Mustard Free Sugo di Pomodoro
Few sauces are as deeply satisfying as a slow-simmered tomato sauce built from nothing but honest, simple ingredients. This one starts with San Marzano tomatoes crushed by hand, which gives the finished sauce a rustic, uneven texture that clings beautifully to pasta. Garlic is coaxed in warm olive oil until pale golden and fragrant, and a pinch of red pepper flakes adds just enough quiet heat to keep things interesting. The sauce simmers uncovered until it shifts from bright red to a rich, brick-red depth that you simply cannot rush or fake. Torn fresh basil goes in at the very end, preserving its brightness, and an optional knob of butter rounds everything out into something silky and restaurant-worthy. For anyone navigating condiment labels and spice blends at the grocery store, this recipe is a genuine relief — every ingredient is straightforward, whole, and easy to verify. It's the kind of sauce you'll want to keep on rotation all year long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pour the tomatoes and their juices into a large bowl and crush them by hand, squeezing each tomato until broken into rough, uneven pieces. Set aside.
- 2
Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is pale golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely — the garlic can color quickly.
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