Sugo di Pomodoro

Simple, elegant, and unbelievably flavorful, my Sugo di Pomodoro recipe combines rich wine and bright tomatoes for an unforgettable sauce!

Course Main, Sauce

Cuisine American/Italian

Keyword pomodoro sauce, sugo, sugo recipe, sugo sauce

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 132kcal

Heat 2 Tablespoons Olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 small Onion and 3 cloves Garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes.
2 Tablespoons Olive oil, 1 small Onion, 3 cloves Garlic
Add 28 oz. Whole peeled tomatoes and stir to combine. If you prefer a less chunky texture, smash the tomatoes with the back of your spoon while cooking.
28 oz. Whole peeled tomatoes
Pour in ½ cup Red wine, and stir.
½ cup Red wine
Season with 1 pinch Red pepper flakes and 2 leaves basil, and stir again to combine.
1 pinch Red pepper flakes, 4 leaves basil
Let the sauce simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The sauce can be left to simmer for longer for deeper flavor. Once it's ready, add the rest of the basil, and serve!

If you find the sauce to be too acidic, you have a few options for sweetening it!
- Carrot: Add a carrot near the beginning of the cook time, cut into large chunks. Remove it before serving. This adds natural sweetness.
- Sugar: 1-2 teaspoons of white sugar will easily sweeten the dish. This is the easiest method for taste-testing until it's just right.
- Baking soda: Baking soda will raise the pH, making the sauce less acidic. Only use a tiny pinch, as you want the sauce to still have some bite!

If you'd like, you can dice up carrots and celery and saute them with the onion to make a mirepoix. If you do this, make sure to blend the sauce or run it through a food processor as they will make the sauce chunky.

The longer this sauce simmers, the better! You can even fully cover the pot and let it simmer slowly for upwards of 3-4 hours, making sure to stir now and then so the bottom doesn't burn. This will only deepen the flavor.

You must use either fresh tomatoes or canned whole tomatoes. Canned tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, or bottled marinara sauce won't work as they don't have the same flavor or texture.