Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (2024)

by Jaden | Recipes, Sauces/Condiments | 89 comments

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (1)

I recently had the pleasure of meeting, cooking and dining with Marcella and Victor Hazan at their home in Florida.

At 87 years old, Marcella Hazan is a legend in the culinary world, having influenced millions of Americans on the art of Italian cooking.

Of all recipes, I think this is simple Tomato Sauce is what she’s most famous for.

Read my post and see photos of my visit with Marcella and Victor Hazan.

Four, if you count the pasta as well.

1 whole onion, one 28-ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes (from San Marzano if you can find them), 5 tablespoons of butter and pasta of your choice. I used salted butter, which let me omit the added salt to the sauce (and I also salt my boiling pasta water too)

Place the butter, onion and tomatoes (I’ve roughly chopped the tomatoes first) into a pot and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (4)

Until it looks like this, where droplets of fat float freely from the tomato:

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (5)

Remove the onion and discard if you must (but secretly, I enjoyed it with a little salt and pepper)

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (6)

This is what tomato sauce is all about!

Serve over pasta.

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (8)

Victor and Marcella sent me home with a gift of custom made Italian sausage by Paul Bertolli:

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (9)

And so we grilled them outside…but a little boy was impatient and couldn’t wait for me to finish my photoshoot.

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (10)

After I scolded him for grabbing the sausage with his hands before dinner was served, I turned around to get the other plates dished up.

And caught him….

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (11)

in the act…

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (12)

of super-fast slurping…hoping not to get caught…

look at that slurptastic action!

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (13)

recipe adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

I used salted butter and also heavily salted the boiling pasta water, so I didn’t add any additional salt to the sauce. Taste and adjust with more salt if needed.

One 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes (San Marzano, if you can find), tomatoes roughly chopped with their juices
5 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and halved

Heat a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low to keep a steady simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally. Discard the onion. Serve over cooked pasta.

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (14)Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!

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  1. Alyssa | Richcomplexions on 6/12/21 at 6:54 pm

    I’ve never tried this ravishing meal before, but I hope to give it a try this weekend.
    Just the picture makes me salivate, I feel it will be just yummy as it looks.

    Reply

  2. Linda Cruz on 4/28/20 at 12:34 pm

    Thanks for the sauce recipes. The Hazan recipe is a little different and I can’t wait to try it. Your recipe is also different. I’ve never oven cooked the tomatoes for my sauce but, it sounds sensible so that the tomatoes sauce tastes the way Italian families make it. Thank you.

    Reply

  3. David Coulter on 2/11/18 at 5:39 pm

    Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (16)
    I make this all the time. I ONLY use vine-ripened tomatoes, nothing artificlal or canned. I cut up the onion and leave it in, which adds a nice flavor.

    Reply

  4. Helen on 7/31/16 at 5:54 pm

    Many years ago, when I was little, my family went on vacation to Cape Cod. My mom had a beautiful little seashell on the perfume tray on her dresser, and she found one at the beach. I, too, could hear the ocean and I looked forward to bringing it home with me. When we got back to the house at which we were staying, I left it outside on top of the garbage can lid. In the morning, I went to check on it, only to discover a crab half sticking out of it.

    I spent the entire drive home wondering how that crab had followed us all the way from the beach to get back in that shell!

    Reply

  5. Karen Ransil on 6/27/16 at 9:14 pm

    I’ve made Marcella’s tomato butter sauce many times and the outcome has always been good. In Northern Italy they use butter, in Southern Italy they use olive oil. Olive trees are plentiful in the South. Both regions make great sauces, but are different.

    Reply

  6. Cara-Ann on 9/7/15 at 11:27 am

    Divine!! Could barely stop tasting it long enough for it to cook! Hubby commented that it might need herbs while it was cooking, but after pairing it with sausages (russions) he licked the plate! Yum yum.

    Reply

  7. Caroline on 5/20/15 at 4:07 am

    I absolutely love it. There first batch was so so. Tomatoes were too pale. Then I used little Rosa tomatoes. That worked well. I added a bit of sugar. BUT then I went and baked this sauce. That’s when it shone. Fabulous.

    Reply

  8. DOREEN LINTON on 2/3/15 at 9:41 pm

    I have made something similar to this recipe for years, I add tomato juice 24 oz and then a heaping tablespoon of cheese whiz then about 150 grams of cheddar old or sharp, spices salt, pepper, garlic, basil (all to taste). This is all added to the butter tomato sauce. we find it very tasty.

