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Homemade Pasta Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

Homemade Pasta Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

Homemade pasta sauce with fresh tomatoes is made by softening garlic in olive oil, adding chopped ripe tomatoes and simmering until the liquid reduces. Toss the finished sauce with cooked pasta, or spoon it over gnocchi. Tomato ripeness and pan width affect the cooking time, so judge the texture as well as the clock.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes cored and chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt with more only after tasting
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves torn
  • 8 ounces dry spaghetti or short pasta optional for serving
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water up to this amount; add only as needed

Method
 

  1. Prepare the tomatoes and basil. If serving pasta, bring a separate pot of water to a boil and follow the pasta package directions.
  2. Put the olive oil and garlic in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for about 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Avoid browning the garlic deeply.
  3. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper and optional crushed red pepper. Raise the heat until the tomatoes begin bubbling, then reduce to a steady simmer.
  4. Simmer uncovered for approximately 20–25 minutes, stirring periodically, until the tomatoes soften and the sauce is no longer watery. Break down larger pieces with a spoon. The time can vary with tomato moisture and pan size.
  5. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if needed. Stir in the basil after taking the pan off the heat. For a smoother texture, cool briefly and use an immersion blender according to its safety instructions.
  6. Reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, adding the water a tablespoon at a time only if the coating seems too thick. Serve promptly.

Notes

Recipe development draft; quantities, yield and times have not been kitchen-tested by RecipeCrave. Times are estimates. Images are AI-generated illustrations. Estimated yield: about 2 cups sauce, enough for 4 modest servings with 8 oz dry pasta. This is a refrigerated cooking sauce, not a canning recipe.