Homemade Tomato Sauce
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Based on Marcella Hazan’s famous recipe, this simple and rich homemade tomato sauce is a summer essential.
I’ve got a confession: there’s a whole shelf in my pantry dedicated to my favorite jarred tomato sauce for those crazy-busy nights. But when tomatoes are in season and I have a little time to spare, nothing beats making tomato sauce from scratch. It’s so good that it makes me wonder how I ever settle for that run-of-the-mill jarred stuff! My go-to recipe is inspired by Marcella Hazan’s famously simple tomato butter sauce, although I’ve tweaked it over the years to make it my own. It’s such a rich and flavorful sauce, it doesn’t even need Parmesan cheese when tossed with pasta. If fresh tomatoes aren’t in season or you’re short on time, canned whole peeled tomatoes work beautifully (San Marzanos are the gold standard). Just steer clear of canned diced tomatoes—they are made with a chemical that keeps them from breaking down properly.
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by scoring the tomatoes with an X on one end. Don’t cut too deep; about 1/4 inch is good.
Place the tomatoes in boiling water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the skins start to peel back. Be careful not to cook too long, or the tomatoes will become soft and difficult to handle.
Plunge the tomatoes into an ice-cold water bath to stop the cooking process.
Transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board and peel the skins off.
Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch chunks.
Place the chopped tomatoes, along with all of their seeds and juices, into a large Dutch oven or saucepan, along with the butter, olive oil, onions, garlic, salt and sugar.
Bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours, until the sauce is no longer watery.
Remove the onion and discard. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to smash any large chunks of tomatoes or garlic to make a slightly chunky and thick sauce.
Before serving, stir in the basil.
The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days, or can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Video Tutorial
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Homemade Tomato Sauce
Based on Marcella Hazan’s famous recipe, this simple and rich homemade tomato sauce is a summer essential.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds plum tomatoes (or two 28-ounce cans whole peeled plum tomatoes)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and cut in half
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- If using fresh tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Fill a large bowl halfway-full with ice cubes and cold water. Using a sharp knife, cut a ¼-inch deep X on one end of each tomato. Place the scored tomatoes into the boiling water and cook until you see the skin starting to wrinkle and split, 1 to 2 minutes (be careful not to cook too long, or the tomatoes will become soft and difficult to handle). Using a slotted spoon, lift the tomatoes out of the pot and plunge them into the ice-cold water bath. Let sit for a few minutes to cool, then transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board and, using your hands, peel off their skins.
- Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch chunks (discard the cores at this point) and transfer them, along with all of their juices, into a Dutch oven or saucepan.
- To the chopped tomatoes, add the butter, olive oil, onions, garlic, salt, and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1½ to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally and mashing the tomatoes, until the sauce is no longer watery. Remove and discard the onions. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, mash any large chunks of tomatoes and garlic to make a slightly chunky and thick sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Before serving, stir in the basil.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 256
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 503 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I had about 20 pounds of large tomatoes given to me ( LUCKY ME!) so I removed the skins ( same process as you described. Then I cut the tomatoes in half and pulsed them. I added some fresh Italian parsley ( also give to me) to each batch and then froze in zip lock bags. Would I be able to use them in the creation of this recipe? Someone commented on her tomatoes not being red but a more dark pink color…these are the same. However, they were perfectly ripe and ready to be used so I had to do something quickly with them. Please advise…. thanks.
That should work – enjoy!
Thank you Jenn for this delicious tomato sauce. I made it and it is the best yet
Can you water can this?
Hi Jessica, I didn’t develop this with canning in mind, so I don’t know it will be safe — sorry!
So delish. 😋😋 I used my homegrown plum tomatoes, not sure what the weight was, so I only added 1/2 stick of unsalted butter, 1/2 large sweet onion & 3 cloves garlic. Was very watery so I lightly squeezed some water out from each before peeling and also strained them over a bowl. Saved 1 clove garlic to add after sauce cooked. Added 1/2 tsp fine sea salt. Omitted the sugar. Added 1/3 of a raw carrot. Left out the herbs because it was already dark outside. Pureed. Tasted it and WOW it was scrumptious, even w/o the sugar & herbs!! Mine isn’t red though, looks more like a “pink” sauce. Now thinking WHAT to pair it with other than the traditional spaghetti & meatballs?
Glad you like it! In terms of ways to use it, you could try it as a pizza sauce or in place of a store-bought sauce in my chicken parm or eggplant parm, or spinach manicotti.
What do you use for pizza?
This the red sauce I typically use for pizza. 😊
Lovin’ this recipe! It was super easy and flavorful! Thank you so much for this homemade unprocessed goodness, it is now a staple for my household!
This was phenomenal. Fresh, bright, and bursting with flavor that’s not just jarred-marinara-sweet. I was worried this wouldn’t be enough salt, and that there was no pepper or other seasonings, and that you removed the onions instead of eating them in the sauce. My worries were unnecessary.
I was given a ton of beefsteak tomatoes from a friend, so even though they’re not ideal for sauces, they’re what I used. After peeling, I had 4lb 15oz of tomatoes. So much tomatoes!! To account for the differences, I made the following adjustments:
1.5tsp salt rather than 1.25
1 whole stick of butter (8tbsp) rather than 6tbsp
About double the garlic (we really like garlic)
MOST IMPORTANTLY: simmered for 4 hours rather than 2 to get rid of massive amounts of excess liquid.
Turned out perfectly, even my picky 7 year loved it and asked for seconds. 🙂
Thanks Sara! I have a variety of tomatoes to use, and a lot of beefsteak are included in that. Your experimenting has helped me plan my timing out! Can’t wait to try this recipe! Love my Italian sauces!
WOW… DONE with jarred sauce if I can avoid it. Thank you SO MUCH for this recipe! I want to grow more tomatoes next year so that I can make vats of it! GOOD EVO is key! Could drink this stuff!
Absolutely delicious! My house smells amazing, so warm and comforting. I had a plethora of San Marzano tomatoes to use on the vine. I am so glad I found this recipe so that all those lovely tomatoes didn’t go to waste. Thank you!
Can this be canned in jars?
Hi Mary, I didn’t develop this with canning in mind, so I don’t know if it would be safe — sorry!
This sauce is soooo good! I doubled it for a large Sunday family dinner and still have plenty left for another meal. I must admit to a slight deviation, I diced the onions and left them in and added 1lb uncooked beef after an hour and cooked for another 1-1/2 hrs. My wife, who adds ketchup to most tomato sauces to cut down on the acidic level, ate this as it was and raved about how good it is. This will be our go to pasta sauce moving forward. Thank you Jenn for sharing this recipe!