Pasta Sauce is a sweet, savory, and authentic Italian tomato-based condiment. It is prepared with olive oil, crushed tomato, carrot, onion, garlic, and other Italian herbs. The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make Pasta Sauce with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.
I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe below to make the cooking process simple and clear. This homemade Pasta sauce is one of the easy-to-make vegan-friendly condiments that can be made in under 30 minutes. And it pairs great with pasta, pizza, lasagna, or polenta that is perfect for lunch and dinner.
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What is Pasta Sauce?
Pasta Sauce is a sweet, savory, and classic Italian dish used to flavor up pasta. It is usually made with crushed tomatoes, diced veggies, onion, garlic, and fresh Italian herbs. The sauces can be oil, cream, tomato, meat, cheese, or herbs based.
Different types of Pasta Sauces are been used in the Italian cuisine for years where you may find sauces that are meant only for specific pasta varieties. For instance, a light tomato sauce pairs great with thin kinds of pasta, while creamy sauces are best on pasta like fettuccine, penne pasta, and similar others.
While there are so many sauces used in Italian cooking, here I have shared an easy, quick-to-make Homemade Pasta Sauce that delivers the best taste and flavor. Even though authentic recipes call for hours of simmering the sauce, this recipe requires only under 30 minutes to make the entire dish. And the bonus is you could serve it not only on pasta but also on pizza, lasagna, or polenta.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this easy Pasta Sauce is basic kitchen ingredients and some Italian herbs. These ingredients should be easily available in most supermarkets around.
- Crushed Tomatoes - I have used store brought crushed tomatoes here and you can also use fresh tomatoes toa chieve similar results. If you are using fresh ones then I would recommend to crush them in blender and simmer the sauce for atleast an hour for best results
- Olive Oil - Sauteing the onion and garlic in olive oil gives a nice flavor to your sauce. But you can also add some butter for richer flavor
- Crushed Carrot - Adding some grated or crushed carrot gives the perfect sweetness and thickness to your sauce
- Onion and Garlic - Sauteing the onions and garlic gives an authentic taste and flavor to your sauce
- Italian Herbs - I have added dried Italian herbs like oregano, basil and parsley leaves here and you can also use fresh herbs if thaey are handy to you
- Chili Flakes - It is an optional ingredient to add some heat to the sauce. You can either use or skip it
How to make Pasta Sauce?
The recipe I have shared here is an easy homemade Pasta Sauce made with staple kitchen ingredients. This sauce is easy to make and delivers the best taste and flavor. And all you need is under 30 minutes to whip up the entire sauce.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this dish but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photo and video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Saute Garlic - In a pan with medium heat, pour olive oil, and add garlic. Saute the garlic until it turns aromatic
- Caramilse the onion - Add the onion and saute until it turns soft
- Saute in the carrots - Now add the crushed carrots and saute for 2 to 3 minutes
- Introduce the tomatoes - Pour the crushed tomatoes and give it a nice mix
- Add in the herbs - Now add the oregano, basil leaves, parsley leaves, chili flakes, salt and give a good mix. I have used dried seasonings, feel free to use fresh herbs if that is handy to you
- Simmer and cook - Close the pan with its lid and simmer the sauce for 7 to 10 minutes
- Remove and serve -Open the lid and now the delicious homemade Pasta Sauce is ready for you to taste and enjoy. Serve this sauce over pasta of your choice and enjoy it for lunch or dinner
Tips
- For taste and thick texture - I have used store brought crushed tomatoes to make this sauce but you can also feel free to use fresh tomatoes. But make sure to crush them in a blender before using it
- Carrot - Carrots gives fresh flavor and sweetness to the sauce and I recommend using them to achieve the best taste and flavor
- Fresh or dried Herbs - I have used dried Italian herbs but feel free to use fresh herbs if they are handy to you
- For Thickness - This sauce is made without any cream, so simmering the sauce helps it to make thick. And here I havent added water which also makes the sauce to turn thick sooner
- Serving - Serve this easy homemade sauce with your favorite pasta of your choice for lunch and dinner. And you can also use it on pizza, lasgna or polenta
Storage Suggestions
This sauce stays good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight closed container. You can also freeze them using individual freezer-friendly bags or containers and it lasts up to months. But make sure to thaw the sauce to room temperature before using it in your dishes.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this sauce over pasta, for pizza, lasagna, polenta, Chicken Parmesan (Chicken Parmigiana), or grilled sausages.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar sauce recipes below and more at Italian recipes and dips & condiments.
- Marinara Sauce
- Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- Alfredo Sauce
- Bechamel Sauce (White Sauce)
- Garlic Butter Sauce
- General Tso's Sauce
- Tamarind Sauce
- Szechuan Sauce
- Samosa Dipping Sauce
More Pasta Recipes that you may be interested in.
Pasta Sauce Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Pasta Sauce Recipe below that I hope will help you to make the fresh and creamy sauce at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 28 oz Tomato, crushed
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Carrot, crushed
- ¼ cup Onion, white, chopped
- 1 tbsp Garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Oregano, dried
- 2 tsp Basil Leaves, dried
- 1 ½ tsp Parsley, dried
- 1 ½ tsp Chili Flakes, optional
- Salt, as needed
Instructions
To make Pasta Sauce
- In a pan with medium heat, pour olive oil, and add garlic. Saute the garlic until it turns aromatic
- Add the onion and saute until it turns soft
- Now add the crushed carrots and saute for 2 to 3 minutes
- Pour the crushed tomatoes and give it a nice mix
- Now add the oregano, basil leaves, parsley leaves, chili flakes, salt and give a good mix. I have used dried seasonings, feel free to use fresh herbs if that is handy to you
- Close the pan with its lid and simmer the sauce for 7 to 10 minutes
- Open the lid and now the delicious homemade Pasta Sauce is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this sauce over or mix well with Pasta of your choice and enjoy it for lunch or dinner
Video
Notes
- For taste and thick texture - I have used store bought crushed tomatoes to make this sauce but you can also feel free to use fresh tomatoes. But make sure to crush them in a blender before using it
- Carrot - Carrots gives fresh flavor and sweetness to the sauce and I recommend using them to achieve the best taste and flavor
- Fresh or dried Herbs - I have used dried Italian herbs but feel free to use fresh herbs if they are handy to you
- Serving - Serve this easy homemade Pasta Sauce with your favorite pasta of your choice for lunch and dinner. And you can also use the sauce for pizza, lasagna, or polenta
Nutrition
FAQ
Pasta Sauce is a flavor-packed Italian condiment made with tomatoes, creams, veggies, and fresh herbs. There are different types of sauce ranging from tomato, cream, wine, oil, or herb-based. These sauces are used to enhance the flavor of cooked pasta which is typically served for lunch and dinner.
There are different types of sauces used in Italian cuisine. Some are, Alfredo sauce, Bechamel sauce, Marinara sauce, Bolognese sauce, Arrabiata sauce, Madiera sauce, Carbonara sauce, Marsala sauce, Ragu Sauce, Vodka sauce, Puttanesca sauce, Romesco sauce and lot more.
Yes, you can use fresh tomatoes for this sauce, but make sure to crush them before adding and it takes hours of simmering to achieve the best results.
The recipe I have shared here takes only under 30 minutes to cook this sauce.
Simmering the sauce helps to achieve a thicker sauce. And I haven't used water here which also helps the sauce to turn thick sooner. You can also use cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce.
This sauce stays good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight closed container. You can also freeze them using individual freezer-friendly bags or containers and it lasts up to months. But make sure to thaw the sauce to room temperature before using it in your dishes.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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