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3 Expert Tips For The Absolute Best Homemade Pomodoro Sauce

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The tomato may have originated in Mexico, but Italian cuisine has elevated it to such heights that most of us associate it with Italy. In addition to caprese salad and bruschetta, the tomato is the foundation of two of Italy's most iconic sauces: marinara and pomodoro. In the U.S., we might use marinara as a blanket term that encompasses both sauces. However, pomodoro is a well-defined sauce that distinguishes itself by texture and cooking method.

Simply meaning tomato in Italian, pomodoro celebrates the full potential of a tomato's complexity using a few ingredients slowly cooked to a thick, smooth sauce commonly used on pizza and pasta. A recipe as basic as pomodoro sauce is easy to execute, but its perfect simplicity requires a certain finesse. We consulted expert Italian-American chef Matthew Cutolo, from Gargiulo's Restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, for guidance on how to make the best homemade pomodoro sauce. He says the three crucial tips for pomodoro sauce are quality ingredients, going heavy on seasonings, and a low and slow cooking method. We'll cover chef Cutolo's tips in more detail below.

Read more: 44 Types Of Pasta And When You Should Be Using Them

Always Use Quality Ingredients For Pomodoro Sauce

ripe tomatoes at a market - Alexander Spatari/Getty Images

While there's no set recipe, pomodoro sauce is defined by precious few ingredients, namely tomatoes, olive oil, basil, and garlic. Consequently, the quality of each ingredient is tantamount to its taste. Chef Matthew Cutolo believes that the best ingredients will lay the foundation for your homemade sauce.

He says, "My top tips to making an excellent homemade pomodoro sauce would be to start with high quality ingredients. Using really great tomatoes and olive oil will make a huge difference in the final product."

Since pomodoro is an Italian staple, choosing native Italian ingredients will honor the recipe all the more. Pomodoro may mean tomato, but its literal translation is golden apple, referring to the yellow hue of the first variety of tomatoes utilized in Italian cooking. As tomatoes became a reigning ingredient in Italian cuisine, they took on the bright red, sweet, and juicy variety proudly known as San Marzano. Building your sauce with San Marzano tomatoes marked with the DOP seal on the can along with a high quality Italian extra virgin olive oil like this imported Sicilian olive oil will give your sauce an authentic edge. That said, if tomatoes are in season, fresh and local ripe produce is a marker of high quality, and goes along with the Italian philosophy of using the best local ingredients. Domestic extra virgin olive oil brands like this California Olive Ranch is our top pick for a high quality olive oil that will impart a rich flavor to homemade pomodoro sauce.

Seasonings As Flavor Agents

ingredients for pomodoro sauce - 9dream studio/Shutterstock

Pomodoro is a simple sauce, but one of the reasons it has become a global favorite is due to the complexity of its flavor profile. Tomatoes contribute a tangy, sweet, umami trifecta that shines through so beautifully thanks to the seasonings you pair it with. Matthew Cutolo advocates for both classic as well as unconventional seasonings.

The chef says, "Don't be afraid to season well. Everyone has their own version of a pomodoro sauce, whether it includes garlic, or onion, or a soffritto, or butter, these additions can help add flavor and balance the sauce. Basil is a must. It adds so much flavor, fragrance and complexity to the sauce."

Fresh basil leaves and smashed garlic cloves are the essential pomodoro flavorings that bring a sweet herbal taste and aroma and a spicy aromatic complement to the umami-rich tomatoes and earthy olive oil. However, to make a richer sauce, you can bring in more aromatic complexity with the help of onions or soffritto. Italian soffritto is synonymous with French mirepoix, consisting of diced onions, carrots, and celery, used as the base for many famous Italian dishes like this vegetarian pasta e fagioli or this slow cooker minestrone. Extra aromatics may create a chunkier texture to this famously smooth sauce. But after a long, slow simmer, they'll all but melt in your mouth. You can also add a sprig of thyme, parsley, or even a bay leaf for a well-rounded herbal profile. Blending butter and olive oil would be an earthy and savory addition, too.

Go Low And Slow For A Winning Sauce

pasta al pomodoro with basil and parmesan - Food Fantasy/Shutterstock

Popping open a can of store-bought tomato sauce may provide instant gratification, but the secret to the best homemade pomodoro sauce is patience. According to Matthew Cutolo, there's no getting around a slow and steady stovetop method when it comes to pomodoro sauce. "Finally, for my sugo di pomodoro low and slow is key. The sauce will slowly simmer, reducing and intensifying all of the flavors."

