3 Expert Tips For The Absolute Best Homemade Pomodoro Sauce

The tomato may have originated in Mexico, but Italian cuisine has elevated it to such heights that most of us associate it with Italy. In addition to caprese salad and bruschetta, the tomato is the foundation of two of Italy's most iconic sauces: marinara and pomodoro. In the U.S., we might use marinara as a blanket term that encompasses both sauces. However, pomodoro is a well-defined sauce that distinguishes itself by texture and cooking method.

Simply meaning tomato in Italian, pomodoro celebrates the full potential of a tomato's complexity using a few ingredients slowly cooked to a thick, smooth sauce commonly used on pizza and pasta. A recipe as basic as pomodoro sauce is easy to execute, but its perfect simplicity requires a certain finesse. We consulted expert Italian-American chef Matthew Cutolo, from Gargiulo's Restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, for guidance on how to make the best homemade pomodoro sauce. He says the three crucial tips for pomodoro sauce are quality ingredients, going heavy on seasonings, and a low and slow cooking method. We'll cover chef Cutolo's tips in more detail below.

While there's no set recipe, pomodoro sauce is defined by precious few ingredients, namely tomatoes, olive oil, basil, and garlic. Consequently, the quality of each ingredient is tantamount to its taste. Chef Matthew Cutolo believes that the best ingredients will lay the foundation for your homemade sauce.

He says, "My top tips to making an excellent homemade pomodoro sauce would be to start with high quality ingredients. Using really great tomatoes and olive oil will make a huge difference in the final product."

Since pomodoro is an Italian staple, choosing native Italian ingredients will honor the recipe all the more. Pomodoro may mean tomato, but its literal translation is golden apple, referring to the yellow hue of the first variety of tomatoes utilized in Italian cooking. As tomatoes became a reigning ingredient in Italian cuisine, they took on the bright red, sweet, and juicy variety proudly known as San Marzano. Building your sauce with San Marzano tomatoes marked with the DOP seal on the can along with a high quality Italian extra virgin olive oil like this imported Sicilian olive oil will give your sauce an authentic edge. That said, if tomatoes are in season, fresh and local ripe produce is a marker of high quality, and goes along with the Italian philosophy of using the best local ingredients. Domestic extra virgin olive oil brands like this California Olive Ranch is our top pick for a high quality olive oil that will impart a rich flavor to homemade pomodoro sauce.

Pomodoro is a simple sauce, but one of the reasons it has become a global favorite is due to the complexity of its flavor profile. Tomatoes contribute a tangy, sweet, umami trifecta that shines through so beautifully thanks to the seasonings you pair it with. Matthew Cutolo advocates for both classic as well as unconventional seasonings.

The chef says, "Don't be afraid to season well. Everyone has their own version of a pomodoro sauce, whether it includes garlic, or onion, or a soffritto, or butter, these additions can help add flavor and balance the sauce. Basil is a must. It adds so much flavor, fragrance and complexity to the sauce."

Fresh basil leaves and smashed garlic cloves are the essential pomodoro flavorings that bring a sweet herbal taste and aroma and a spicy aromatic complement to the umami-rich tomatoes and earthy olive oil. However, to make a richer sauce, you can bring in more aromatic complexity with the help of onions or soffritto. Italian soffritto is synonymous with French mirepoix, consisting of diced onions, carrots, and celery, used as the base for many famous Italian dishes like this vegetarian pasta e fagioli or this slow cooker minestrone. Extra aromatics may create a chunkier texture to this famously smooth sauce. But after a long, slow simmer, they'll all but melt in your mouth. You can also add a sprig of thyme, parsley, or even a bay leaf for a well-rounded herbal profile. Blending butter and olive oil would be an earthy and savory addition, too.

Popping open a can of store-bought tomato sauce may provide instant gratification, but the secret to the best homemade pomodoro sauce is patience. According to Matthew Cutolo, there's no getting around a slow and steady stovetop method when it comes to pomodoro sauce. "Finally, for my sugo di pomodoro low and slow is key. The sauce will slowly simmer, reducing and intensifying all of the flavors."

Patience is really all that's required of home cooks; homemade pomodoro sauce is an easy, hands-off recipe that lets the stove do all the work. You can start your sauce by drizzling a hearty amount of olive oil into a saucepan over medium heat, adding whole or crushed garlic to sizzle until fragrant. Then come the tomatoes and fresh seasonings. Whether you use canned San Marzano tomatoes or fresh tomato halves, a minimum of 30 minutes and maximum of up to 3 hours of simmering will draw the juices out of them, evaporating the water content and transforming their liquid and fibrous contents into a thick, smooth consistency bursting with concentrated umami.

If you want to make pasta pomodoro, you can add freshly boiled pasta and reserved pasta water to the sauce for an even thicker consistency to finish with a sprinkling of proper parmesan — try this Italian imported parmigiano reggiano. This smooth mix will also make the perfect pizza sauce to spread over this crispy no-knead skillet pizza or this sheet pan Sicilian pizza recipe.