    Reply

  9. Steve heiser on 11/25/14 at 1:40 pm

    I have to say the best part of this recipe are the onions they were really good with butter and salt and pepper but the rest was tasteless the sauce was tasteless to thin no body the tomatoes were really good but the sauce lacked meat even though it had the meatballs I’m sorry but 1 to 5 I would give it a 2 -thanks steve

    Reply

  10. Caralyn haglund on 8/12/14 at 8:26 pm

    Tried this today. It just tasted like hot canned tomatoes. Added some black pepper and Italian seasonings. That perked it up some. I then added about two teaspoons of sugar. It still wasn’t quite right. I decided to go ahead and use it for dinner. I added more onion chopped and red, orange and yellow peppers. I cut up a round steak into cubes and put that in. Let it simmer for two and a half hours. Then I added some homemade noidles, just a few. My husband and I thought the outcome was delish! I definitely will not be making the basic tomato sauce recipe again. It just lacked any kind of flavor other than canned tomatoes.

    Reply

    • CL on 2/14/16 at 7:55 pm

      Sounds like your used to imitation italian pasta sauces, which is fine.

      Reply

  11. Raj on 3/17/14 at 3:49 pm

    Is there a substitute for butter In this dish? I am a person who avoids butter and all of that as much as possible.

    Reply

    • fritzi schnitzer on 2/22/15 at 10:01 am

      no. find another recipe.

      Reply

  12. Jan on 3/3/14 at 1:40 pm

    In no case whatsover should you discard the onion! It is absolutely delicious!

    Reply

  13. priya on 10/27/13 at 10:39 am

    can i use fresh tomatos instead of canned ones

    Reply

    • SteamyKitchen on 10/28/13 at 11:19 am

      yes!

      Reply

  14. Margaret on 9/4/13 at 11:54 pm

    But. It’s. Too. Simple! Must. Resist. Urge. Too “Zazz up”. littl eold Italian ladies can’t be wrong, right? I wish there were more comments on this so I could see what people have to say. It sure looks delish! And I would totally eat the onion myself, too! (heck, I might just chop it up and throw it back into the sauce. Why not?)

    Reply

  15. fruit with vitamin c on 6/24/13 at 1:45 am

    Wow, this post is nice, my sister is analyzing these kinds of things, so I am going to convey her.

    Reply

  16. Today, I went to the beach with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed.
    There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back!
    LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell someone!

    Reply

  17. Betsy C on 6/2/13 at 8:38 am

    @Amanda: This recipe is so, so flexible and only calls for salt to taste. Just cook your pasta in unsalted water and use unsalted butter. Salt to taste or diet requirements. Easy.

    Reply

  18. Amanda on 4/27/13 at 6:14 am

    Just found your recipe. I love the concept, but is there any way to make this sauce without all of the salt? I have family that can’t have all of the salt, and they e been looking for an easy tomato sauce that isn’t filled with salt and preservatives. Anyone have any suggestions?

    Thanks!

    Reply

  19. Wes on 1/17/13 at 10:28 pm

    I used to make this years ago and always loved it even though it has all that butter. I now live in Mexico where a kilo of awesome ripe Roma tomatoes costs me about 40 cents. We slow roast a kilo about once a week and use it for our pasta dishes. A clove of garlic and a slice of fresh habanero won’t hurt either. Can’t wait to try this recipe again…maybe tomorrow!

    Reply

  20. Brenda on 4/27/12 at 11:35 am

    I have been making this recipe for years with our fresh garden tomatoes. We love this sauce! I put a few jars in the freezer to use during the winter when there are no fresh tomatoes.

    Reply

  21. eddhead on 12/9/11 at 4:28 pm

    Yeah but 5 tbs is a lot of butter. Too mch fat.

    Reply

  22. Amber on 11/30/11 at 3:24 pm

    Mmmmm! I love tomatoes. I love butter. I love onion. So I guess that means I love this recipe! I’ve used this several times to make a simple sauce. Sometimes I feel like I need to get more veggies into my kiddos so here is a variation. http://www.thrivequickdish.com/rec/garden-pasta-sauce/

    Reply

  23. john on 10/7/11 at 8:43 pm

    No butttttterrrrr

    Reply

  24. Donna on 10/5/11 at 2:22 pm

    My Grand Mother made a dish very similar, which consisted macaroni,tomatoes,onions and bacon fat. Very much like a soup, and the more onion the better!

