Sugo Recipe Classic Italian Sauce

Need more easy sauce recipes? Try my Pomodoro sauce, sun dried tomato pesto, or cottage cheese Alfredo sauce next. I love marinara sauce as much as anyone, but when I need a truly authentic Italian tomato sauce, I make this recipe. Translated from ‘sauce’ in Italian, this is THE traditional Italian tomato sauce. It’s made with the purest ingredients, then slowly simmered until it’s condensed, rich, and aromatic. When you need a sauce that stands up to handmade pasta, this is it!

Why I love this recipe

Made with eight ingredients. And they’re all easy-to-find, budget-friendly staples. Simple, yet sophisticated. The trick comes down to the preparation method. Ready in 15 minutes. You’re welcome to let it simmer for as long as you want, but it only needs 15 minutes to taste incredible. Versatile. Serve it over pasta, as a dipping sauce, or layered in a lasagna. There are no wrong ways to use it!

Ingredients needed

Canned chopped tomatoes. You can also use canned whole tomatoes, but the cooking time will be a little longer. I like to make this swap in the summer when fresh tomatoes are at peak season. Olive oil. To sauté the aromatics. I used extra-virgin olive oil as it has the most depth of flavor. Onion and garlic cloves. The essential aromatics that give the sauce its base flavor. I strongly encourage using fresh onion and crushed garlic–not powder! Tomato paste. Adds richness and intensifies the tomato flavor. Salt and black pepper. To taste. Sugar. The key ingredient to balance out the acidity in tomatoes. It might sound weird, but I promise it makes a difference. Chopped basil. To complement the tomatoes. I’ve also used fresh arugula in a pinch.

How to make sugo

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Contrary to popular belief, not all tomatoes are created equal. I prefer canned San Marzano tomatoes as they have a rich, slightly sweet flavor. When I can’t find those, I’ll use canned roma tomatoes. The only type of tomatoes I don’t recommend are pureed tomatoes, as I find they’re too acidic. Step 1- Cook the aromatics. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Step 2- Simmer. Add canned tomatoes to the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 8-9 minutes until thickened. Step 3- Season. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, and fresh basil leaves to taste. Once cool, store in sterilized mason jars and refrigerate.

Arman’s recipe tips

Use quality ingredients. Maybe this is obvious, but for such a simple tomato sauce, you want to use the best ingredients you can find. It makes all the difference! Season at the end. The flavor of the tomatoes will change as the sauce thickens, so I like to hold off on the salt and sugar until the very end. Spice it up! Want some heat? Add a few dashes of red pepper flakes. Reduce it just enough. If the sauce simmers too long, it’ll taste like tomato paste. Not long enough, and the flavor will be weak. I suggest a minimum of 15 minutes and no more than 45 minutes. Want a smooth sauce? Hit it with an immersion blender!

Storage instructions

To store: Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To freeze: Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer it to a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to three months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. To reheat: Microwave the sauce or reheat it in a saucepan over medium low heat until warm.