Tomato Sauce With Onion and Butter Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Marcella Hazan

Adapted by Mark Bittman

Updated Oct. 23, 2023

Tomato Sauce With Onion and Butter Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
5(613)
Notes
Read community notes

Featured in: Remembering Marcella

Learn: How to Make Pasta

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings (enough for 1 1/2pounds pasta)

  • 2pounds fresh ripe tomatoes, blanched as described below*, or 2 cups canned imported Italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
  • 5tablespoons butter
  • 1medium onion, peeled and cut in half
  • Salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

119 calories; 10 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 422 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Tomato Sauce With Onion and Butter Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Put either the prepared fresh tomatoes or the canned ones in a medium saucepan, add the butter, onion and salt and cook uncovered at a very slow but steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until it is thickened to your liking and the fat floats free from the tomato.

  2. Stir from time to time, mashing up large pieces of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and correct for salt. Remove the onion and save for another use. Toss tomato sauce with pasta.

Tip

  • * To blanch fresh tomatoes: Drop thetomatoes in boiling water for about aminute. Drain; as soon as they arecool enough to handle, skin them, cutthe core out and roughly chop.

Ratings

5

out of 5

613

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Arcie

The featured pictured is not the way to serve pasta. It should be fully mixed and coated with the sauce before plating.

Lizy

Excellent and very easy! Because I never have enough sauce in the house and wanted leftovers, I used 2 large cans of peeled tomatoes, 3 onions, and 1 & 1/2 sticks of butter. I broke up the tomatoes with my hand and then at the end used an immersion blender after removing the onions. It was perfectly balanced with delicately flavored cheese ravioli. Interestingly, the smell really reminded me of Pepe's in New Haven, where four generations of my family have enjoyed pizza.

Annie

Pretty similar to my all-time go to for speedy and delicious sauce by Marcalla Hazan. Only difference is to saute the onion in butter before adding the tomatoes. It's a great simple, no-fuss sauce to always have on hand to use for pasta or veggies, or even to use in putting together a parmesan with eggplant or chicken/veal cutlets. Love it.

Mem

This is wildly delicious and so easy; used canned tomatoes and it was perfect.

Stephen

After simmering 45 minutes, it looks more like soup, not sauce. How much should this cook down?

wendy

Fabulously easy and delicious. Why discard the onion? I didn’t (misread instructions) and it was delicious!

Anna

Made this to have with our classic "pasta and sardines" dinner, VERY TASTY. Made 3 cups of tomatoes (1 can); blended it in small blender until chunky before adding it to the pot. Used 1 large onion. Used 1 stick of butter (8 ounces). Put in 3 smallish oregano sprigs. Cooked for 45m. Pulsed onion and put back in the sauce, DELICIOUS. (made 1 dinner for 3 people)delicious

rankin9774

How can 2 cups of tomatoes, cooked down, serve six people? Am I missing something?

Lori Press

Delicious!s And easy. I had 3 good size Jersey tomatoes and a half a bottle of Passata (strained tomatoes). I wanted a lot of sauce which is why I added the Passata (tomato paste is not really a good substitute because it has a sweetness). Only sorry I didn't make this sauce all summer when I was at the Jersey Shore -tomato paradise!!!

Reg Quinton

I save parmesan rinds to add to sauces like this. Kicks it up a notch.

Kathy

Has anyone made this a vegan sauce by using olive oil rather than butter?

Linda Lou

This sauce is also delicious if you start with passata rather than whole tomatoes. Ms. Hazan adds a quarter teaspoon of sugar.

Gordon Tillman

I have made this recipe many times over the years, having first learned about it from Mark's How to Cook Everything book. Makes a great sauce to use for home-made pizza. Only additional step is to run it through the blender to smooth it out before spreading on the pizza crust.

JudyHM

Marcella’s recipe included 1/4 teaspoon sugar.

Anne Kinnamon

This is my go to sauce with my homemade gnocchi now! I was a skeptic until I made it!

Anna B

To me, if you make this sauce, you have the beginning of a beautiful vocabulary. Alter it as you will, but this is the eidos of a perfect sauce.

Karen Lee

First, I realize no one will see this comment. :) Is it weird that I don't use a recipe for tomato sauce? Today, I bought a container of multi-colored cherry and grape tomatoes. Cut about a cup of the tomatoes in half, and sauteed them in an 8" skillet with olive oil and a bit of Simply Organic Italian herb blend. When the tomatoes had "cooked down" a bit, I cooked some pasta. Topped the pasta with the tomato sauce and a little shaved cheese. Not fancy, yet delicious!

Cindy R

This was just okay, but maybe that's because I chose canned tomatoes that weren't great? I'll try it again with another brand and with fresh once summer tomatoes arrive.

Isabel

This was the perfect sauce for the raviolis I prepared for dinner. Fragrant, light, delicious.

Patsy

I love this sauce. It is easy to make and delicious. After cooking the sauce I cut up the onion into small pieces and put back into the sauce. I add a stick of butter.

s

Butter and a little olive oilHalf onion Canned tomatoes (the small ones)Hunk of Parmesan or prosciutto Simmer partially covered for an hour. Add stock or water if gets dryOrecchiette or another fun pasta shapeToss with steamed broccoli (can steam in pasta pot)Parmesan Cracked pepperLemon?? Not necessary

Kira

So easy, simple and delicious. Used a larger can of plum tomatoes and topped my spaghetti with basil and a little pecorino. Next time will try it with anchovies instead of salt!

Jeanette R

rankin9774: Recipe calls for 2 lbs., not two cups. But it does seem sparse.

