Sugo, often called Italian tomato sauce, is a simple yet flavorful sauce that forms the base of many Italian dishes. It is loved for its rich taste and is made using just a few basic ingredients. Sugo is a key part of traditional Italian cooking, and it can turn any dish into a comforting and hearty meal.
What Is Sugo?
In Italian, “sugo” means sauce, and when Italians talk about sugo, they usually mean a tomato-based sauce. It’s different from marinara sauce or other tomato sauces because it’s often cooked longer to bring out deeper flavors. Sugo is thicker and has a rich texture that makes it perfect for coating pasta or adding to meats and vegetables.
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Sugo (Italian Tomato Sauce) Recipe
Course: SaucesCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes20
minutes67
kcalMake your own Sugo Recipe, a traditional Italian homemade tomato sauce, is so much easier than you think and only takes 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- Sugo Recipe
28 oz./800 g. canned peeled whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves
½ handful fresh basil leaves—approximately 8 big leaves
Salt to taste
- Optional (if wishing to make a classic pasta pomodoro)
13oz / 360g pasta of choice
Grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- In a large saucepan or pot, add the olive oil, peeled garlic cloves and saute for a few minutes over medium heat until fragrant and golden.
- Add the canned tomatoes and slightly break them up with a wooden spoon.
Add ½ cup of water to the can to capture any leftover sauce, then season with a good pinch of salt. Simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes over low-medium heat. - Tear up the basil leaves and stir through. Simmer with the lid on for an additional 5 minutes.
- The sauce is ready as is, as a chunky sauce, or you can allow the tomato sauce to cool down slightly, then blend until smooth using a blender or an immersion blender. You then have the perfect sugo recipe!
- Optional (if making with pasta)
- If making into tomato pasta, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Ensure to cook until al dente and not overcook the pasta (usually 2 minutes under the package instructions).
- Drain the pasta and keep some of the pasta water. Add the pasta straight to the pan with the sauce along with a splash of pasta water.
Stir through on high heat ensuring all the pasta is combined with the sauce. You can also add some finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for the perfect pasta pomodoro!
Notes
- If fresh tomatoes aren’t in season, good canned tomatoes work just as well.
- Use garlic sparingly so it enhances rather than overpowers the tomato flavor. If you love garlic, add a small amount of crushed garlic towards the end for an extra kick.
