Easy & Authentic Pomodoro Sauce (Fresh or Canned Tomatoes)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Fresh tomatoes and herbs are in abundance and their flavour is at their peak. This easy & authentic pomodoro sauce will blow you away with how incredible it tastes with only 5 ingredients. Even better, this can be made with canned tomatoes (ideally with the best quality you can find – including home canned).
Table of Contents
Did you know that pomodoro just means tomato in Italian? Technically “golden apple” – due to the first tomatoes being cultivated in Italy being yellow or orange varieties. In its most basic state, this is just a tomato sauce, but it’s so much more! The fresh tomato flavour shines here – it’s hard to beat a fresh tomato sauce that uses tomatoes when they’re in season.
This pomodoro sauce can be used as a base in other recipes that call for a basic marinara or pomodoro. You can add shrimp, sausage, meat, or meatballs and create a whole new dish. Break it up a bit more and spread it on pizza. It is extremely versatile.
What is the Difference Between Pomodoro and Marinara
Pasta alla Marinara is also known as “sailor’s sauce”. It was meant as a quick way to use easily accessible ingredients to make a quick lunch on the go that worked well with seafood, capers, or anchovies12. Similar in structure to a pomodoro using fresh tomatoes, olive oil, basil or oregano, salt, and onions/garlic.
Pasta al Pomodoro is a simple sauce prepared with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, and salt3. It is meant to be cooked quickly and serve as a thin sauce to lightly coat the pasta. Often variations in family recipes may include onion or omit onion and garlic entirely. Some may use oregano rather than basil. There is no “official” recipe for pomodoro sauce, but this is my favourite way to enjoy fresh garden tomatoes.
Tips for the Best Pomodoro Sauce
- Use ripe, high-quality tomatoes such as San Marzano, Roma, or other thick-walled varieties. Thin-walled tomatoes are often more watery and contain more seeds. If you use watery tomatoes, I’d suggest increasing the amount used to 3 lbs and to simmer longer.
- Seasonality matters. If tomatoes aren’t in season where you live, your best option here would be to use high-quality canned tomatoes. Often the best are San Marzano, but there are thousands of varieties of tomatoes out there that taste amazing. Don’t fret if you can’t find it. I would recommend your own canned tomatoes if you have it.
- Listen to the sauce. If you can hear sizzling – that is often a sign that all of the water has reduced out. Add a splash or two of water to maintain some liquid in the sauce so it doesn’t burn. Every tomato is different so this may vary based on the variety.
- Remove the skins from the tomatoes for the smoothest sauce. You can leave them on if you prefer (or don’t want to go through the effort), it still tastes amazing – just a bit chunkier and a bit more like a marinara sauce.
How to Remove the Tomato Skin
Want to go “no waste”? – Try saving your tomato skins and dry them in a single layer in the oven at 170F or in a dehydrator until crisp. Blend into a powder and use as a seasoning for soups, stews, and even roasts or veggies.
Blanching Method
- Bring a large pot half full of water to a boil. Set another large bowl on the side filled with ice water.
- Remove the stem scar (where the stem attached to the tomato) or any other blemishes from the tomatoes using a tomato huller or small paring knife. You can also do this after the tomatoes blanch but it’s easier this way.
- Add the tomatoes to the boiling water and allow them to cook for 1 minute. Any that split prior to one minute can be removed early. Once 1 minute has elapsed, remove them to the ice bath until they cool down.
- Once the tomatoes are cool, use your fingers to gently peel off the skins. You can discard/compost them or save them for another use if desired.
- Set the tomatoes aside until ready to use. Cover and refrigerate if you’re not making the sauce right away.
Steaming Method
- Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place flesh side down in a single layer in a skillet. Add a splash of water and cover with a lid. Turn the heat to medium-low and allow the tomatoes to gently heat up.
- Cook for a couple minutes until the skins loosen and you can just “pluck” them off the tomato. Gently crush with a fork and set aside.
Broiling/Grilling
- This method uses direct heat to char the tomato skins. This provides a distinct flavour that the other methods do not – giving it a charred/fire-grilled flavour.
- Grill/broil over/under high heat until the skins char and turn black. Rotate to evenly char, being careful not to reduce the tomato into a completely blackened husk. Once the skins are brown/black in spots on most sides of the tomato, remove from the heat and set aside to cool a bit before removing the skins.
How to Make Authentic Pomodoro Sauce
In a medium bowl, crush 2 lbs of blanched, peeled San Marzano (or plum variety) tomatoes with your hands until they’re mostly pulp. Set aside until ready to add to the sauce.
Place a medium pot or large saucepan over low heat. Once hot, add ¼ cup oil. Let the oil shimmer before adding in 6-8 cloves of thinly sliced garlic.
I know it sounds like a lot of garlic, but trust me. Sliced garlic is not as pungent as minced. If you end up using a hardneck variety like Red Russian, consider using 4-6.
Swirl and cook the garlic gently until its extremely fragrant and just turning lightly golden before adding the crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp fine sea salt, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (if desired).
Turn up the heat and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer before adding in 1 sprig of basil on top. Reduce the heat to low or to maintain a very low boil/simmer. Once the basil has wilted, push it into the sauce.
Stir occasionally for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens up and most of the water is reduced. Discard the basil and either blend the sauce to a smooth consistency or serve as is (rustic-style). Serve over fresh pasta or as a base for your favourite pizza.
Enjoy with 1 lb (dry weight) of al dente pasta.
Freezer/Storage Instructions
Should stay good in the refrigerator up to a week, but try to use within a few days or freeze.
Freeze in small individual serving tupperware or silicone molds and pop into an air-tight freezer bag.
Thaw overnight in the fridge, on the counter for a few hours, or over low in a small pot on the stove.
More Pasta and Italian Recipes
Loved the recipe and looking for more or just in the mood for something else? Check out these other Italian recipes of mine:
Easy & Authentic Pomodoro Sauce (Fresh or Canned)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium bowl, crush the tomatoes with your hands until they're mostly pulp. Set aside until ready to add to the sauce.
- Place a medium pot or large saucepan over low heat. Once hot, add the oil. Let the oil shimmer before adding in the garlic.
- Swirl and cook the garlic gently until its extremely fragrant and just turning lightly golden before adding the crushed tomatoes, salt, and red pepper flakes (if desired).
- Turn up the heat and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer before adding in the sprig of basil on top. Reduce the heat to low or to maintain a very low boil/simmer. Once the basil has wilted, push it into the sauce.
- Stir occasionally for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens up and most of the water is reduced. Discard the basil and either blend the sauce to a smooth consistency (if you didn't blend/use a food mill earlier) or serve as is.
- Serve over fresh pasta or as a base for your favourite pizza. Enjoy!