Description
A rich, silky tomato sauce inspired by Marcella Hazan’s classic recipe—made with butter, onion, and a few simple tweaks for extra flavor. Perfect for pasta, meatballs, or freezing for another night.
Ingredients
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 medium-sized sweet yellow onion
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 whole, peeled and smashed garlic cloves
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- After peeling, slice the onion lengthwise (root to stem) to help it hold its shape during cooking.
- In a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, butter, onion halves, garlic cloves, red pepper, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Once simmering, lower the heat and maintain a gentle simmer, occasionally crushing the garlic with the back of a spoon. Cook for about 35 minutes until droplets of fat appear on the surface of the tomatoes. Taste and add additional salt if desired.
- Simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and discard the onion.
Notes
The key to the sauce is the slow simmer, allowing the tomatoes and butter to meld together and develop a deep, sweet flavor. You can use whole tomatoes and crush them lightly while they are cooking.
The onion adds sweetness and complexity, but it’s discarded at the end, leaving only its essence behind in the sauce.
The red pepper adds just a hint of heat, which can be adjusted to taste.
You can use this sauce for pasta, pizza, or Cheese Stuffed Italian Meatballs—its versatility is part of what makes it so special!
If you have leftovers, it freezes wonderfully, so don’t be afraid to make a big batch. I often triple the recipe to use later.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian