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

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have

    10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers.

    Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Print Options

    Include recipe photo

Advertisem*nt

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.

Powered by

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

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

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.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Tomato Sauce With Onion and Butter Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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.

Why do you put onions in tomato sauce? ›

The Caramelized Onions 🧅

So adding them to the sauce being a whole different salty sweet flavor that compliments the acidity of the roasted tomatoes.

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 is the secret ingredient in tomato sauce? ›

Anchovy paste is considered a hidden ingredient in spaghetti sauce because most people have no idea it is in there. You do not need much, but even a small amount creates a rich, salty base. You'll find countless tomato sauce recipes that call for anchovy paste online, so the secret is out.

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.

Do Italians put onions in their sauce? ›

A true, Italian Pomodoro sauce often begins with soffritto: finely chopped celery, carrot and onion fried in extra virgin olive oil. Then, San Marzano or other sweet tomatoes are added in.

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.

Should tomato sauce have onion? ›

A traditional marinara has tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Tomato sauce has more ingredients including onions, carrots, celery, and additional seasonings. Any recipe that calls for marinara can also use tomato sauce, although it will alter the flavor slightly.

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? ›

A dollop of ricotta or mascarpone adds lightly sweet creaminess, while soft goat cheese or even a humble cream cheese adds tangy richness to elevate dull tomato sauce. A generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese makes any plate of pasta look all dressed up, while adding a welcome kick of umami.

Does tomato sauce get sweeter the longer you cook it? ›

Heat and time can help soften some of the acidity and tinny edge that tomatoes have straight from the can, developing a sweeter, rounder flavor.

Do Italians put sugar in tomato sauce? ›

"A pinch of sugar is a Southern Italian trick that was used when the sauce was made with end-of-season tomatoes that did not get ripe, or the tomatoes were so tart they needed to be balanced," Chiarello explained to Epicurious.

Why do you add brown sugar to tomato sauce? ›

Table sugar isn't the only ingredient you can add to mellow out the taste of your tomato sauce. A pinch of brown sugar or an unrefined sweetener such as coconut sugar can add a nice layer of flavor that'll still balance the acidity.

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

Olive Oil. Olive oil or some other type of fat is crucial for making the perfect tomato sauce. Not only does olive oil add a layer of decadence to the sauce, but it also improves the texture.

Is it good to add butter to pasta 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.

Does butter thicken tomato sauce? ›

Butter does not provide any thickening to a sauce, since it is made of just fat and water. But a chunk of butter, salted or unsalted, swirled into a sauce at the end, can temporarily emulsify a sauce, while adding richness and sheen, all of which are good things.

Why do people put butter in sauce? ›

Adding Butter To Tomato Sauce Brings A Balanced Richness

Sautéing the veggies in butter will help infuse the dairy product's rich flavor into the rest of the sauce. Once the veggies are sautéed, add in the tomatoes like you'd traditionally do, though you'll undoubtedly notice a difference in the final product.

Does butter make tomato sauce less acidic? ›

The fat imparted by five whole tablespoons of butter mellows the acid from the fresh onion and the tomatoes. Because there is so much fat in the sauce, you don't need to cook the onions to rid them of acidic bite.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Nathanael Baumbach

Last Updated:

Views: 6611

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nathanael Baumbach

Birthday: 1998-12-02

Address: Apt. 829 751 Glover View, West Orlando, IN 22436

Phone: +901025288581

Job: Internal IT Coordinator

Hobby: Gunsmithing, Motor sports, Flying, Skiing, Hooping, Lego building, Ice skating

Introduction: My name is Nathanael Baumbach, I am a fantastic, nice, victorious, brave, healthy, cute, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.