Patience is really all that's required of home cooks; homemade pomodoro sauce is an easy, hands-off recipe that lets the stove do all the work. You can start your sauce by drizzling a hearty amount of olive oil into a saucepan over medium heat, adding whole or crushed garlic to sizzle until fragrant. Then come the tomatoes and fresh seasonings. Whether you use canned San Marzano tomatoes or fresh tomato halves, a minimum of 30 minutes and maximum of up to 3 hours of simmering will draw the juices out of them, evaporating the water content and transforming their liquid and fibrous contents into a thick, smooth consistency bursting with concentrated umami.

If you want to make pasta pomodoro, you can add freshly boiled pasta and reserved pasta water to the sauce for an even thicker consistency to finish with a sprinkling of proper parmesan -- try this Italian imported parmigiano reggiano. This smooth mix will also make the perfect pizza sauce to spread over this crispy no-knead skillet pizza or this sheet pan Sicilian pizza recipe.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

I Tried Lasagna Recipes From Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, And Giada De Laurentiis, And The Winner Used Cottage Cheese

Garten's recipe calls for interesting ingredients, such as goat cheese. Garten's lasagna had ground turkey and a mix of cheeses. Terri Peters

Garten's easy turkey lasagna is a simple take on the standard recipe with a few surprising ingredients — namely, goat cheese for the filling.

Her recipe calls for sweet Italian turkey sausage, but since I had trouble finding that at any grocery stores near me, I used regular ground turkey and seasoned it with Italian seasoning, red-pepper flakes, and a bit of sugar.

This base sauce has ground turkey and crushed tomatoes. I made the sauce first. Terri Peters

After seasoning the ground turkey, making the sauce was pretty straightforward.

When I simmered onion, fresh herbs, canned crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste together, I had a pretty standard, meaty sauce to work with.

Garten's recipe combines goat cheese and ricotta for a flavorful mixture. I don't usually put goat cheese in my lasagna, but I was willing to give it a try. Terri Peters

I'd never made lasagna with goat cheese, but Garten's recipe meant I stirred 3 to 4 ounces of it into 15 ounces of ricotta.

The combination was tart and flavorful. The flavors of the goat cheese stood out in the dish, especially with the lightness of the ground turkey.

The chef then tops it all off with even more cheese. I love adding fresh mozzarella to my lasagna. Terri Peters

I really liked that Garten's recipe included fresh mozzarella cheese.

So many lasagnas lean on grated or shredded mozzarella, so slicing up a fresh log was a nice touch.

Garten's lasagna would be the winner if I were giving awards for the cheesiness. Garten's lasagna ended up being super cheesy. Terri Peters

Garten's cheese-laden lasagna was a dairy lover's dream.

The goat cheese gave that layer some extra tang and flavor, and the fresh mozzarella provided layers of thick, cheesy goodness that made for a great cheese pull.

De Laurentiis' lasagna recipe calls for lots of spinach. De Laurentiis has a fresh take on lasagna. Terri Peters

De Laurentiis' classic Italian lasagna made me question the standard recipe I've been following for years.

I'm used to ground meat, cheeses, and tomato sauce. But De Laurentiis' recipe requires 20 ounces of frozen spinach and a mixture of white béchamel sauce and homemade tomato sauce.

I cooked the meat separately from the sauce. Giada De Laurentiis doesn't add her meat to the sauce right away. Terri Peters

De Laurentiis' method puzzled me, but who am I to argue with a master of Italian cuisine?

I made a béchamel sauce and a standard tomato sauce to assemble the chef's lasagna and stirred the two together.

De Laurentiis also said to keep the ground beef separate, layering it into the dish on its own.

I needed a lot of ricotta and eggs for De Laurentiis' lasagna. The recipe called for 1 ½ pounds of ricotta cheese. Terri Peters

Before assembling, I followed the instructions and stirred together three large eggs and 1 ½ pounds of ricotta cheese.

I'm not a fan of a lasagna that's heavy on the egg flavor, but her recipe wasn't overly eggy in the end.

The large amount of spinach detracted from the dish's overall flavor. I don't think I'll continue adding spinach to my lasagna. Terri Peters

De Laurentiis' recipe had a lot of spinach, and there wasn't much seasoning to add flavor.

The spinach was my least favorite ingredient in any of the lasagna recipes, and I'm usually a big fan of the leafy green.

De Laurentiis' lasagna took the longest and was our least favorite. I'm not planning on making De Laurentiis' lasagna for my family again. Terri Peters

De Laurentiis' lasagna disappointed me, mostly because it wasn't very flavorful.

I don't think the many steps of the complicated recipe paid off in the end.

