Pasta Pomodoro Sauce

A simple pasta topped with fresh tomato pomodoro sauce couldn’t be more authentically Italian, and like most things Italian, simplicity is key in this 5-ingredient recipe that’s ready in just 20 minutes.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo

A few years ago I visited the homeland of authentic Italian Pomodoro sauce—the Amalfi Coast near Naples, Italy. I was there with DeLallo Foods, a brand I’ve used to create many recipes here on the blog. We were visitng their pasta factory in the small southern city of Gragnano in the Campania region. It was there we took a cooking class at the two-star Michelin-awarded restaurant Don Alfonso to learn how to make this classic Pomodoro al Spaghetti.  Among all of their highly regarded dishes, this is their most popular recipe. For Italians, pasta is served at nearly every lunch meal, and pomodoro sauce with pasta is a favorite. Pomodoro sauce is simple and light, with just enough sauce to coat the cooked noodles, not drown them in it. It may have been the simplest meal we had on the trip and could have been my favorite. 

Pomodoro Sauce Ingredients

Pomodoro is one of the most popular tomato-based sauces you’ll find in Italy. Because this Pomodoro sauce recipe is so incredibly simple, using only the best quality ingredients is key to its amazing taste. This recipe couldn’t be simpler and is just 5 ingredients.

Here are the Pomodoro sauce ingredients you’ll need:

• Fresh tomatoes—in Italy they’re called Pomodorino Vesuviano, or grape or cherry tomatoes; no canned tomatoes here! Look for medium-sized tomatoes a little bigger than the size of a golf ball. You can usually find them labeled as cocktail Campari tomatoes.
• Garlic cloves—there’s no need to remove the papery skin from the whole cloves in this recipe
• Extra virgin olive oil—DeLallo’s olive oil is imported from Italy and reigns supreme
• Basil—fresh basil leaves are a must, tear them with your fingers so they don’t oxidize as they would when cutting with a knife
• Kosher salt—just two generous pinches bring out the sweetness in this sauce

Tip: For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Pomodoro Sauce

The method for making this pomodoro sauce couldn’t be easier and once you master it, you’ll find yourself making it all of the time for quick eats at lunch or dinner too. This recipe takes three large pans and is cooked in three steps below:

1. Cook the Pasta

• Start cooking the pasta before you start the sauce, which comes together quickly.
• Cook the pasta just halfway, for just 5 minutes at a rolling boil in generously salted water.
• *BIG NOTE: Reserve at least 1 to 1 ½ cups of the pasta water to add to step 3 where you will continue cooking the pasta in the garlic-flavored oil.  

2. Cook the Pomodoro Sauce

• You will need one large skillet to cook the Pomodoro sauce.
• tart by flavoring the hot oil with the whole garlic cloves over medium-high heat then add the quartered tomatoes to the oil with the cloves.
• There’s no need to mince or chop garlic in this recipe. Instead, use whole cloves with the paper on to flavor the oil as it heats.
• The garlic cloves in paper help protect the cloves from burning and becoming bitter.
• Cooking the tomatoes at this high temperature means the tomatoes won’t release as much liquid but become more creamy instead.
• Fish out the garlic cloves with cooking tongs, and use a wooden spatula to break down the tomatoes as they cook.

3. Infuse, Ladle, and Toss

• Using another large skillet to toss the pasta with lightly garlicked goodness before adding to the sauce is the secret to making this pomodoro pasta the most popular dish at 2-star Michelin-rated Don Alfonso.
• Repeat the same process as in step 1 and cook whole cloves in the extra virgin olive oil for flavor.
• CAREFULLY add small ladles of the pasta water (about ¼ cup at a time) to the garlic-infused oil so the oil and water don’t splatter and burn you.
• Fish out the pieces of garlic with tongs and add the pasta to continue cooking in the garlic-infused water for another 2-3 minutes or until al dente, stirring as it cooks.

VIDEO: How to Make Authentic Pomodoro Sauce

The video below is from our cooking class at Don Alfonso, complete with directions in Italian and some of my attempts at translation :).

