.6 g
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Dietary fiber
2.6 g
/
Total sugar
3.7 grams
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protein
1.2 g
We are Adam and Joanne, a couple who are passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? Inspire you to enter the kitchen and cook fresh and delicious meals confidently.