    Reply

  25. I am a huge Marcella Hazan fan. Have never come across this simple recipe. I have always cut up the onion and sauteed first. Love the idea. Can’t wait to try this method~just came across your blog.. check me out on facebook too.. Sunday at the Giacometti’s. I am a traditional, classic, italian cook. I am so jealous you have had dinner with such Icons! lucky you!!

    Reply

  26. Elna on 7/31/11 at 7:32 pm

    Yummy! I added garlic to the sauce, as I can’t imagine it without, and also chopped and left then onion in.
    Either way I’m sure it is delicious, as tomatoes and butter are a marriage made in heaven!
    I served it with whole wheat pasta, sprinkled with chopped fresh basil from my garden, toasted pine nuts and parmesan….. and red wine, of course!

    Reply

  27. Suman Singh on 7/9/11 at 9:33 am

    I love the simplicity of this dish..looks delicious!

    Reply

  28. JulieD on 6/23/11 at 4:34 pm

    Jaden, this sauce turned out awesome. I sliced up the onions and had them in the sauce with the spaghetti. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

  29. JulieD on 6/22/11 at 10:55 am

    Oh my goodness, Jaden. Butter? I have to make this soon…I mean this week!

    Reply

  30. Margaret on 6/15/11 at 2:54 pm

    I like this with oregano, basil, a little cumin, cayenne pepper and garlic, served with a fried egg. Seems to get better after a day in the fridge, but that could just be hunger.

    Reply

  31. mia on 5/6/11 at 11:50 am

    I was looking for a good tomato sauce recipe and found your site.
    I used fresh plum tomatoes and didn’t like the color while I was cooking it and was not sure about the taste either. So I packed it for lunch just to check, IT IS VERY GOOD! I have guests tomorrow and that’s why I was looking for the recipe in the first place. And I took it for lunch so that I can taste it and was pretty convinced that I was going to make another sauce using herbs. But this is very GOOD! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

  32. Teresa on 4/21/11 at 7:54 pm

    We made this tonight and it was amazing. I don’t know if we can ever go back to store-bought sauce.

    Reply

  33. Raisa Berriz` on 1/24/11 at 5:03 pm

    This is my go to recipe for a simple but delicious tomato sauce. I’ve been making it for yeats. The simplicity of the ingredients speak for themselves! I don’t see where anyone would feel it taste like spaghettios or inner tube. Then again I don’t eat inner tube very often!
    This recipe is fabulous and easy! Love it!

    Reply

  34. Tracey on 1/22/11 at 4:27 pm

    Just made this with the exception of the addition of one garlic clove. Also, I couldn’t bear to have that braised onion covered in tomato go to waste so I zipped it in my food processor and added it back to the sauce. Should I do that again, I won’t add the whole onion. Aside from that, this was delicious and I’m so glad to end the search of the perfect sauce.

    Reply

  35. kelly on 11/9/10 at 11:35 pm

    Amazingly delicious! Such a simple dish, yet… YUM! We used the last of our garden-grown tomatoes and this was the perfect way to enjoy them. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  36. PC on 10/27/10 at 1:03 pm

    I love this recipe! I have been using it for a few years now and it is so easy to just add ingredients as you please to build different sauces. Perfect for those empty fridge moments…and it’s so delicious! You are so lucky you had a chance to meet Marcella, sounds like it was a great experience! 🙂

    Reply

  37. John on 9/29/10 at 11:58 pm

    My teenage son thought this tasted like Spaghettios. I thought it had an inner tube taste, definitely unpleasant. I made it like the recipe, but won’t make it again.

    Reply

  38. Pille @ Nami-Nami on 9/21/10 at 12:40 pm

    I’ve made this couple of times as well – so gorgeous in its simplicity!!!

    Reply

  39. Eric on 9/8/10 at 6:57 pm

    I made this last night and added 2 cloves of sliced garlic out of habit. The Butter and onion flavor is remarkable together. This is a very unique and simple recipe that should be passed down. Thank you so much for this wonderful sauce.

    Eric

    Reply

  40. Pam on 8/16/10 at 10:25 pm

    I was fortunate enough to spend a week with Marcella and Victor at their cooking school in Bologna in 1980 and 30 years later this is still one of my, and my 87 year old Italian mother’s favorite sauces—usually served over gnocchi.

    Reply

  41. Betty Frost on 8/16/10 at 6:50 pm

    I have loved this sauce since I first purchase The Classic Italian Cookbook in the 70’s. The recipe was simply called ‘Tomato Sauce III’. I have enjoyed her recipes throughout the years and will be making this one again soon.