Drummond's recipe calls for 3 pounds of meat. Drummond's lasagna was heavy on the meat. Terri Peters

Drummond, better known as The Pioneer Woman, doesn't mess around with protein-filled meals.

Her simple lasagna recipe calls for 2 pounds of ground beef and a pound of hot breakfast sausage.

The chef also included cottage cheese instead of traditional ricotta and tons of fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley.

Drummond's sauce was full of ground meat and fresh herbs. I liked the addition of basil and parsley. Terri Peters

I eat a high-protein diet, so I was immediately drawn to Drummond's meat-heavy lasagna sauce.

Like Garten, Drummond's recipe relies on canned tomatoes and tomato paste to make up the rest of the sauce, along with lots of chopped, fresh herbs.

The recipe requires cottage cheese instead of ricotta. I couldn't tell the difference between the lasagna with ricotta and this one with cottage cheese. Terri Peters

Cottage cheese is a staple for meeting my daily protein goals, but I'd never had it in lasagna.

Drummond completely did away with traditional ricotta, and in the end, I enjoyed the flavor the cottage cheese brought to the meal.

My son, the picky eater, didn't even notice the switch.

Drummond's meaty lasagna had the most flavor, hands down. I've never put this much meat in my lasagna before, but it was delicious. Terri Peters

Tossing 3 pounds of meat into a lasagna felt like overkill, but I ended up loving it.

Lasagna can be carb- and dairy-heavy, so I liked how protein-packed Drummond's version was.

Of the three dishes, Drummond's is the one I'd make again. I can't wait to add Ree Drummond's lasagna to my dinner rotation. Terri Peters

Drummond's meaty lasagna was my favorite.

I would make her recipe again — it just might replace the family recipe I always default to.

Drummond's lasagna was perfectly cheesy and flavorful, had the right ratio of sauce to noodles, and was incredibly simple to assemble.

Best of all, it was a hit with my entire family.

This story was originally published on December 21, 2023, and most recently updated on December 24, 2024.

How To Make Stanley Tucci's Sausage And Shells Pasta For New Year's Parties? Recipe And More Details Explored

Actor Stanley Tucci was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2017 and had to take an arduous journey for his treatment. However, during that period, he was not afraid of death but the fear of losing his taste, as revealed to The New York Times.

For the recipe, Tucci used minced onion, garlic, fennel, fennel seeds, ground Italian sausage, and a homemade tomato (marinara) sauce. He put all the ingredients in a pan and sautéed them. After that, he added the pasta and cheese. He used the large conchiglie pasta for the dish.

If one looks at the actor's social media platforms, one would find numerous posts outlining exquisite recipes that are unique because they barely follow the logistics of cooking like measurement, time, and the necessity of maximum ingredients.

Tucci's special recipe for pasta lovers is also mentioned in his 2024 book What I Ate in One Year. It must be mentioned that Tucci wrote the book not like any other book but more like a journal. The book details his gastronomical experience spanning over a year with each day as a mirror to the actor's food memories. The Sausage and Shells pasta was his meal on May 9.

That day, his wife, literary agent Felicity Blunt was not at home in the evening as she was out for work. Stanley Tucci prepared chipolata sausages for his kids in the new air fryer which he called an 'amazing contraption.' He complemented their meal with rice and peas.

Interestingly, he mentioned having three helpings of the dish, which he was not proud of. The actor wrote:

"I had three helpings at nine p.M. Not wise but delicious."

With New Year's Eve around the corner, this recipe is worth a try to impress your guests.

Stanley Tucci might have an abundance of pasta recipes in his mind. As mentioned, the Sausage and Shell pasta requires tomato sauce but if you are not a big fan, this recipe is the one you can make with some fresh tomatoes. The actor shared this recipe with YouTube channel Williams Sonoma on September 16, 2023. At the onset, he said:

"So, I am gonna make a really simple pasta spaghetti with fresh tomato, onion, garlic, basil."

Like any other pasta recipe, the first step is to boil the pasta for nine to twelve minutes depending on the quantity. In a pan, Stanley Tucci added some olive oil, garlic, and sliced onions and sauteed them. After a while, he put the tomatoes in and added a pinch of salt followed by some basil.

He strained the already-boiled pasta poured them into the pan and then added some pasta water. Tucci tossed the ingredients and poured some olive oil but that's optional. That's all you need to prepare this dish!

In an interview with The Guardian, it was mentioned that his daughter Emilia eats only pasta and cheese for dinner. However, this presumably may not be a joyful moment for Stanley Tucci who has a deep love for different delicacies.

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Edited by Nimisha Bansal

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