Sicily’s coastline is long and varied, dotted with fishing villages where the rhythm of daily life follows the tides. Sugo di Pesce is born from this intimate relationship with the sea. Using the day’s catch — shrimp, clams, squid, or small fish — Sicilians create a light, fragrant sauce that showcases freshness above all else.

Tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil form the base, enhancing rather than overpowering the seafood’s delicate flavors. This sauce is a lesson in simplicity and respect for ingredients. In small harbors, fishermen return with their catch, and families turn it into a meal within hours. The sauce is cooked just enough to marry flavors, leaving seafood tender and succulent.

Tossed with spaghetti or linguine, Sugo di Pesce evokes sun-drenched mornings, the scent of salt in the air, and the simple joy of eating food that is utterly fresh.

Fun Facts

• Uses whatever seafood is freshest, making it a reflection of seasonality.
• Traditionally paired with long pasta like spaghetti or linguine.
• Olive oil is generously used both for flavor and to preserve the delicate sauce.

Sugo di Pesce (Seafood Sauce) – Serves 1

Ingredients

• 100g spaghetti or linguine
• 75g mixed seafood (clams, mussels, prawns, squid)
• 60g cherry tomatoes (about 5–6, halved)
• ½ garlic clove, finely chopped
• 25ml white wine (about 2 tbsp)
• A few sprigs of parsley, chopped
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Pinch of chili flakes (optional)

Method

1. In a pan, warm a drizzle of olive oil and gently sauté the garlic until fragrant.
2. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 5–7 minutes, until they soften into a sauce.
3. Add the mixed seafood, pour in the white wine, cover, and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the shells open and the prawns/squid are just cooked.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving a splash of cooking water.
5. Toss the pasta with the seafood sauce, adding a little pasta water if needed to coat.
6. Finish with chopped parsley, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Plant-based alternatives 

1. Sugo di “Pesce” with Mushrooms & Seaweed

Ingredients:

• 100g spaghetti or linguine
• 50g oyster mushrooms (or king oyster, sliced thinly)
• 1 sheet nori, shredded (for “sea” flavor)
• 60g cherry tomatoes
• ½ garlic clove, finely chopped
• 25ml white wine
• Olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flakes
• Parsley to finish

Method:

1. Sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
2. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly golden.
3. Add cherry tomatoes and nori, simmer 5 minutes.
4. Pour in white wine, cook until slightly reduced.
5. Toss with cooked al dente pasta, season, and finish with parsley.

Why it works: Oyster mushrooms mimic the texture of seafood, while nori gives a briny, ocean-like flavor.

2. Sugo di “Pesce” with Jackfruit & Seaweed

Ingredients:

• 100g spaghetti or linguine
• 70g young green jackfruit, shredded
• ½ garlic clove
• 25ml white wine
• 60g cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp miso paste (for umami depth)
• 1 sheet nori, crumbled
• Olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flakes
• Parsley to finish

Method:

1. Sauté garlic in olive oil.
2. Add shredded jackfruit and lightly brown.
3. Stir in cherry tomatoes, miso, and crumbled nori; simmer 5–7 minutes.
4. Pour in wine, cook until slightly reduced.
5. Toss with pasta and garnish with parsley.

Why it works: Jackfruit has a fibrous texture reminiscent of shredded seafood, and miso + nori add briny, savory depth.

3. Sugo di “Pesce” with King Oyster & Sea Beans (Samphire)

Ingredients:

• 100g spaghetti or linguine
• 50g king oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 20g samphire (or blanched green beans as a substitute)
• ½ garlic clove, finely chopped
• 25ml white wine
• 60g cherry tomatoes
• Olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flakes
• Parsley to finish

Method:

1. Sauté garlic and mushrooms in olive oil.
2. Add cherry tomatoes, cook 5 minutes.
3. Add samphire, pour in wine, and cook until tender.
4. Toss with cooked pasta and finish with parsley.

Why it works: Samphire adds a salty, briny bite reminiscent of seafood, while king oyster mushrooms provide a meaty, firm texture.