    Reply

  42. Jennifer on 7/24/10 at 10:56 pm

    I just read Nicholas Spark’s novel ‘True Believer’. The main character made this sauce in the novel, mentioning that is is an old Italian recipe. It sounded so good I had to google it and sure enough, here it is! I can’t wait to make it tomorrow for my husband’s Italian family, who I know have never made it this way.

    Reply

  43. Kait on 6/1/10 at 3:33 pm

    Great tomato sauce. I use butter in my sauce for special occasions.

    Reply

  44. Jennifer B. on 5/21/10 at 7:20 pm

    This is perfection! It was so simple that I had to try it and it was just amazing. I may never resort to a more complicated sauce again.

    Reply

  45. Ken on 5/19/10 at 4:26 pm

    This looks great! Has anyone tried 5 tbs. of olive oil instead of butter? I love butter, but I love olive oil, too…

    BUT – my question is – specifically what kind of cheese did you use on top of the pasta? It looks perfect!

    Reply

    • SteamyKitchen on 5/19/10 at 4:31 pm

      parmigiano reggiano

      Reply

  46. Doug Falke on 5/8/10 at 4:30 pm

    This sauce was awesome! Had it with some pasta and fennel containing Italian sausage. Make sure you have some good San Marzano tomatoes. Absolutely superb. Thanks for passing the recipe along Jaden!

    Reply

  47. Lee on 5/8/10 at 11:59 am

    Looks sooo good! I’m going to try it.

    Your son is adorable! My kids would never dare to be that sneaky!

    Reply

  48. Gina on 5/5/10 at 3:35 pm

    Butter makes everything better, don’t you agree?? Thanks for sharing this wonderful post!

    Reply

  49. Chris Rudram on 5/4/10 at 11:13 am

    Made this last night. Easy, and awesome tasting. I added a little garlic to the simmer… this is instant classic goodness.

    Reply

  50. Digital Diva on 4/29/10 at 12:01 am

    My Mom has a copy of Marcella’s book and my husband, too, and I’ve never tried making this sauce until tonight! Thankfully, I’ve been proven wrong about easy recipes. Simple recipes can be fantastic, too. Jaden, thanks for showcasing this recipe with gorgeous photos and a hilarious accompanying blog to boot. After viewing the photos, I knew it wouldn’t be long ’till I was making this wonderful yet easy dish. My family did not let those onions go to waste, either; they were snapped up in a hurry.

    Reply

  51. annelise kelly on 4/28/10 at 8:19 pm

    I never would have imagined this oh-so-simple combo. Definitely on the “try-it-soon” list.

    Reply

  52. Family Cookbook - Denise on 4/28/10 at 8:06 pm

    Looks so simple and easy. Some of the least complicated recipes can be the best. I would have to find something to do with the onion as well (can’t just discard). The amount of butter seems a bit heavy, but I’m sure it’s delicious!

    Enjoyed your write-up “Meeting Marcella & Victor Hazan”.

    Reply

  53. Kiki on 4/27/10 at 4:18 am

    I’m going to try this out tonight with chicken parm – I think the simple flavors will go perfectly with the chicken. My two girls, 2 and 6, will devour anything combing some kind of pasta and any tomatoey sauce mommy makes, so I’m sure they’ll love this! I’ll bet it would be good with stuffed shells, too…

    Reply

  54. fo sho yo yo on 4/26/10 at 1:27 am

    Are you sure this isn’t from Paula Deen’s cook book?

    Reply

    • SteamyKitchen on 4/26/10 at 1:39 am

      With the amount of butter in the recipe, it might seem that way! 😉

      But no, I assure you that this recipe comes from the “grandmother” of Italian-American cooking, Marcella Hazan, who was cooking and writing books well before Paula Deen.

      Reply

  55. Helen French on 4/25/10 at 2:43 pm

    I was always bothered by not using the onion after the sauce was done, too, but a friend of mine mentioned that she cut it up the next morning and used it in scrambled eggs. Genius.

    Reply

  56. sandra on 4/23/10 at 2:55 am

    I like the taste of tomato sauce.Because I also like to eat bread, I often eat bread with tomato sauce.

