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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Comments
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I made it and loved it but I definitely took the seeds out with a strainer and then cooked for 1 hour with the other ingredients.
Hello –
First off I have to say I LOVE YOUR RECIPES! Your website is the first place I go when looking for a recipe. I just really vibe with your cooking style I think 🙂
Anyway – I prefer a smooth tomato sauce and a slightly sweet tomato sauce. What is the best way to make this a smooth sauce (blender, immersion blender, food processor?) Also, would upping the sugar slightly impact the recipe? (I think it would be ok.)
Thanks!
Nicole
Hi Nicole, thanks for your nice words about the recipes — so glad you like them! An immersion blender will work to give you a smoother consistency and adding a bit more sugar is fine. Enjoy!
Love the recipe! But I’ve made it, removing the onions as instructed, and also leaving them in, but chopping them finely after they have cooked for an hour. I’ve got to say, I prefer the texture and taste with the onions left in the sauce! I also add a cup of red wine in the last hour of the simmer! Delicious!!
Hello! Just curious about how this recipe does for canning. Does it have to be frozen to preserve or is it also suitable for canning?
Hi AJ, I didn’t develop this recipe for canning so I can’t say for sure that it would be safe. Sorry!
Best recipie I’ve made. I use a #10 can of whole peeled, and multiply ingredients by about 1.5 (a little less on the salt).
Amazing with some pasta, with meatballs/sausage or really with anything!!
hi this looks great but what is the cook time?
The total cook time is anywhere between 1½ to 2½ hours, depending on how long it takes for the sauce to longer be watery. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Hi there! How many people would this recipe feed? I’m trying to figure out the portions for 6 people.
Hi Stephanie, this is enough to feed about 8 (with 1½ pounds of pasta). enjoy!
Hi, I have to say it is the best tomato sauce recipe I have ever made. Absolutely delicious! Thank you. I love cooking and I tried lots of different recipes before, however none of them was like this one. Lots of tomatoes around now in our Summer, I know how am I going to cook them from now on!
Gosia
Australia
This was fantastic. I raised an eyebrow at the amount of butter, but it was delicious. (I used home-grown beefsteak tomatoes so that might have helped!)
In case anyone’s wondering if they really need to skin the tomatoes first, I didn’t and it tasted fine.
Carol
Australia
Loved it – thank you – had it with meatballs.
Hi
Can you use a food mill to remove the skin and seeds to save time?
Sure 😊
Hi Jenn,
Are plum tomatoes Roma tomatoes? If not, would you recommend Roma tomatoes over Campari tomatoes? Thank you and can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Oleda, they are slightly different varieties, but it’s fine to use plum tomatoes. Hope you enjoy the sauce!
I made this recipe with homegrown heirloom tomatoes and it was fantastic!
Since I use this type of tomato it took longer to cook down. Probably about three and a half hours.