Pasta al Sugo di Pomodoro with Whipped Basil Ricotta

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Pasta with tomato sauce is as classic as it gets right? We love it in its many forms, and this pasta al sugo recipe is a true favorite. Combine a authentic homemade and easy to make sugo di pomodoro with your favorite pasta and finish it off with a whipped ricotta spiked with spices and basil and be transported straight to an Italian Kitchen in Italy! This fantastic pasta al sugo di pomodoro with whipped ricotta dish is easy to make and is an absolute delight any day of the week!

Pasta al Sugo di Pomodoro with Whipped Basil Ricotta

Looking for more tomato based pasta sauces? Try out our Baked Rigatoni with Tomato Herb Meat Sauce or our Marinara Sauce from Scratch.

Jump to:

What is Pasta al Sugo?
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions
How to Make Pasta al Sugo di Pomodoro
Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
Variations
Elevate this Pasta Dish
Storage
Top tip
Troubleshooting
What to Make with Pasta al Sugo di Pomodoro?
Looking for more Italian recipes?
FAQ
Related
Pairing
📖 Recipe
Food safety

What is Pasta al Sugo?

Pasta al sugo is a classic Italian dish and is simply pasta with sauce, most often tomato, but that truly is just a baseline description. There are so many types of pasta (well over 300), and probably as many micro-variations on tomato sauce!

In Italy, if you see pasta al sugo on a menu, you can almost guarantee it will be some sort of pasta, likely pasta made that day in house (pasta fatto in casa) with a delicious tomato sauce (sugo di pomodoro). Although this is a humble dish and you can find thousands of variations on it throughout Italy, this is one of those classic pasta dishes that never gets old and it truly is one of the most delicious Italian recipes!

You may see this pasta dish go by other names including spaghetti al pomodoro, pasta pomodoro, spaghetti pomodoro, sugo al pomodoro pasta, pasta with red sauce, and pomodoro sauce amongst other variations. These all usually refer to pasta served with a traditional Italian tomato sauce made with DOP San Marzano Tomatoes, which are some of the world's best tomatoes.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

This Pasta al Sugo di Pomodoro recipe is a real winner for several reasons:

Easy to make from start to finish in under an hour
A simple sauce for pasta yet elegant with the added whipped ricotta
Perfect for any day of the week, or any occasion!
It can be served on its own for a nice vegetarian pasta meal, or serve it alongside your favorite meat, poultry or seafood main dishes
The whole family will love it!

Our version of pasta al sugo is close to many authentic versions out there. Our sugo di pomodoro is made from scratch and takes less than an hour with easy to find ingredients, so there is no reason to skip this homemade sauce over something store-bought. The cherry on top is the whipped basil ricotta, which combines with the sauce for added creaminess and flavor.

Ingredients

This Pasta al Sugo recipe is packed full of delicious ingredients to give it that classic Italian flavor. Here is what you need to make this recipe:

Sugo di Pomodoro: The key to this recipe is the homemade Italian tomato sauce! This version is made with canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs and red wine!
Pasta: This recipe is perfect for any pasta shape, so choose your favorite. Spaghetti al pomodoro is a classic preparation. We love it with homemade pasta cut into spaghetti or fettuccine!
Ricotta Cheese: A good, fresh ricotta cheese is all you need. If you've never bought ricotta, always default to a brand from Italy!
Kosher Salt
White Pepper: We use white pepper in the whipped ricotta so that there are no black specks in it, but black pepper works well here too.
Nutmeg: Fresh ground nutmeg really amps up the flavor of the ricotta while being subtle.
Basil: Fresh basil gives the ricotta a great flavor that complements the herbs in the sauce. Fresh basil and tomato sauce are a perfect pairing.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Grated Parmesan cheese is always a great idea to add to the final dish or provide on the table for your guests to add on their own.

See recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions

Here are a couple of common substitutions for the ingredients in this tomato pasta recipe:

Ricotta: Mascarpone can be used in place of the ricotta with a tiny bit of heavy cream. Or use heavy cream alone and process it for a bit longer in order to get a whipped consistency.
White Pepper: White pepper isn’t mandatory, but the flavor is milder and it blends into the ricotta better. However, black pepper works perfectly well also.
Sugo di pomodoro: We truly feel that the sugo in this recipe is something special, and highly encourage you to make it. It can even be made in advance and frozen to use whenever you need it! But, you can substitute a different tomato sauce that you like if you really want.

How to Make Pasta al Sugo di Pomodoro

This recipe comes together very easily in less than an hour. And if you make the sugo di pomodoro in advance, then you will have dinner ready in under 20 minutes!

Equipment

A food processor or blender (either conventional or immersion blender) really helps to bring the whipped ricotta together
A large pot or Dutch oven to make the sugo di pomodoro.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Sugo di Pomodoro

Follow the instructions to make our homemade tomato sauce Sugo di Pomodoro recipe. If you made this in advance, then skip this step.

