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Based on Marcella Hazan’s famous recipe, this simple and rich homemade tomato sauce is a summer essential.
I’ll confess: I have an entire shelf in my pantry devoted to my favorite jarred tomato sauce. It’s my go-to on those busy nights when I need to get dinner on the table fast. But when tomatoes are in season and I’ve got a little time to spare, nothing beats making tomato sauce from scratch. It’s so good, it always 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.
“I am first generation Italian. My mom was a fabulous cook…This was outstanding.”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
- Plum tomatoes: Fresh plum tomatoes are ideal, but if they 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.
- Unsalted butter and olive oil: Using both gives the sauce a rich, silky texture and wonderful flavor.
- Onions and garlic: Simmered in the sauce to add sweetness, depth, and savory flavor.
- Salt and sugar: Salt brings out the flavors, while a little sugar balances the tomatoes’ acidity.
- Fresh basil: Stirred in at the end for a pop of fresh, fragrant flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Tomato Sauce
Prep the tomatoes: Begin by scoring the tomatoes with an X on one end. Don’t cut too deep; about ¼ inch is good. This helps the skins slip off easily once they’re blanched.
Blanch the tomatoes: Place the tomatoes in boiling water and cook briefly, until the skins start to peel back. Be careful not to cook too long, or the tomatoes will become soft and difficult to handle. The goal here isn’t to cook the tomatoes—it’s just to loosen the skins so they slip right off without taking too much flesh with them.
Shock the tomatoes (ice bath): Plunge the tomatoes into an ice-cold water bath to stop the cooking process.
Peel and chop the tomatoes: Transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board and peel the skins off. Then cut the tomatoes into ½-inch chunks.
Everything goes into the pot: 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.
Simmer the sauce low and slow: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for a couple hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and is no longer watery.
Finish the sauce: Remove the onion and discard it—it’s done its job. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to break up any large chunks of tomato or garlic until the sauce is thick and slightly chunky. Just before serving, stir in the basil.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions
The sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, so it’s great for making ahead. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then warm it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Video Tutorial
Homemade Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 lb plum tomatoes (or two 28-oz/794-g 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
- Prepare the 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-in (6-mm) 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.
- Using a slotted spoon, lift the tomatoes out of the pot and plunge them into the ice-cold water bath. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and remove the skins with your hands.
- Cut the tomatoes into ½-in (13-mm) chunks (discard the cores at this point) and transfer them, along with all of their juices, into a Dutch oven or saucepan.
- Add the butter, olive oil, onions, garlic, salt, and sugar to the tomatoes. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
- 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 the seasoning as needed. Stir in the fresh basil just before serving.
Notes
- If using canned tomatoes, skip steps 1–4 and begin at step 5.
- Be careful not to cook too long, or the tomatoes will become soft and difficult to handle.
Nutrition Information
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.
Ways to Use Homemade Tomato Sauce
Of course, this sauce is delicious tossed with your favorite pasta, but there are plenty of other ways to use it. Spoon it over turkey meatballs or chicken Parmesan, spread it on homemade pizza, or use it as the base for cheese lasagna or manicotti. It’s also wonderful for dipping garlic bread. I like to keep a batch in the freezer so I always have some on hand.
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Can I leave the skin on? Do I have to take the onions out? Can I put it in a blender to make it smooth for lasagna? Sorry for the questions 😅
Hi Jean, I prefer the sauce without the skins (because you’ll still find little bits of it present when it’s done cooking), but a number of readers have commented that they’ve left them on. No, you don’t need to remove the onions if you’d prefer to keep them in there. And yes, it’s fine to use a blender to smooth it out for lasagna. Enjoy!
Hi, this is delicious. I don’t think I’ll ever enjoy canned spaghetti again. Thank you for sharing. I’m curious though if anyone has used the onions for other purposes/recipes rather than simply throwing them out? I hate to waste them but I did blend them into the sauce last time and the chunks altered the texture and flavor enough that we know we like the sauce better without them. 😊
Glad you liked it! You can dice the onions and add them to soups, stews, or even scrambled eggs.
This is my all time favourite tomato sauce recipe. Like other reviews said, a jar of sauce just doesn’t compare. I made lasagna with this sauce and it was the best lasagna I’ve ever made.
Luscious!! Perfect in its simplicity.
everybody loves this and i get to use up all my garden tomatoes ( romas and san marzanos)!
We had a bumper crop of tomatoes in the garden this year, so I’ve spent the past couple of weeks blanching and freezing them like a very enthusiastic pioneer with access to modern appliances.
Today, instead of freezing another batch, I made this recipe.
First bonus: the whole house smells incredible.
Second bonus: my husband immediately transformed into the host of his own cooking show, narrating every step of the process while offering blanching, dicing, and chopping tips along the way. He even suggested a few seasoning tweaks to give the sauce “a personal spin.”
It’s still simmering down to a thicker consistency, but every taste so far has been phenomenal.
Tonight: spinach tortellini.
Tomorrow: chicken Parmesan.
Whatever survives: straight into the freezer for a rainy day. (and fingers crossed for rain on Tuesday!)
Thanks for getting our creative juices flowing and giving all those garden tomatoes a very delicious second act!