How to Serve Pomodoro Sauce

The sauce is served simply over long pasta like DeLallo’s spaghetti or short pasta like penne. It can also be used as the base to many Italian dishes: layered lasagnas and eggplant Parmesan or chicken parmigiana, or my super easy gnocchi with pomodoro recipe, this versatile sauce goes with pretty much everything.

• You can get fancy with this recipe and plate individual portions, or keep it easy and serve it family style straight from the pan.
• To serve individually, twirl the noodles with tongs in a large ladle to create a nest. Place the noodles in a bowl and ladle with a ¼ to ⅓ cup sauce and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
• To serve family style, toss the sauce with the noodles, add more basil leaves, and have at it!

FAQ and Recipe Tips

• What is the difference between Pomodoro and marinara pasta?
  • Hailing from the Southern region of Italy, pomodoro and marinara sauce or pizza sauce are made with similar ingredients.
  • They’re all best when made with fresh tomatoes (Naples is famous for its tomatoes) producing a fresh tomato flavor that takes just 20 minutes to make.
  • Authentic Pomodoro sauce from Naples is always made with fresh tomatoes, but if you do need to use canned, look for authentic DOP imported tomatoes. 
  • Pomodoro sauce is typically thicker, and marinara usually has other aromatics or fresh herbs added, like onions or oregano.
• Tear basil leaves rather than cut them so they don’t oxidize.
• If you want a truly authentic Pomodoro experience, resist the urge to add Parmesan cheese! It’s not the Southern Italian way :). But, you do you.

Storage Tips

You can make this Pomodoro sauce ahead of time and store it (separate from the pasta), in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. It will also keep in the freezer for about 3-4 months.

Made in Italy—DeLallo Pasta

I had a whole new appreciation for the humble Italian noodle after visiting the mill where DeLallo’s pasta wheat has been ground and milled since the 1200s.

• DeLallo pasta is made following the strict guidelines of Pasta di Gragnano PGI. Produced in a legally defined territory defined by the king of Napoli two centuries ago,  only pasta in this area can note this distinction, protecting the product quality.
• This pasta is made from locally milled, higher-protein semolina flour mixed with water from the local Lattari Mountains aquifer. This pure water contains less calcium so it makes a more supple pasta. 
• DeLallo pasta adheres to the centuries-old custom of long drying times of 18 hours. Compare that to some commercial brands that bake their pasta for four hours and use cheaper, lower-protein flour.
• DeLallo uses traditional, more expensive bronze dies. Teflon and plastic dies are used by large manufacturers and produce inferior pasta.
• The result is that DeLallo’s pasta is golden in color with a slightly rough texture to create the best flavor, texture, and taste. These cooked noodles hold and absorb pasta sauce best. Mass-manufactured types of pasta are slick and yellow with less nutritional value.
• Some authorities like Dr. Mark Hyman say the simple cause of gluten intolerances can be attributed to pasta’s shorter drying times that are then quickly dried by baking at much higher temperatures (115°F vs. 75°F), modifying the product and its nutritional content.

Recipe Ideas to Serve with Pasta Pomodoro

• Homemade Chicken Parmesan
• Arugula Salad With Shaved Parmesan Three Ways
• Italian Chopped Salad With Marinated Chickpeas
• How To Make An Awesome Antipasto Salad Platter
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
• Garlic Butter Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo, and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

More Italian Dinner Recipe Ideas with DeLallo

• Gnocchi With Pomodoro Sauce
• Pasta With Turkey Sausage And Peas
• Linguine And Zucchini Noodles With Shrimp
• Baked Sausage And Cheese Rigatoni
• 30-Minute Caprese Chicken Recipe
• Truffled Mushroom Pizza
• Vegetable Lasagna With Butternut Squash And Shiitake Mushrooms
• Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup
• How to Pick the Right Pasta for Your Sauce

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As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.

This post is sponsored by DeLallo Foods. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.