Kathy

Has anyone made this a vegan sauce by using olive oil rather than butter?

cynthia

You can make it with olive oil, both fats, but you’ll have to play with the amount.

Karen

I made it yesterday with Miyoko's cultured vegan butter. It was amazing.

Reg Quinton

I save parmesan rinds to add to sauces like this. Kicks it up a notch.

Yks

Wow, this was so delicious! I was surprised it could be this simple and flavorful at the same time. Next time will double the batch so I have leftovers.

NHCarol

Easy and delicious! I used very fresh tomatoes from my favorite farm. I did not peel them. I started with a diced onion and fresh oyster mushrooms. After cooking them for a few minutes, I added the tomatoes and dairy-free butter (dairy allergy). I added a little Italian seasoning because we love it. I served it with fresh basil and dairy-free parm. Loved it!

Deb A

I make this as is with canned tomatoes, but leave the onion in and use an immersion blender. We love the extra onion flavor.

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Tomato Sauce With Onion and Butter Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good tomato sauce? ›

Starting with good quality tomatoes and crushing them by hand offers great flavor and texture later on. The combination of butter and oil releases fat-soluble aromatics and gives the sauce a creamy texture. Slowly cooking the sauce in the oven creates rich caramelization without burning.

What does adding butter to tomato sauce do? ›

Similar to creamy sauces like Alfredo, or meaty sauces like ragu, tomato sauce is naturally low in fat, and as a result, sometimes becomes too thick and too starchy when it's been tossed with pasta. The addition of butter helps to loosen and emulsify the sauce, making it smooth and creamy.

What onion is best for tomato sauce? ›

A sweet yellow onion, a touch of fat from rich butter, and a low and slow cook time bring a simple can of tomatoes to their peak in this iconic sauce from Italian cooking expert Marcella Hazan.

What is the secret ingredient in tomato sauce? ›

Approximately three dashes or ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg is plenty for a jar of tomato sauce. If you are making a large batch, add a bit more for good measure. While the flavor should be subtle, you still want it to make the other ingredients shine, so feel free to play around with the quantity until you get it just right.

What is the most important thing when making tomato sauce? ›

Roast the tomatoes first.

This one simple thing will completely change the dynamic of the sauce. Roasted tomatoes give a robust depth of flavor to an otherwise simple sauce. Heat equals flavor, folks.

What is it called when you add butter to a sauce? ›

Monter au Beurre is a French term used to describe the process of adding or whisking in whole, cold butter into a sauce or puree at the end of the cooking process. This process, which is usually done off the heat, adds shine, flavor and richness.

Is it better to add butter or olive oil to tomato sauce? ›

I use butter in my tomato sauce instead of olive oil. It makes a rich, velvety sauce. Stir in a little olive oil just before serving and people will never know it wasn't in there from the beginning. It's not the same sauce as a long-cooked red sauce, but in it's own right it's amazing.

Should I add butter to my sauce? ›

A small amount of fat—extra-virgin olive oil or butter—is essential to good pasta sauce texture. Without fat, you have at best watery sauce (nobody has ever said, "Waiter, my pasta is not quite wet enough"), and at worst sauce that over-thickens with starch alone and takes on a pasty texture.

Can you blend onion and tomato together? ›

I was making Paneer Kadhai and after sautéing the onions and tomatoes along with the masala, I let it cool down and blended it. The result was that the curry had great consistency.

Why do you put onions in tomato sauce? ›

Of course, you can use canned tomatoes if you don't have fresh tomatoes. onions – don't be alarmed at the amount of onions used. They will add so much delicious aromatic flavor as well as a sweetness that is intensified as the onions become tender and golden.

How do you thicken tomato and onion sauce? ›

5 Ways to Thicken Tomato Sauce
  1. Cook It Down.
  2. Add Tomato Paste.
  3. Add Cream.
  4. Add Cheese.
  5. Use a Roux or a Slurry.
Jul 19, 2023

How to make tomato sauce taste homemade? ›

- Start by sautéing garlic, onions, or shallots in olive oil before adding the tomato sauce. This adds depth and aroma. - Add dried or fresh herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary for a burst of flavor. Experiment with a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.

Are you supposed to put sugar in tomato sauce? ›

Most tomato sauce recipes are based on canned tomatoes, and canning companies carefully regulate the pH level of their products. So, the need to add sugar to tomato sauce is declining, but there may still be exceptions. It's best to make your sauce without sugar at first, then taste it and add a pinch if necessary.

How do you add richness to tomato sauce? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Canned Spaghetti Sauce
  1. 1 - Extra virgin olive oil. Adding a good amount of a flavorful olive oil will go a long way in infusing flavor into your sauce. ...
  2. 2 - Fresh garlic. ...
  3. 3 - Meat. ...
  4. 4 - Hot pepper flakes. ...
  5. 5 - Red wine. ...
  6. 6 - Fresh or dried herbs. ...
  7. 7 - Cheese. ...
  8. 8 - Cream and/or butter.
Feb 26, 2018

What can you add to tomato sauce to make it better? ›

Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. Add 1 to 2 sprigs of one or more of them to your favorite sauce, cover, and simmer at least 5 minutes to allow them to infuse in the sauce. Remove the sprigs before serving.

What to add to tomato pasta sauce to make it taste better? ›

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

What gives spaghetti sauce depth of flavor? ›

Red wine will give it a restaurant taste

But a quick and easy way to do so is to add a glug of red wine. Red wine is a standard addition to many pasta sauces, and while it's not strictly necessary in a marinara sauce, it can give it instant depth.

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