Simple spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce using the grated tomato method. Ready in 20 minutes with ripe summer tomatoes, garlic, and basil.
If you love fresh tomato recipes, also try my Real Italian Tomato Sauce and my How to Cook Spaghetti Perfectly.
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This spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce has been on repeat at our house every August since I first tried the grated tomato technique. Instead of chopping or blending, you grate ripe summer tomatoes on a box grater directly into the pan - it takes about two minutes and gives you a sauce that tastes completely alive.
Fresh rosemary, garlic, a little butter at the end, torn basil on top. My Italian grandmother in Calabria strings tomatoes every summer with her friends and family, and this is the kind of simple, honest sauce she would recognize.
Why You'll Love This Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce
- The grated tomato method changes everything. No blender, no food mill, no peeling - just a box grater and two minutes. The texture is silky and the flavor is pure tomato.
- Ready in 20 minutes. Make the sauce while the pasta cooks. It all comes together at the same time.
- Tastes like summer. This only works with ripe, juicy tomatoes - which means peak summer is the time to make it. Use the best ones you can find.
- Vegan-friendly. Skip the butter and Parmigiano and it is completely plant-based. Use a touch of good olive oil instead.
- Works with any long pasta. Spaghetti is classic but linguine, angel hair, or bucatini are all wonderful here.
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti (linguine or angel hair also work)
- 2 lbs ripe juicy tomatoes
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 small sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, torn
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve
- Salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Step 1: Boil the Pasta
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
Step 2: Grate the Tomatoes
While the pasta cooks, slice a thin round off the bottom of each tomato. Starting at the cut end, grate each tomato on the largest holes of a box grater over a medium bowl. Grate until all that is left is the flattened skin and stem - discard these. Go slowly; it gets slippery.
Step 3: Build the Sauce
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and just golden.
Step 4: Add Rosemary and Tomatoes
Add the rosemary sprigs and cook for about 1 minute, tossing, until fragrant. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the grated tomatoes, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.
Step 5: Toss and Serve
Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Remove the rosemary sprigs. Top with torn basil and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve immediately.
Tips for the Best Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. The flavor of this sauce is entirely dependent on your tomatoes. Beefsteak, Roma, or heirloom all work - just make sure they are ripe and juicy.
- Do not rush the grating. The tomatoes get slippery quickly. Slow and careful is the move.
- The butter at the end is optional but worth it. It adds a subtle creaminess that rounds out the acidity of the fresh tomatoes. Skip it to keep the dish vegan.
- Save your pasta water. The starchy water helps the sauce cling to the spaghetti. Add it a splash at a time if things look dry.
- Remove the rosemary before serving. The sprigs are for infusing flavor only - pull them out before you toss the pasta.
Variations
- Make it vegan: Skip the butter and Parmigiano. Finish with an extra drizzle of good olive oil instead.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic.
- Add olives: A handful of pitted Kalamata or Castelvetrano olives tossed in at the end is wonderful.
- Gluten free: Use your favorite gluten free spaghetti - the sauce works with any pasta.
- Different herbs: Try fresh thyme instead of rosemary, or skip the rosemary entirely and use extra basil.
How to Store Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce
The sauce stores separately much better than tossed with the pasta. Keep leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed. The sauce also freezes well - freeze in small portions for up to 2 months and use it all winter long when you miss summer tomatoes.
FAQs
Ripe, juicy tomatoes with high flesh content work best. Beefsteak, Roma, San Marzano, and heirloom varieties are all excellent choices. The key is that they must be fully ripe - underripe tomatoes will produce a thin, acidic sauce with no sweetness.
You can, but it will be a different dish. Canned San Marzano tomatoes make a wonderful cooked tomato sauce - see my Real Italian Tomato Sauce recipe for that. This particular recipe is designed for fresh, ripe summer tomatoes and the grated method really only shines with fresh ones.
No - that is the beauty of the grating method. The skin stays behind in your hand while the flesh grates through. No blanching, no peeling, no extra steps.
Spaghetti is classic, but linguine and angel hair are both wonderful. The sauce is light and loose, so thinner pasta shapes work better than chunky ones. Angel hair cooks in 2 to 3 minutes so have everything else ready before you put it in the water.
What is the Grated Tomato Method?
Instead of chopping or crushing tomatoes, you slice a thin round off the bottom of each tomato and grate it on the largest holes of a box grater over a bowl. The flesh grates right through and all that is left is the flattened skin, which you discard.
The result is a loose, pulpy sauce that cooks in minutes and tastes completely fresh. A word of caution: go slowly - the tomatoes get slippery as the juice runs and your fingers can get close to the grater. Take your time.
Here are the beautiful tomatoes that our grandmother in Calabria strings every summer with her friends and family...just stunning!!!
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Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
- Set a big pot of salted water to boil on high to cook pasta.
- While pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
- Slice a thin round off the bottom of each tomato. Starting at cut end, grate tomatoes on the largest holes of a grater over a medium bowl until all that's left is the flattened tomato skin and stem; discard. Take care while grating, as it gets slippery from the tomato juice. Don't rush while you grate.
- In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions, saute 2-3 minutes, until tender. Turn heat to medium. Add minced garlic. Saute a few minutes until garlic is fragrant and golden.
- Add rosemary and cook, tossing, just until fragrant and starting to brown around edges, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, add tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is slightly thickened, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter, and stir until melted.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
I made this spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce recently, and it turned out so simple and fresh. I like how quick it comes together with just a few ingredients, perfect for a light summer pasta.
This is so good and so simple. That's what I appreciate most about so many of your recipes.
VERY good. I've never made anything with grated tomatoes before. I didn't even know you could do that!