Homemade Pasta Sauce is quick, easy and flavorful to make. This pasta sauce is a staple at home and never turning back to store bought sauces once you try this. With basic and simple ingredients this pasta sauce is a must a try. Learn to make pasta sauce at home with step by step pictures and video.
I used to buy pasta sauce from a nearby supermarket and the brands always differ each time due to stock. So it was always a risk factor for me to a get a new brand each time. And as we make pasta rarely the big bottle I purchase never get empties and by the time the expiry approaches. So this was the reason for me to try pasta sauce at home since then no looking back it is always homemade pasta sauce.
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What is Pasta Sauce?
Pasta Sauce is a sauce made to toss with pasta and typically made using olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, spices and herbs. This pasta sauce comes handy as you just need to cook pasta and toss it in the sauce and your red sauce pasta is ready in minutes.
I always have a jar of pasta sauce to go with pasta, pizza, bread, grilled sausages etc. I make red sauce pasta rarely as kids are very fond of white sauce pasta but when I make I sometimes make it fresh from the scratch or use the homemade pasta sauce jar I mostly have in stock.
Perfectly flavored and packed with aroma this pasta sauce can be made with staple ingredients in your kitchen. You can even add fresh herbs if you like. The variations are endless, check out tips sections for more.
Pasta Sauce Video
Types of Pasta Sauce
Though there are varieties of pasta the most commonly used and referred to as pasta sauce is the red sauce that I have shared here. Other than that the pasta sauces available are:
- Red Sauce
- White Sauce
- Alfredo Sauce
- Bolognese Sauce
- Arrabiata Sauce
- Cheese Sauce
- Pesto Sauce
- Bechamel Sauce
Pasta Sauce Ingredients
- Tomato puree – Just pulse tomatoes in a mixer to a fine puree and use it. You can even use boiled tomato puree or canned tomatoes to make cooking faster.
- Tomato paste – Tomato paste adds a intense tomato flavor to the pasta sauce.
- Garlic – Garlic adds a great flavor to the sauce
- Oil – Olive oil is used which gives a good flavor to the sauce and extends shelf life.
- Herbs – Mixed herbs, dried basil, pepper powder and chili flakes are used.
- Salt, Sugar – Salt is added for taste and sugar balances the taste well.
How to make Pasta Sauce Step by Step
- To a sauce pot add 2 tablespoon olive oil, heat it up then add 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped.
2.Add 1 teaspoon chili flakes and give a quick saute.
3.Add 1 and 1/2 cups tomato puree. I have used fresh tomato puree here but you can use boiled tomato puree too.
4.Cook until raw smell leaves.
6.It takes 7-10 minutes, cook until its thick and moisture is less.
7.Add 1/2 cup tomato paste along with salt to taste, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon mixed herbs, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder.
8.Mix it well and cook for few minutes until oil starts to ooze out at the edges. Add 1 tablespoon extra is if it is too dry.
9.Pasta sauce is ready.
Cool down completely then store in a dry glass jar.
Expert Tips
- You can add finely chopped onion too but I prefer adding it fresh while adding to pasta.
- You can even add red / green bell pepper – just puree it and add it along with the tomato puree.
- You can add fresh herbs like basil if you prefer.
- Adding sugar balances the taste so I recommend adding it.
- For the above measure of pasta sauce you can use 2 cups cooked pasta.
- If you like chunky pasta sauce add 1 tomato crushed.
- I used 4 big tomatoes to get 1 and 1/2 cups tomato puree.
- Just toss the cooked pasta, add grated cheese and enjoy your pasta anytime!
Serving & Storage
It goes well with pizza, pizza, grilled sausages etc. Apart from that you can use it as a spread for bread, oothapam etc. Keeps well even for 2-3 weeks in fridge and for a month in freezer. Use a clean dry spoon every time.
FAQS
1.Can I skip tomato paste?
Yes you can skip tomato paste and replace it with 1 cup more tomato puree.
2.Can I use this sauce only for pasta?
You can this sauce for making red sauce pasta and as a spread for pizza, bread etc.
3.What are the other variations?
You can use chopped onion, carrots, bell pepper but in that case the shelf life will become less.
If you have any more questions about this Pasta Sauce do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this Pasta Sauce? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
Pasta Sauce Recipe | Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cups fresh tomato puree
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspooon mixed herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- To a sauce pot add 2 tablespoon olive oil, heat it up then add 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped.
