Craving a rich, restaurant-style pasta sauce you can make at home any night of the week? This hearty, herb-laced sausage and tomato sauce delivers deep flavor with minimal fuss—whether you cook it fast in the Instant Pot or let it gently simmer on the stovetop. It’s phenomenal over your favorite pasta and just as satisfying over zucchini noodles for a lighter, low-carb bowl.
Garden-Fresh Flavor, Any Time of Year
This homemade pasta sauce was inspired by summers spent tending a backyard plot filled with tomatoes and herbs. For years, the ritual was the same: brown sausage, add garlic and a few key spices, toss in tomatoes, and finish with generous handfuls of basil and oregano. When the Instant Pot came along, the goal was to capture that same aroma and flavor without babysitting the pot. After a few trial-and-error batches, a chunkier approach cracked the code—no scorching, just full-bodied, savory sauce every time. The best part? Both methods yield outstanding results, so you can choose the one that suits your schedule.
Fresh herbs truly elevate this sauce, but don’t worry if your garden or grocery run doesn’t cooperate—there are simple swaps below to keep the flavor big and balanced.
Ingredient Notes for Big, Italian-Style Flavor
Here’s what gives this sauce its signature depth and body:
- Italian sausage: Hot turkey Italian sausage keeps things lighter, but pork Italian sausage works beautifully. Brown it well for maximum flavor.
- Tomatoes: Petite diced canned tomatoes create the ideal chunky texture. Drain two cans and leave one can with its juices to keep the sauce saucy without watering it down.
- Beef broth: Just enough to encourage a gentle simmer and add savory backbone.
- Olive oil and garlic: Blooms the aromatics and rounds out the sauce.
- Dried herbs: Dried basil, Greek oregano, and ground fennel are the trifecta for authentic Italian flavor.
- Fresh herbs: Stirring in chopped basil and oregano at the end brightens everything.
- Salt, pepper, and Parmesan: Season to taste and finish with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.
Do you really need all the dried herbs?
Yes—the combination of dried basil, Greek oregano, and especially ground fennel is what makes this sauce taste like your favorite Italian spot. Together with the fresh herbs added at the end, they create that swoon-worthy aroma and depth.
No fresh herbs on hand? Easy fixes that still taste great
- Swap in basil pesto: A couple of tablespoons stirred in at the end is a smart stand-in for fresh basil.
- Boost the dried oregano: If you don’t have fresh oregano, add a pinch more dried to keep the savory notes balanced.
Instant Pot Method: Thick, Chunky Sauce Without the Burn
The Instant Pot version is quick yet deeply flavorful. Here’s the streamlined approach:
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (High) and warm olive oil. Squeeze sausage from its casings and brown it thoroughly, breaking it into small pieces. If using turkey sausage, cook until any released liquid evaporates.
- Push the sausage to the side. Add a bit more olive oil, then stir in garlic, dried basil, dried Greek oregano, and ground fennel. Let the spices bloom for 2–3 minutes to unlock their flavor.
- Pour in two drained cans of petite diced tomatoes plus one undrained can, along with beef broth. Stir, scraping up any browned bits.
- Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Perform a quick release.
- Check thickness. If you prefer a thicker sauce, switch to Sauté (High) and simmer a few minutes until it reduces to your liking.
- Turn to Sauté (Low). Stir in chopped fresh basil and oregano (or basil pesto) and a splash of olive oil. Simmer briefly to meld flavors. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Tip: A 6-quart Instant Pot works perfectly for this recipe. Adding a modest amount of broth and keeping some tomato liquid helps avoid scorch warnings while maintaining that hearty, chunky body.
Stovetop Method: Gentle Simmer, Same Incredible Flavor
If you’re in the mood to let the sauce bubble away and perfume the kitchen, the stovetop method is wonderfully straightforward:
- Warm olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage, breaking it into crumbles.
- Make space in the pan and add a bit more oil if needed. Stir in garlic, dried basil, dried Greek oregano, and ground fennel; cook 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add two drained cans of tomatoes, one undrained can, and the broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your preference.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in chopped fresh basil and oregano (or basil pesto) and a little olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
How to Serve: Pasta or Zucchini Noodles
This sauce loves classic pasta shapes—think rigatoni, penne, or spaghetti—but it also shines over zucchini noodles for a lighter, low-carb comfort bowl.
Pro tips for great zucchini noodles
- Choose your tool: Spiralizer, julienne peeler, or mandoline all work. You can also buy pre-spiralized zoodles in most produce sections.
- Cook quickly: Lightly sauté for 1–2 minutes in a hot pan or microwave 45–60 seconds. Overcooking turns them watery.
- Pat dry and season: Blot with a paper towel and season after cooking to keep them crisp-tender.
Meal Prep and Freezer-Friendly
This hearty sauce is tailor-made for Weekend Food Prep. A batch yields enough for several meals:
- Refrigerate: Keeps about a week in a sealed container.
- Freeze: Portion into containers (or even silicone trays) and freeze for several months.
- Reheat: Warm gently over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if needed.
Recipe at a Glance
- Yield: About 8 servings of sauce
- Prep time: ~20 minutes
- Cook time: ~25 minutes (plus a few minutes to finish)
- Total time: About 1 hour 10 minutes
Nutritional Snapshot and Diet Notes
Served over zucchini noodles, this sauce fits well into low-carb and keto-friendly eating patterns. Per serving, it comes in at roughly under 4 net carbs with about 18 grams of protein. Tomatoes naturally contain some carbs, but the balance of lean sausage and herbs keeps this recipe surprisingly macro-friendly. Add freshly grated Parmesan for an extra-savory finish if you like.
Equipment Notes
A 6-quart Instant Pot is ideal for the pressure cooker method. For the stovetop version, use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to maintain steady heat and encourage even reduction.
Why This Matters
From weeknight dinners to weekend meal prep, this sausage-tomato sauce is the kind of recipe you’ll make on repeat. It’s flexible (fresh herbs or pesto), scalable (great for freezing), and tastes like it simmered all afternoon—even when it didn’t. Whether you spoon it over al dente pasta or a tangle of zoodles, you’ll get a bold, balanced sauce with real Italian character in every bite.
