We appreciate the convenience of store-bought ingredients, like pasta and pasta sauce. But, you might be surprised to learn that it’s just as easy to make both of these grocery store staples from scratch. My homemade pomodoro comes together quickly and in perfect time for the fresh pasta that I will serve it with.

I strongly recommend that you get “the good” tomatoes. Yes, they’re a little pricier, but they make a big difference, and San Marzano are the particular tomato I’m using here. Here’s the best part, I grab two of a cook’s best tools – clean hands – and squish the whole tomatoes until they break down into chunks. They will continue to reduce as the sauce cooks, releasing their juicy goodness into the sauce.

After that, you only need garlic, red pepper flakes, and basil leaves (including the stems) to make a beautiful homemade pomodoro. These layers of flavors add a depth of flavor to this quick sauce. It simmers on the stove while I work on making fresh pasta. It’s a surprisingly simple yet super satisfying weeknight dinner, made fresh. Enjoy!

This recipe is featured in our online cooking class, Homemade Pasta.

Click the link above to watch the step-by-step video of how to make this recipe!

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