Pasta Sauce Recipe

Why I Love Making Pasta Sauce From Scratch

Making pasta sauce from scratch makes every weeknight pasta dinner taste like it came from a restaurant! Here’s why it’s so worth it to DIY it:

• You know exactly what’s in it. Making pasta sauce from scratch is healthier since you control the ingredients, which means you can avoid unnecessary additives (like sugar or corn syrup!) or preservatives.  
• It’s ridiculously easy. In just a little bit more time than it takes to simmer a jar of store-bought pasta sauce, you can have your own homemade pasta sauce. Seriously! This cooks in just about 15 minutes.
• Great for meal prep. Make a big batch and then use it for pasta, Baked Chicken Parmesan, and more throughout the week. You can also freeze this sauce so you have it on hand for future meals too!

What You’ll Need

With such a short list of ingredients, quality matters a LOT. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Olive oil – A good olive oil will add another dimension of flavor to the sauce. 
• Garlic cloves – Always essential for pasta sauce if you ask me!
• San Marzano tomatoes – Or Roma (plum) tomatoes. 
• Salt
• Red pepper – You can add as much or as little as you like. 
• Basil – Fresh basil adds so much flavor to this pasta sauce recipe. Dried basil just doesn’t cut it!

How to Make Homemade Pasta Sauce

You’ll find the full recipe at the bottom of the page, but here’s a quick visual overview so you can see what each step looks like.

• Cook the garlic. Add the oil to a skillet set over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. You don’t want the garlic to brown or burn; you just want to infuse its flavor into the oil.
• Add the tomatoes and season. Stir in the tomatoes until they’re coated with the oil, then add the salt and red pepper flakes.

• Simmer. Continue to cook until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens. 
• Finish. Stir in the fresh basil and serve.

Tips and Variations

With these tips and ideas for making this pasta sauce recipe your own, you can be sure it will turn out perfect!

• Make a smoother sauce. After cooking, use an immersion blender directly in the skillet or transfer the sauce to a blender to achieve a smoother texture.  
• Balance the acidity. If your tomatoes are particularly acidic, a pinch of sugar can help balance the flavor. 
• Add some mix-ins. Depending on how you’re using this sauce, you can add sautéed mushrooms, olives, green peppers and onions, etc. 

Serving Suggestions

It’s not just for pasta, friends! Here are some more ways to use this tomato sauce recipe:

• Lasagna. This Skillet Lasagna Recipe is a family favorite!
• Pizza Sauce. Simmer the sauce longer, until it’s very thick (to keep it from making the crust soggy) and you can use it to make pizza.
• Eggplant or Chicken Parmesan. Try my Baked Eggplant Parmesan with this sauce.
• Shakshuka. Use it as a base to poach eggs directly in the sauce for a healthy brunch dish.

How to Store and Reheat

• Refrigerator: Store leftover pasta sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.  
• Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.  
• To reheat: Warm the sauce in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat or in a microwave-safe bowl.

More Sauce Recipes

• Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
• Homemade Ragu Sauce
• Boom Boom Sauce
• My Go-to Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce