This quick (like, 10-minute rapid-fire quick) Sicilian tomato sauce is nonna-approved and ridiculously handy to have in your back pocket–especially in summer when tomatoes are at their peak and the last thing you want to do is turn on the stove.
Technically, it’s a raw tomato sauce (aka sugo di pomodoro crudo) made by blending peeled, ripe tomatoes with good olive oil, fresh basil, garlic, and salt. That’s it.
Flavor-wise, think tomato gazpacho meets pasta sauce. It’s bright, a little acidic, and way lighter than your classic cooked-down tomato sauce. Perfect tossed with gnocchi or pasta, or just served with crusty bread for dipping.
Key ingredients
This sauce is one of those recipes that’s only as good as the ingredients you use. So go for juicy, ripe tomatoes with a low water content (like Roma or San Marzano), and a high-quality extra virgin olive oil you actually like the taste of.
A garlic clove, fresh basil, and a good pinch of salt are all you need to bring it together. Outside of tomato season, I usually fall back on my go-to cooked tomato sauce using canned tomatoes. But in summer? This one’s it.
Elo's tips
- Don’t grate the garlic. Just peel it and let it sit in the sauce whole while it rests. It gently infuses without overpowering.
- Let your tomatoes drain. If time allows, place the peeled tomatoes in a colander to release excess water. Less liquid = better texture.
- Double or triple the batch. This recipe makes a small portion (perfect for 2) but is easily scalable.
- Add a teaspoon of capers to the mix if that's something you love.
4 Easy steps
- Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water to make it easier to peel them. If you want to skip the blanching process, check out this video on how to peel the tomatoes without boiling them.
- Let the tomatoes cool for a minute, then remove and discard the skins.
- Blend the peeled tomatoes into a puree.
- Combine the tomato puree with the rest of the ingredients. Let it sit for 5 to 10-ish minutes for the flavors to meld together.
How to serve this chunky tomato sauce
Over pasta
I highly recommend serving the sauce with gnocchetti! They’re small, chewy, and catch the sauce perfectly. Just cook them al dente, drain, and add them to a pan with the sauce. Sauté for 3-4 minutes over high heat until everything is warmed through and the sauce clings to the pasta.
If you eat plant-based like me, sprinkle some cashew parmesan on top.
With bread
The simplest things really are the best. You know those nights when it’s way too hot to cook and all you want is something light? This is it. Toast some good bread and dip it straight into the sugo di pomodoro crudo. That’s dinner.
You can easily store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Just like bruschetta, the longer it sits, the better it gets.
The recipe
Quick Tomato Sauce (Sugo Di Pomodoro Crudo)
Ingredients
- 4 ripe San Marzano tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 handfuls of fresh basil
- 1 garlic clove
Instructions
Blanch the tomatoes: Score an "X" on the bottom of each tomato and blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute. You should see the skin crack open in some places.
Peel the tomatoes: Remove the skins with your fingers once the tomatoes are cold enough to handle (I don't bother placing them in an ice bath).
Blend the tomatoes in a veggie chopper or with an immersion blender.
Combine the tomato puree with olive oil, salt, basil, and a peeled garlic clove. Let it infuse for 5-10 minutes.
Serve with pasta: Add the sauce to a pan with your drained al dente pasta and let it cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Serve with bread: Simply dip some toasted bread into the tomato sauce.
Nutrition
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