    Reply

  57. Cynthia on 4/22/10 at 9:22 pm

    I love this classic recipe. I have made it for several pasta dishes and I get many compliments for its rich taste. The first time I made it with regular canned tomatoes however Marcella implored that I switch to Italian imported plum tomatoes. She was correct, the imported tomatoes made for a savory sauce. I love you Marcella and I am so jealous Jaden that you were able to have met her and Victor.

    Ciao Ciao

    Reply

  58. Bo on 4/22/10 at 8:54 pm

    This is my absolute favorite—how do you keep the tomatoes so RED???

    Reply

    • SteamyKitchen on 4/22/10 at 9:01 pm

      Ancient Italian secret! 😉

      just kidding…what color is your sauce?

      Reply

  59. Chris on 4/22/10 at 5:56 pm

    Wow, could it get any more simple than that? Great color too. While the photos all look great, the ones with your son are the best because they are candid. Great post J.

    Reply

  60. Karen M. on 4/22/10 at 1:16 pm

    Brings back memories: Many years ago, maybe the early 70’s, Marcella was in San Francisco doing cooking classes. I was lucky enough to be able to take one. It was gnocchi – and they were served with this sauce. So simple and sublime. Gnocchi, I’m convinced, are something you must learn to make from childhood, much like forming Chinese dumplings – looks simple, but isn’t…. sigh, I can still taste those gnocchi!

    Reply

  61. J2Kfm (Malaysian Food Blog) on 4/22/10 at 8:30 am

    Such a simple recipe? Combining so few ingredients. This sounds good, esp to non-cooks like me.

    Reply

  62. temple2 on 4/22/10 at 12:40 am

    I throw this in the slow cooker and let it cook while I do other things, and I cut the onion up and leave it in, just because I love onion. But it is wonderful, amazing that it’s just 3 ingredients. 🙂

    Reply

  63. Pilar on 4/21/10 at 5:56 pm

    Love the pictures! Your son is too cute, that sneaky hand, priceless.

    Reply

  64. Indianapolis Amy on 4/21/10 at 4:00 pm

    I can’t wait to try this… I heard that you can buy S. Marz tomatoes from Costco.

    Reply

  65. southernbelle on 4/21/10 at 8:30 am

    i tried this last night after seeing this post and it was DELISH!!! And so simple too… this definitely my “go-to” sauce now for a quick dinner!

    Reply

  66. Marc @ NoRecipes on 4/21/10 at 12:12 am

    Wow with that much butter, how could it not taste good! I think I’m going to have to try that next time:-)

    Reply

  67. Jane on 4/20/10 at 10:39 pm

    I made this tonight and served scallops on the side. It was really delicious and could not have been easier. To my dismay, with all the cookbooks I have I do not have a single Marcella cookbook. I will have to change that!

    Reply

  68. mirinblue on 4/20/10 at 3:22 pm

    I have made this at lest 20 times, it’s a go-to if short on thought processes! It’s really good, fresh and savory.

    Reply

  69. Karen@Mignardise on 4/20/10 at 2:19 pm

    The photos of your son “stealing” sauce are too cute. I take it he’s feeling better?? Hope so!

    Reply

  70. Melissa on 4/20/10 at 11:49 am

    I’ll have to give this one a try soon. I love simple recipes, especially ones where I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

    Reply

  71. Liam OMalley on 4/20/10 at 11:26 am

    So cool you got to meet and dine with her. I’ve been experimenting with a lot of pasta sauces lately to find one that is *just* right so that I can do some canning this summer when tomatoes are in peak season – I will definitely have to add this one to the list.. I’ve never tried using butter in it as well, but how could you go wrong?

    Also next on my list – pasta sauce using ramps instead of onion. My kitchen is overflowing with ramps right now.

    Reply

  72. habanerogal on 4/20/10 at 9:22 am

    How lovely that you got to have the pleasure of meeting and spending a meal with the Hazans. It isn’t everyday that one gets to spend time with such royalty of the kitchen. Nice post.

    Reply

  73. Kim in MD on 4/20/10 at 8:26 am

    Sometimes simple is just better, and this looks amazing!

    I love the photos of your son caught in the act! He just couldn’t wait…so cute! 🙂

    Reply

  74. the lacquer spoon on 4/20/10 at 12:51 am

    Quick, simple and delish.. all are in one dish! Perfect!!

    Reply

  75. Jee on 4/19/10 at 11:08 pm

    Ummm…I always use store bought (gasp!!) tomato sauce –
    But this seems easy enough that I think I’ll try it out soon!!
    Do you think taking out the onions, chopping them up and putting them back in the sauce will also work??
    Well, I think I’ll have to try both the onion-in version and onion-out version. 🙂

    Reply

  76. Alison M. on 4/19/10 at 7:59 pm

    I make this all the time. So simple and easy but soooooo goooooooooood. Butter makes everything better.

