Red sauce pasta in Italy is called Sugo di Pomodoro or Pomodoro sauce, which translates to tomato sauce and is a simple preparation of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and sometimes basil.
The term marinara also exists in Italy, but it's mainly what refers to a seafood dish or a sauce with a lighter and fresher tomato flavor and not the chunky, tomato based sauce that Americans associated with the marinara sauce.
Real Italians call tomato sauce sugo or even Salsa di pomodoro.
Sugo is the more general term for tomato sauce in Italian, which means sauce and salsa di pomodoro specifically refers to the tomato sauce.
Different regions and specific recipes in Italy may also use names such as pomodoro, passata di pomodoro or even polpa di pomodoro, depending on the preparation of the tomato sauce and dish.
Italians also call their meat sauce ragu which comes from the word ragout breaking down to mean taste again.
Italians call pasta with tomato sauce pasta al Pomodoro or Pasta Pomodoro.
Pomodoro in Italian means tomato and, so "al pomodoro" means "with tomato."
The basic sauce for tomato pasta is often just called tomato sauce or red sauce.
However the specific dish with pasta is often referred to by it's Italian name of Spaghetti al Pomodoro or Pasta Pomodoro.
Pasta Pomodoro (Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce) Pasta Pomodoro, or Pasta al Pomodoro as it's called in Italy, is a simple yet delicious dish of spaghetti or rigatoni tossed with a rich, basil-infused tomato sauce.
Tomato sauce for spaghetti is also sometimes called marinara sauce.
Marinara sauce is a tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions. Variations include capers, olives, spices, and a dash of wine.
Creamy tomato pasta is called Creamy Pasta Pomodoro.
Creamy Pasta Pomodoro is a healthy and hearty pasta pomodoro and the creamy sauce is bursting with tangy tomato flavor.
Tomato pasta is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed year-round, but it's especially delightful in the summer when fresh tomatoes are in season.