This homemade, Italian Roma Tomato Sauce recipe is inspired by two family trips to Italy. It uses fresh ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, basil, and more—and it comes together so quickly easily that you'll never want to buy jarred sauce again!
Table of Contents
About this Sauce
I seldom start a blog post recipe with a backstory because I know most people don't care, but this homemade Italian Roma Tomato Sauce recipe deserves the anecdote. My family and I have taken two trips to Italy: Frascati in 2019 and Milan in 2022. We spent time in authentic Italian homes while learning the origin and technique of the most PERFECT homemade pasta and sauce. It was such an amazing experience to learn how Italian cuisine is made and how they use fresh ingredients to create the most flavorful and delicious dishes!
So, I'm sharing a little bit of what I learned in this Roma Tomato Sauce recipe. We are going to use store-bought pasta for time and convenience, but don't worry. The sauce and the star of the show is easily made on the stovetop with a handful of fresh ingredients like garlic, basil, Italian seasoning, and plump Roma tomatoes.
Get ready for a delicious smelling kitchen and tasty meal! And if you're looking for some more of my Italian inspired favorites, also try this Italian Orzo Salad, this Lemon Basil Caprese Salad or this homemade Pesto Focaccia, which I'm sure you'll love, too!
Recipe Ingredients
- Garlic: Probably one of the most important flavors in Italian pasta sauce! I used pre-minced garlic for convenience.
- Olive Oil: Adds such delicious flavor and is a great source of healthy fats.
- Tomatoes: I used 3 large Roma tomatoes. NOTE: The tomatoes pictured above are NOT Roma, tomatoes. Those are Beef Steak tomatoes, which will work for this recipe, but I prefer Roma, which I tested and ultimately settled on after taking the ingredient shot.
- Italian Seasoning: To pack our sauce with delicious and hearty flavor.
- Basil: Using fresh basil leaves really takes this sauce up a notch.
- Pasta: I used pappardelle pasta from Trader Joe's. You can use whatever kind of pasta you like.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make This Recipe
1. In a sauce pot, prepare pasta according to box instructions.
2. Next, heat a skillet to medium-heat and add in minced garlic, olive oil, and finely diced tomatoes. Then, stir in Italian seasoning and julienned basil leaves. Let simmer for 10-20 minutes. You can simmer up to one hour for deeper flavor.
3. Once the noodles and pasta sauce are done cooking, add the noodles to the sauce.
4. Twirl noodles and sauce together, top with salt and pepper and fresh parmesan if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Store in an glass container or mason jar (it will stain plastic!) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, cover in the microwave to prevent splatter. Microwave in 30-60 second intervals until reheated. You can also freeze your sauce in a freezer bag or container for up to 6 months.
USE FRESH INGREDIENTS! This pasta sauce is going to SHINE if you use fresh, organic ingredients, or tomatoes from your local farmers market. If you have an herb garden, this would be a lovely way to incorporate these ingredients, too!
We’re using garden fresh Roma tomatoes, but other recommendations: San Marzano, Viva Italia or Saucy Lady Tomatoes. You want to find tomatoes with low water content and few seeds for the most flavorful sauce.
Pasta is the obvious answer and pappardelle is my favorite for this dish, but any variety will obviously do even zoodles or spaghetti squash! This sauce is also great for dishes like eggplant or chicken parm, or a ratatouille because it's fairly simple but mighty delicious.
You could also serve this pasta with fresh garlic bread or bread sticks as a tasty appetizer. If you want yoto take your pizza to the next level, use it on that, too! Or if you're looking for another twist on a pizza recipe, try this Italian Fig Pizza.
More Recipes You'll Love
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Recipe
Roma Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- skillet
- Sauce pot
- Rubber scraper
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Tongs
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 large, fresh Roma tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 6-8 basil leaves
- 1 package pappardelle pasta, or any pasta
Instructions
- In a sauce pot, prepare pasta according to box instructions.
- Next, heat a skillet to medium-heat and add in minced garlic, olive oil, and finely diced tomatoes. Then, stir in Italian seasoning and julienned basil leaves. Let simmer for 10-20 minutes. You can simmer up to one hour for deeper flavor.
- Once the noodles and pasta sauce are done cooking, add the noodles to the sauce.
- Twirl noodles and sauce together, top with salt and pepper and fresh parmesan if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Sydney Van Acker says
Made this with store bought tomatoes 10/10. Can't wait until later this summer when I can use all of the fresh tomatoes from the garden to make again!!
Courtney Paige says
perfect for date night!