Step 2: Make the Whipped Ricotta

Put the ricotta, salt, nutmeg, and pepper in a food processor. Chop the basil and add it to the food processor. Process the mixture for about 45 seconds, or until the ricotta has become silky smooth. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Step 2: Cook the Pasta and Heat the Sauce

Heat the sugo di pomodoro in a large saucepan over low until warmed throughout. Meanwhile, In a large pot of salted boiling water (about 2 tablespoon of salt per 6-8 quarts of water), add the pasta and cook until al dente following the package directions for store-bought dried pasta. Reserve some of the starchy pasta water (about a half cup). Drain pasta, add it to the sauce and mix well until the sauce coats pasta completely. If you think the pasta in the sauce needs thinning, add some of the reserved pasta water (usually this is not necessary).

Step 3: Assemble the Dish and Serve

Put the pasta in serving bowls and top with some of the whipped ricotta and garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated cheese (Parmigiano reggiano). Serve. Buon appetito!

Variations

Here are a few ways to change up this recipe…

You could definitely change out fresh basil for another fresh herb in the whipped ricotta (such as oregano or marjoram) or leave herbs out completely!
Spice the whole dish up by adding Calabrian chile peppers or crushed red pepper flakes to either the whipped ricotta or the sauce!
A little lemon zest added to the whipped ricotta (maybe a teaspoon) can add a citrusy zing to the dish

Elevate this Pasta Dish

If you really want to elevate this dish, homemade pasta is the way to go! Our Multipurpose Pasta Dough recipe is absolutely delicious with this classic Italian tomato sauce. The silky texture of homemade egg pasta will take this pasta al sugo to a whole new level!

Storage

How to store leftover pasta al sugo:

Store in a covered airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. If possible, we recommend storing the sauce and the pasta separately so that you don't overcook the pasta when you reheat it.

How long does leftover pasta last in the fridge:

Five days is as long as we recommend for leftover pasta like this, as long as it is stored properly in the refrigerator.

How to reheat leftover pasta al sugo?

To reheat, add the leftovers to a small pot and heat on low covered until warmed through. You may need to add a little water to loosen the sauce a bit while it reheats.

Can you freeze leftover pasta with tomato sauce?

It’s just not recommended that you freeze the finished product. You will lose flavor as well as texture, and reheating already cooked pasta will turn it into a mushy disaster. That being said, you CAN freeze the sauce alone and enjoy it within 6 months.

Top tip

There is no need to drain the ricotta (as is necessary in many recipes). This is a time saver and lets the whipped ricotta come together quickly with a perfect consistency.

Troubleshooting

The only thing that may need adjustment is the thickness of the sauce. In that case, just add a very small amount of pasta water to thin it out if needed (we’ve never needed it).

What to Make with Pasta al Sugo di Pomodoro?

Here are a few things that go well with this dish:

A simple side salad goes well with pasta dishes. Try our Fresh Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette (5-minute Salad Dressing) with mixed greens for a tasty side salad.
Crusty good Italian bread or garlic bread
A side of either (or both) meatballs or Italian sausages.
Serve pasta al sugo as a side dish or first course for a meat dish. We love it as a side for Crunchy Chicken!

Looking for more Italian recipes?

If you want more Italian recipes and Italian cuisine, you can find the classics under Classic Italian Recipes.

We also have a cookbook, Mangiamo. It includes 60 incredibly delicious Italian and Italian-inspired recipes.

FAQ

What is pomodoro sauce made of?

Sugo di pomodoro (tomato sauce) is made of tomatoes (often, and preferably, canned San Marzano) tomatoes that are peeled - pomodori pelati, onion, and garlic at its core. Herbs, olive oil, red wine and other ingredients can also be added (and usually are) to increase the flavor.

What is the difference between pasta al pomodoro and marinara sauce?

These can be quite similar, as marinara contains the three core ingredients of sugo di pomodoro, but also has basil and oregano. Often marinara will incorporate capers and/or olives as well.

What is the Italian word for soaking up the sauce?

Fare la scarpetta. This translates to “do the little shoe,” but it means to take a small piece of your bread and wipe the leftover sauce from your plate or bowl to eat. While you may not see this done in fine dining restaurants, it will happen all over Italy (and everywhere).

What do Italians call sauce for spaghetti?

Italians call the sauce for spaghetti whatever sauce they are using! Marinara, carbonara, sugo di pomodoro, ragú, and others are common! The American term "spaghetti sauce" in the United States generally refers to a tomato based sauce (similar to a sugo di pomodoro), but it often includes meat and is served over spaghetti. You won't find a specific sauce under the name "spaghetti sauce" in Italy since there are many upon many sauces that are served with spaghetti.

Looking for other Quick and Easy Italian recipes like this? Try these:

See more Quick and Easy Italian Recipes →

Pairing

These are our favorite meat, poultry or seafood dishes to serve with Pasta al Pomodoro recipe:

📖 Recipe