When I go online to find recipes, I hate when I have to read through 25 minutes of someone’s life story before I find the recipe I’m looking for.  So, where I may have a small description of what a recipe is, I’ll save all my thoughts, comments, substitutions, and suggestions for after the recipe.  Sugo de pomodoro is a basic Italian homemade tomato sauce that can be made in a short period of time compared to a classic marinara or ragu. (This recipe is portioned for one serving.)

Ingredients for Sugo de Pomodoro

1# Roma Tomatoes
6oz. Spaghetti (or Your Favorite Pasta)
2 T. White Onion
1 T. Carrot (Shredded Fine)
1 T. Garlic (or One Clove)
1 T. Tomato Paste
½ C. White Wine
1 T. Fresh Basil
1 T. Fresh Oregano
¼ C. Olive Oil
1 T. Butter
¼ tsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. Salt

Steps to Prepare Sugo de Pomodoro

  1. Put a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.
  2. Cut a small slit in the bottom of each tomato and place in an ice water bath for 10 minutes. Take the tomatoes from the ice bath and place in boiling water for approximately 1 ½ hours, or until the skin splits all the way up the tomato.
  3. Remove from the boiling water and place back in the ice bath. Once completely cool, remove from ice bath and peel.
  4. Quarter each tomato and roughly chop, retaining the seeds and juice from the tomatoes as best as possible and set aside for later.
  5. Bring another large pot of water to a boil and add ¼ cup of salt. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
  6. In a sauté pan, add ¼ cup of a nice olive oil. Once hot, add the white onion, carrot, and garlic, then cook until softened and slightly browned.
  7. Add chopped and peeled tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes over low to medium heat.
  8. Add white wine and cook until the tomatoes have broken down and the wine is mostly dry.  Use a fork or a potato masher to aid in the breakdown of the tomatoes.
  9. Now add ½ cup of the cooking water from the pasta and your cooked spaghetti.  Add salt and pepper and cook another 2 minutes over low heat.
  10. Finally, add the butter and herbs, toss to combine, and then serve.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Why Choose Homemade Tomato Sauce (Sugo de Pomodoro)?

I like this recipe because we eat spaghetti at least once a week at my house. We always use a jar of spaghetti sauce, and it is nice to know exactly what you are eating while preparing something so often.

You can change just about any recipe you find to suit your tastes. You can add 4-5oz of seasoned ground beef to make this a heartier dish, however it’s also light enough to go with some grilled or pan seared chicken breast.

Enjoy the authentic flavors of homemade tomato sauce without the lengthy prep time.