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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Loved this! Used fresh tomatoes & leftover Parmesan rinds. Reheats well. Would definitely make again!
Hello….I too save my rinds for this purpose 👍
Hi Jen! Looks like I have missed fresh tomato season… If I make this recipe with the canned plum tomatoes, is there a brand that you prefer? Also, should I look for the unsalted variety if available? Thanks for all you do. I bought your cookbook and am LOVING IT!!
~Amy
Hi Amy, so glad you’re enjoying the cookbook! I like Pomi or Hunts tomatoes, but any brand will do. 🙂
Can this sauce be frozen?
Sure – it freezes well! 🙂
Delicious. Buttery goodness. I used my homegrown tomatoes. A simple easy summer recipe that is satisfying.
We have some IBS issues in our family and tomato sauce is usually not on our menu. However, this particular tomato sauce has made it to our regular recipe list. It is very light, flavourful and does any kind of pasta great justice. I have made it both with fresh tomatoes and with canned tomatoes (or with a mixture of the two) and it never fails. My husband has even devoured it as tomato soup on one occasion.
This is a marvelous sauce that blends all the flavors of summer. Fresh and soft on the palate, The sauce is reminiscent of my Italian heritage. I like it best when it’s played with farfalle.
This is a marvelous sauce that blends all the flavors of summer. Fresh and soft on the palate, The sauce is reminiscent of my Italian heritage. I like it best when it’s plated with farfalle.
This is an excellent flavour and reminds me of the sauce I ate in Italy. It is so simple to make, I am going to the tomato farm this weekend and get more roma tomatoes to make a bigger batch. Thank you so much. Penny
This sauce was delicious! I made it using regular (not Roma) tomatoes from the garden, so I had to cook them down a little longer, but the flavor was fantastic! I also chopped 1 large onion and sautéed it in the butter until translucent before adding the tomatoes rather than discarding the onion later. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Yummy. Did not need butter or sugar. Great without it.
Hey Jen! Stupid question…but BIG HUGE FAN. If I were to cut the recipe in half, does it take the same amount of time to reduce? Or do you cut that time in half as well?
Not a stupid question, P! Due to less volume, it’s likely to take less time for the sauce to reduce, but probably more than half of what the recipe indicates. Just simmer it until the sauce is no longer watery. Enjoy!