Go Back
–+ servings
Pasta in homemade Napoli sauce on a white plate.

Napoli Pasta Sauce

Make a delicious and simple Italian Napoli sauce recipe.
It is made with tomatoes, tasty herbs, and a touch of garlic, this sauce is perfect for a simple pasta dish and more.
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
Prep Time : 5 minutes
Cook Time : 30 minutes
Total Time : 35 minutes
Cuisine: : Italian
Course : Mains
Servings : 4
Calories : 100 : kcal
Estimated Cost : $2.50 or $0.63 a serve
Author : Harriet

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large onion
  • sprig of parsley <- see notes
  • 10-15 fresh basil leaves <- see notes
  • 1 small red chilli <- see notes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 x 400 gram (14 ounces) canned diced tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon white sugar optional

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Peel and roughly dice the onion.
  • Finely chop the parsley.
  • Coarsely chop or tear the basil leaves.
  • Roughly chop the chilli.
  • Heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan and fry the onion until they become translucent.
  • Add the parsley, basil, tomatoes, salt, sugar (if using) and chilli, bring to the boil.
  • Turn down the heat, put the lid on the saucepan and simmer over a low heat for 30 – 40 minutes, or until it become thick and cream like in consistency.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjusts if necessary. Serve with spaghetti.

Notes

Recipe makes about 400 grams (14 oz) of sauce.
Parsley and basil – try and use fresh if you can but, if these are out of season or simply not available, it is okay to use 1-2 teaspoons each of dried basil and parsley. Dried herbs give a slightly different flavor but are ideal to use when fresh herbs are out of season.
Small red chili – you can use fresh or frozen chili or leave it out if you don’t like chili. If you just want a hint of chili in the sauce, leave it whole and remove it after cooking.
  • If you don’t mind a bit of a bite of the sauce, chop it up and mix it.
  • If you can’t get fresh chilli you can always use a whole dried chilli or chilli flakes.
Nutrition Facts
Napoli Pasta Sauce
Serving Size
 
100 grams (3.5 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories
100
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Sodium
 
436
mg
19
%
Potassium
 
267
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
8
g
3
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
277
IU
6
%
Vitamin C
 
28
mg
34
%
Calcium
 
41
mg
4
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclosure