When you want something quick and simple for dinner, this Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce stirred through some spaghetti is about as simple as it gets. No need for any extra ingredients, although a little parmesan and black pepper on top goes a long way. A herby passata pasta sauce with a splash of balsamic vinegar that freezes well too.
One of the things I have learned from my trips to Italy is that everyone outside of Italy really over complicates Italian food, and I am definitely guilty of this too.
You only have to look at how many toppings we put on our pizza, or how many different ingredients we add to our pasta dishes to see this. In Italy, their food tends to be much more simple, and I think it is tastier because of it.
We have kept this pasta sauce really simple with just a good quality passata, some fresh and dried herbs, garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
There are plenty of other ingredients you could add to it, like vegetables, or meat, but if you want something quick and simple then this is a great base.
Jump to:
Why should you try it?
- Super simple sauce with very few ingredients
- Just 70 calories a portion
- Healthier than a jar of pasta sauce
- Easy to adapt and add other ingredients
- Can be frozen for a quick and easy dinner.
What you will need
- Passata - A good quality passata is definitely required for this recipe. Cheaper ones can be a bit watery and tasteless. As this is a tomato sauce, you really want to taste the tomatoes.
- Onion and garlic - The base of the sauce. Use shallots if you would like a little sweeter taste.
- Basil and oregano - For that authentic Italian flavour.
- Balsamic Vinegar - Gives a lovely sweetness to the sauce and brings all the flavours together.
Step by step
One: Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion and garlic. Gently cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Two: Add the passata, herbs and balsamic vinegar and season.
Three: Stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
Four: Stir through cooked spaghetti and add parmesan.
Watch our web story for a quick how-to of making this Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce.
It this healthy?
This is an easy recipe, but of course it would be easier to just open a jar of store bought sauce. But, next time you are in the supermarket, take a look at the ingredients of some of those pasta sauces. Some (not all - there are some great options out there now) contain so much salt, sugar and unnecessary ingredients.
Making your own pasta sauce means you can control exactly what goes in to it and you can use just a pinch of salt to season it. The splash of balsamic gives it a little sweetness too.
What is passata?
Passata (or tomato puree as it is called in the US), is strained tomatoes (liquid tomato puree). It will come in a carton or tall glass jar and it is a store cupboard essential in our opinion, as it is the base of so many sauces that we make.
Passata is an uncooked tomato purée that has been strained of seeds and skins. If you can't find any passata, then an alternative would be to blend up a tin of tomatoes and then pass it through a sieve.
FAQs
This Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce is perfect for batch cooking. Triple the recipe and then freeze it in portions. Then all you need to do it get it out the night before to defrost and heat it through some cooked pasta (or use it as a pizza base sauce) for a quick week night meal.
Extra tips
- You can use this simply stirred through pasta, as a spaghetti bolognese sauce or as a pizza base sauce.
- It freezes really well, so feel free to triple the recipe and batch cook it.
- This is a simple sauce, but you can use it as a base and add vegetables or meat to it. Cooking times will vary though.
- This is a vegan sauce, but some parmesan or vegan alternative, is really nice sprinkled on top after cooking.
More sauce recipes
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Recipe
Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 0.5 onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 250 g passata
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the onion and garlic in a little oil until softened.
- Add the passata sauce and herbs.
- Stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir through cooked spaghetti and top with parmesan.
Notes
- You can use this simply stirred through pasta, as a spaghetti bolognese sauce or as a pizza base sauce.
- It freezes really well, so feel free to triple the recipe and batch cook it.
- This is a simple sauce, but you can use it as a base and add vegetables or meat to it. Cooking times will vary though.
- This is a vegan sauce, but some parmesan or vegan alternative, is really nice sprinkled on top after cooking.
mira
I love Cirio tomato sauce! But not many stores around me have it! This pasta look amazing!
Liz Mays
This certainly looks great. I'd love to try that healthy sauce with this recipe.
Ana De- Jesus
I actually had something similar earlier it was pomodoro with a similar sauce!
Kelly
Yay, congrats on the ambassadorship, Dannii! My husband and I always dream about the amazing food we had in Italy. Love how simple this sauce is, homemade is always best especially with good quality ingredients!
Martin @ The Why Chef
Just had these delivered on my weekly shop! What good timing! I'm glad they come recommended - not bought these before!
StressedMum
Homemade is always nicer, I usually use passata when making tomato based sauces x
Alida @My Little Italian Kitchen
I completely agree, much better to make your own sauce. I usually buy plain passata which has nothing added to it and I make delicious sauces or I use it in casseroles and other dishes. I use so much of it that I usually emtpy the shelf at the supermarket! People think I have got a restaurant! (Not talking about the weekly shop though!).
Love your recipe!
Mayuri Patel
Cirio is a very old brand. I remember their concentrated tomato paste was used by most households here in Kenya. It was never known as tomato paste... it was just known as cirio. If mum asked my dad to buy cirio he knew it was the tomato paste she required. If a recipe called for cirio we knew it is tomato paste. Unfortunately we don't see Cirio brand nowadays on our shelves in the Kenyan supermarkets.
Emma White
oh wow I always buy my sauce out of a jar but this sounds so much nicer
Emily
This brand is a new one to me, but quality is very important to us, as is organic products.
Fearne
We just made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. So easy to make too and we doubled it to make extra for pizza night on Wednesday. Thanks for the recipe x
marcie
Congrats on the ambassadorship, Dannii, and Cirio tomato products sound like very good quality! That's so important for a great tomato sauce, which we can't live without in my house!
Claire @foodiequine
You can't beat the simplicity and flavour of a well made tomato sauce with pasta. Not all tinned tomatoes are created equal and there is such a difference to be had in using good quality ones like Cirio.
Kezia @ Super Naturally Healthy
Love quality tomato sauce - you dont need much else ther than good quality ingredients! YUM:)
Annmarie
Love how simple this is! Looks delicious too!
Summer
This looks and sounds so good ♥
summerdaisy.net
Miss Kitty Kaos
Sometimes the simplest food is the best. Especially when it comes to pasta X
Nadia
Looks delicious Dannii :) Love how easy this recipe is!
Cathy @ Planet Veggie
I love tomato sauce on pasta. Sometimes the simplest things are the best :-)
Nayna Kanabar
This type of tomato sauce is a regular in my kitchen I freeze it in bucket loads for my daughter who is at uni. It's so versatile.