There’s nothing quite like a meal prepared with love. That’s why this Nonna’s pasta with tomato sauce recipe from Giuseppe Federici is a great comfort food. It comes from his new cookbook, Cooking With Nonna, and is inspired by his grandmother’s sugo di pomodoro. Like all recipes in the book, it’s completely vegan. This simple pasta sauce is great with any shape and type of pasta. It can also make for a great staple sauce for lasagnas, plant-based bolognese, and other dishes that suit the rich tomato flavor.

Read more: 23 Comforting Vegan Pasta Recipes

What’s more, this recipe is great for the whole family and made with easy-to-source ingredients. With a simple combination of traditional flavors paired with vegan parmesan cheese and fresh basil, you can’t go wrong with this blend of flavors.

Pomodoro pasta sauce is popular worldwide. Why? Because it’s a simple and flavorful Italian tomato sauce. It’s made from fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil. The tomatoes simmer until they break down into a rich, smooth sauce. Olive oil adds richness, while garlic and basil infuse aromatic depth.

Read more: 6 Vegan Pasta Salad Recipes

Nonna’s pasta with tomato sauce

While everyone has their own take on the perfect pasta sauce, this pomodoro recipe is peak Italian Nonna cooking with traditional flavors.

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Servings

Ingredients

2-3 cloves garlic
1 small carrot
2 small sweet banana shallots
3 tbsp good-quality olive oil
2 x 400 grams tins of chopped tomatoes
¼-½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
A pinch of chili flakes
1½ tsp salt
1-2 tsp sugar
Vegan Parmesan cheese to serve, optional
Fresh basil to serve, optional

Instructions

Finely chop the garlic, carrot, and shallots.
Fry all the chopped vegetables in olive oil on a medium heat for 10 minutes, until softened.
Add the tinned tomatoes and one tin's worth of water, stir well and bring to a soft boil.
Once boiling, add chili flakes, salt, sugar and bicarbonate of soda. Stir well, it should bubble for 30 seconds, keep stirring and then reduce the heat to a very low simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt (it should taste like sea water), then add your pasta of choice.
Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl.
Next, add a few spoonfuls of the sauce to the pasta in the large bowl and mix evenly, then serve with an extra few dollops of sauce on top.
Finish with vegan Parmesan and fresh basil (optional).

This recipe was republished with permission from Giuseppe Federici. You can find his new cookbook Cooking With Nonna here and a link to his Instagram here.