- Add 1 teaspoon chili flakes and give a quick saute.
- Add 1 and 1/2 cups tomato puree. I have used fresh tomato puree here but you can use boiled tomato puree too.
- Cook until raw smell leaves.
- It takes 7-10 minutes, cook until its thick and moisture is less.
- Add 1/2 cup tomato paste along with salt to taste, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon mixed herbs, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder.
- Mix it well and cook for few minutes until oil starts to ooze out at the edges. Add 1 tablespoon extra is if it is too dry.
- Pasta sauce is ready.
- Cool down completely then store in a dry glass jar.
Video
Notes
- You can even add red / green bell pepper – just puree it and add it along with the tomato puree.
- It keeps well for 3-4 days when refrigerated, depends on your climatic conditions too.
- The above measure can be used for 1 servings for 1.5 cups of pasta for each serving.
- Adding sugar is purely optional.
- I loved the chunkiness in the sauce so did not add anything more to my pasta separately.
- Just toss the cooked pasta, add grated cheese and enjoy your pasta anytime!
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Arthy Suman
Awesome preparation…would love to try this sometime…
RENU
super
APARNARAJESHKUMAR
loved the first Photo Just awesome ya !
Uma Ramanujam
You are correct Sharmi. Sticking with one brand here is difficult. After coming to India, I also started to pasta and pizza sauce at home only. Like the colour of the sauce.
Sheetal
You give such clear step-by-step pics. Awesome!
Nandita SS
The sauce looks so tempting that I can have just that. Lovely clicks 🙂
Raksha
wonderful
RAKS KITCHEN
I like pasta sauce with garlic, looks appetizing.
Chitra
Lovely color. Loved the click with pasta 🙂
Ramya Krishnamurthy
thanks for sharing this homemade version.surely i wil try this one:)
Vimitha Anand
Simple and flavorful sauce. Will try soon
Prathima Rao
Simply delicious..One of our family Sunday favs..The sauce looks mouthwatering..Fabulous clicks..
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
Priya
Very bright and tempting sauce,love this homemade sauce.
dassana
homemade sauces are always better. i also don't but any ready sauces. loved the dark grey and orange combo in the pics.
Jeyashrisuresh
Though i love home made sauce, the tomatoes we get here in local shops won't be too red and kids won't like the pasta sauce in pale color:-( The aroma which fills the entire house when we make the sauce at home is awesome. Nicely done
Dipti Joshi
It is good to make fresh sauce every time. I really like this simple version of tomato sauce.
Gauri
A good fresh home made sauce beats all the store bought.. love the colour too!
Vardhini
Love the flavor of fresh sauce, but since we eat pasta a lot I stock on the bottles. Luckily I get the same brand always.
Divya Reddy
hi sharmilee i cant thank u enough for the recipe…i just made it for my 4 yr old daughter and she is eating it up so happily…she always wanted me to make pasta for her ….its my first my, i followed ur recipe to the T and it came out so well…thank u..keep up the great job!
xxxxxxxxx
really brilliant Sharmilee you all recipes just rocks…..
Nancy M
Great Great Great recipes in your block i love it 🙂
Mouna
Thank you for this gr8 recipe , Sharmilee . tried it and came out real good
Sheetal Pachpande
nice receipe
i tried it and everybody enjoyed eating it
Sharangee Dutta
I tried it it was really awesome!! Thank u for the recipe……Keep helping us like this. Thanks again!
Sharangee Dutta
AWESOME THANK U
Suman Suryanarayan
This was yet another super duper hit recipe of yours. Used it as Pizza base and the pizza got over even before I knew it. Thank you for sharing.
Kaushalya Bashyam
Thanks a ton sharmilee… made yummy pizza for my special day… surprised hubby with homemade pizza!!! WOW it was awesome… both sauce and wheat base recipe from your blog!!! You rock….
Jayshree a n
Thank you so much it's a great help for non cookers.
Deepthy Shriram
That is simply superb…Tried this..but not with olive oil…was very tasty..loved the tanginess and color..Thanks mam!!
Radhika Murugavel
Hi
Any tips to increase shelf life of this wonderful recipe???
Sharmilee J
Adding more oil helps, refrigerate it.