Red Pasta Sauce From Scratch

Looking to make a red pasta sauce from scratch? Try this big batch red pasta sauce from scratch. It's super easy to make and has an authentic taste! We love using in in dishes like our cheesy Italian sausage pasta bake and penne pasta bake with ricotta and mozzarella recipe!

This is a family favorite pasta sauce recipe that my mom always made my family growing up (and still does). There was never a sauce of store-bought marinara in our fridge (not that there's anything wrong with that!) My background is Italian and Portuguese, and my mom is Portuguese, but my dad is Italian, and his mom (my Nonna) always made her own pasta sauce, so that's how my mom started, and later, myself! Now, it's my turn to share it with you!

You'll notice all the ingredients are basic kitchen staple ingredients you probably already have and if you've been making Cup of Flour recipes for a while now, then you know all my recipes are made to be approachable and with basic ingredients. Want to learn why I only cook with basic ingredients? Learn more on the About page!

Reasons you'll love this recipe

• Easy to make: This recipe only requires a few ingredients, making it super simple to make. 
• Leftovers: This is a big batch tomato sauce recipe which allows you to use it for many different recipes, more than once. It can be used in recipes like our cheesy Italian sausage and spinach pasta bake, a sauce for a spaghetti squash recipe, or used as a pizza or lasagna sauce!
• Vegan and vegetarian: This pasta sauce recipe is vegetarian and vegan-friendly, made with no meat or dairy. 

Ingredients

• Olive Oil (1 Tablespoon) 
• Onion, Diced (1) 
• Garlic, Minced (5 Cloves) 
• Canned Crushed Tomato (3 Cans, 28 fl oz/796 ml)
• Canned Diced Tomato (2 Cans, 28 fl oz/796 ml)
• Tomato Paste (1 Can, 5.5 fl oz/156 ml)
• Pesto (¼ Cup)
• Garlic Powder (½ Tablespoon) 
• Dried Oregano (½ Tablespoon) 
• Paprika (1 Teaspoon) 
• Salt (1 Teaspoon) 
• Pepper (½ Teaspoon) 
• Sugar (½ Teaspoon) 
• Fresh Basil (20 to 40 Grams) 

Equipment

• Cutting Board: A cutting board will help you chop some of your ingredients without ruining your countertop! 
• Sharp Knife: A sharp knife will help you easily chop the onions, garlic, and basil in this recipe. I put emphasis on the “sharp” because a dull knife can be unsafe if it’s dull, it's easier to slip on an onion or become difficult to slice and chop your ingredients fully.
• Can Opener: A can opener will be needed to open your tomato cans! 
• Large Wooden Spoon: A wooden spoon will help mix your onions and garlic as you cook. It will also help stir all of your ingredients together once they’re all combined. 
• Large Pot with Lid (4 to 5 quarts): A large pot is needed to ensure that all of the ingredients will fit and not overflow. 

Instructions

1. Saute: Heat a large pot on medium heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and onion to the pot and cook down the onion for 5-10 minutes, until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
2. Combine: Add the tomato paste and diced and crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil and then add the pesto, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar.
3. Simmer: Place a lid on top of the pot, and reduce heat to low. Let the sauce simmer for 3-5 hours, stirring 1-2 times every hour. The longer you let the sauce simmer, the better it is.
4. Serve: Once finished cooking, turn off the heat. Add the fresh basil and stir. Serve over your favourite pasta noodle, garnish with parmesan cheese as desired, and enjoy!
5. Storage: Refrigerate and freeze the leftover sauce. Once cooled, add the leftover sauce into 4 to 5 airtight containers; pop one in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, and the others in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe tips

• Keep the lid on. Be sure to let the tomato sauce cook with the lid covering the pot fully; you want all those ingredients to cook under pressure for the best flavour. 
• Add your herbs at the end. Always add fresh herbs, such as basil, at the end, when cooking is finished. If you add fresh herbs too early in the process, the fresh flavour, juices, and extract is stripped away. You want the fresh, bright flavour that those herbs have to be the first thing you taste when you take a bite. 
• Don’t forget to garnish. This pasta recipe tastes great with parmesan cheese, chilli flakes, and or fresh or ground cayenne pepper.

Frequently Asked Questions 

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• Cheesy Sausage and Spinach Pasta Bake
• Penne Pasta Bake with Mozzarella and Ricotta
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