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This fresh Tomato Basil Sauce tastes like it simmered all day, but it comes together in about 25 minutes with pantry staples and a big handful of basil. I make a pot on a *busy weeknight* and the kids fight over who gets to twirl the last of the noodles. If you love a quick pasta night, our spaghetti aglio e olio is another favorite.
It is bright, garlicky, and herby, the kind of simple sauce that turns a box of pasta into a real dinner.
Tomato Basil Sauce Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 16 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 26 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 181kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Bright, garlicky, and herby with sweet tomatoes and fresh basil
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our spaghetti aglio e olio
Quick Answer
Start by softening scallions, garlic, and parsley in butter and olive oil until fragrant. Stir in canned petite diced tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, then bring it to a simmer for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld and thicken. Finish off the heat with fresh basil and the green parts of the scallions so they stay bright, then toss it with your favorite cooked pasta.
Jump to:
- Tomato Basil Sauce Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Tomato Basil Sauce
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Tomato Basil Sauce FAQs
- Other Recommended Pasta Recipes
- Easy Tomato Basil Sauce (Homemade Pasta Sauce)
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Butter and oil build the base. Using both gives you the richness of butter and the high heat tolerance of olive oil, so the aromatics cook without burning.
- Petite diced tomatoes need no work. Quality canned petite diced tomatoes give you a chunky, bright sauce in minutes without peeling or seeding fresh ones.
- A short simmer keeps it fresh. Just 15 minutes is enough to marry the flavors while keeping that fresh, summery tomato taste instead of a heavy cooked one.
- Basil goes in last. Stirring the basil in off the heat keeps it vibrant green and fragrant instead of dull and muddy.
- Lemon brightens everything. A splash of fresh lemon juice lifts the whole sauce and balances the sweetness of the tomatoes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It comes together in about 25 minutes, faster than ordering takeout.
- It uses pantry staples plus fresh basil, so you can make it almost any night.
- It is the perfect sauce to spoon over a plate of homemade meatballs and pasta.
Key Ingredients
Just a handful of fresh and pantry ingredients build this bright sauce. Here is what matters most.
- Canned petite diced tomatoes: The base of the sauce. Petite dice gives the perfect chunky texture, and do not drain them, you want that juice.
- Fresh basil: The star herb. Chiffonade it and stir it in at the very end for the brightest flavor.
- Scallions: Milder than onion and quick cooking. Separate the white and green parts so the greens can go in fresh at the end.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the sauce its savory, aromatic depth.
- Butter and olive oil: Together they create a rich, silky base for the aromatics.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few easy ways to make this tomato basil sauce your own.
- Make it creamy: Stir in a splash of heavy cream or a spoonful of ricotta at the end for a rosa style sauce.
- Add protein: Brown some Italian sausage or ground beef before the aromatics for a hearty meat sauce.
- Spice it up: A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a gentle arrabbiata style heat.
- Pesto twist: Swirl in a spoonful of pesto, or serve it the way we do with our bacon pesto pasta.
- Roast them instead: Short on canned tomatoes? Try our oven roasted tomato sauce for a deeper, caramelized flavor.
How to Make Tomato Basil Sauce
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter melts, add the white parts of the scallions, garlic, and parsley. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add the petite diced tomatoes with their juice, the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is combined.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the fresh basil and the green parts of the scallions just until combined.
- Take the sauce off the heat and serve over your favorite cooked pasta.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not drain the tomatoes. That extra juice becomes the body of the sauce as it simmers down.
- Separate the scallions. Cooking the white parts and finishing with the greens gives you depth and fresh bite in one sauce.
- Add basil off the heat. Residual heat is plenty to release its aroma without turning it dark.
- Salt the pasta water. Well seasoned pasta water is the difference between a flat and a flavorful final dish.
- Save some pasta water. A splash of starchy water helps the sauce cling to every noodle.
- Taste before serving. Tomatoes vary, so adjust the salt, pepper, and a little extra lemon to brighten if needed.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Toss this tomato basil sauce with any pasta shape that catches the sauce, like rotini, penne, or rigatoni, then shower it with parmesan and extra basil. It is also wonderful spooned over our homemade meatballs for a classic spaghetti and meatballs night.
Round out the meal with a big green salad and warm bread. For more pasta night inspiration, pair it with our spaghetti aglio e olio, a chicken alfredo bake, or a rich beef short rib ragu when you want to go all out.
Leftover sauce keeps well, so make a double batch and stash some in the freezer for the next time you need dinner on the table fast. It is also fantastic spooned over toasted bread for a quick bruschetta, used as a dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks, or ladled onto a personal pizza as a fresh, homemade pizza sauce.
Tomato Basil Sauce FAQs
Yes. Swap the canned tomatoes for about 3.5 pounds of fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped. You may need to simmer a little longer to cook off the extra liquid and concentrate the flavor.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months, so it is a great make ahead sauce.
Absolutely. The flavor actually deepens overnight. Make it up to a few days ahead, then reheat gently on the stove and stir in a little fresh basil right before serving.
This sauce clings well to short, ridged shapes like rotini, penne, and rigatoni, but it is equally good on spaghetti or any long pasta. Save a splash of pasta water to help it coat the noodles.
Let it simmer uncovered a few extra minutes to reduce, or stir in a spoonful of tomato paste. For a smoother, thicker sauce you can also blend part of it.
They are close cousins, but not identical. This version leans on fresh basil, scallions, and a bright hit of lemon, giving it a fresher, lighter taste than a traditional long simmered marinara. Marinara usually relies on onion and a longer cook time, while this sauce stays quick and herb forward, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you still want a from scratch dinner.
Craving more easy pasta dinners? Try our spaghetti aglio e olio next.
Easy Tomato Basil Sauce (Homemade Pasta Sauce)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 scallions thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 56 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes not drained
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 16 fresh basil leaves chiffonade
- Cooked Pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and oil to the pan, once the butter is melted add the white part scallions, garlic, and parsley to the pan, let it cook until fragrant, 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stir everything until combined.
- Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add the fresh basil and green part scallions, stir to combine.
- Take off the heat and serve with pasta of your choice.
Notes
- Nutritional value does not include pasta.
- This is great served over pasta, but can be used in other things, see some ideas above.
- Chiffonade means cutting your basil into thin strips.
- This can be frozen, see above on how you do that.
- Easily double this recipe to serve more or keep for later.
- This is done in under 30 minutes, the perfect weeknight dinner.
Nutrition
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