The history of pasta sauces is deeply intertwined with the development of pasta itself and Italian culinary traditions. While pasta has ancient origins, the idea of pairing it with sauces evolved gradually, beginning with simple dressings and eventually developing into the complex array of sauces we know today.

Early references to pasta dishes can be traced back to ancient Rome, where a type of pasta called "lagane" (similar to lasagna) was often served with a variety of ingredients, such as olive oil, herbs, and vegetables. However, pasta as we know it today—dried, durum wheat pasta—wasn't widely consumed until the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, dried pasta was becoming more common in Southern Italy, particularly in regions like Sicily and Naples, where it could be stored for long periods.

The development of pasta sauces came later, as tomatoes, an essential ingredient in many Italian sauces, were not introduced to Europe until after the Columbian Exchange, following the arrival of tomatoes from the Americas in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

Initially, tomatoes were viewed with suspicion, as they were thought to be poisonous, but by the 17th century, tomatoes began to appear more frequently in Italian cooking, particularly in Southern Italy. This marked the beginning of the modern tomato-based pasta sauces, such as marinara and pomodoro.

The first printed recipes for pasta sauces appeared in cookbooks in the 18th century. One of the earliest known cookbooks to include pasta sauce recipes was "Il Cuoco Galante" by Francesco Leonardi, published in 1790. Leonardi’s cookbook featured a variety of pasta dishes, some of which included sauces made with tomatoes, herbs, and meat. These early recipes laid the foundation for the pasta sauces that would become staples of Italian cuisine.

In the 19th century, with the industrialization of pasta production, pasta became more widely accessible, and pasta sauces began to diversify.

This period also saw the rise of famous Italian sauces such as bolognese (ragù), which evolved in Bologna during the 18th and 19th centuries.

By the 20th century, the development of various regional pasta sauces, such as pesto from Genoa and carbonara from Rome, further enriched the Italian culinary tradition.