    Reply

  77. Mara @ What's For Dinner? on 4/19/10 at 7:18 pm

    I recently discovered this recipe as well, and am completely and totally in love with it! I am, however, PAINFULLY jealous you got to dine with Marcella… her recipes were a staple in my house growing up, much like Julia Child’s!

    Reply

  78. Lynn on 4/19/10 at 6:54 pm

    It looks fantastic with zero intimidation factor. I need to try it soon!

    Reply

  79. Joanne on 4/19/10 at 6:49 pm

    I love this simple recipe. I’ve thrown this on the stove and walked away to do house work and come back to a simple sauce ready for anything. I have left the tomatoes whole, and used chopped canned tomatoes, then when the sauce is done cooking, used my immersion blender to make a smooth, or slightly chunky sauce.

    Reply

  80. Sarah on 4/19/10 at 6:39 pm

    This looks so pure or something to that effect. Love! Will have for lunch Friday, thanks 🙂

    Reply

  81. donna on 4/19/10 at 6:35 pm

    This is so simple and I am diffently going to try.

    Reply

  82. dhanes420 on 4/19/10 at 6:14 pm

    Making it tonight! My Guro is Italian and even he hasn’t mentioned this type of sauce. The boys will have Italian and I will have gai pad gra pow. Thank you!

    Reply

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  16. Marcella Hazan’s Genius Tomato Sauce « - [...] my sphere of consciousness. I am certainly not the first food blogger to write about this sauce. Jaden at…
  17. a very easy tomato sauce recipe. « foodie in progress - [...] that you have on hand in your fridge or pantry. one of the first recipes that i came across…
  18. Marcella Sauce — Most Famous Tomato Sauce in the World! - [...] sauce has been swooned about all over the web, including here, and here,and here, and here, and here, and…
  19. Bad Blogger…. Bad Blogger…… « Dodging Acorns - [...] it’s 3 ingredients and it is delicious. If you haven’t tried it, you can find it here - make…
  20. Upcoming… | she cooks, he eats - [...] Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion photo steamykitchen.com [...]
  21. SEAFIELD FARM » Blog Archive » Tomato Sauce with Tuna and Capers - [...] here is my riff on Marcella Hazan’stomato sauce with butter and onionthat has been floating around the blogisphere for…
  22. “Special Sauce”: 2-Day Tomato Conserva « A Little Yumminess - [...] few pats of butter and a little salt, so they simmer into a versatile and simple tomato sauce (alla…
  23. My Week(22) in iPhone Photos « bebehblog - [...] took time today to get my hair cut, pick up some (more) baking supplies and make homemade tomato sauce…
  24. How to make sauce for pasta? - CurlTalk - [...] love Marcella Hazan's easy peasy recipe: Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter | Steamy Kitchen It's unbelievably…
  25. Weekday Dinners That Make Sense and Save Cents | ToDo Together Blog - [...] Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Onion Butter from Steamy Kitchen [...]
  26. Oven Roasted Chestnuts | The Kitchen Operas - [...] Off I went in search of instructions, and my trusty internet returned a whole host of options, including an…
  27. It’s the moooost wonderful time of the year… « oblogatory - [...] with Will and the last time she came over Will cooked her dinner. He chose a rather easy but…
  28. Tomato sauce — one tomato two - [...] used the last of the tomatoes from our garden to make delicious tomato sauce tonight: Used this recipe —…
  29. Weekend Update: Sicky, Quilty, Tomatoey « Tiny Wallet Style - [...] threw together a pot of Marcella Hazan’s amaaaazing tomato sauce while I rested the dough and cleaned up the…
  30. Tomato Sauce ala Marcella Hazan « Avril in Chicago - [...] Steamy Kitchen [...]
  31. A Food Hug: Tomato Soup « A Little Yumminess - [...] homemade conserva di pomodoro (tomato paste) and the ultimate simple sauce Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion.…
  32. Quickthink » Blog Archive » And You Thought Cooking Meatballs Was Easy? - [...] how about just tomato sauce with pasta? Steamy kitchen offers a recipe from Marcella Hazan. Here is the link.…
  33. Cute teen p*rnstar – Allie Haze | 3ASYf*ck | THREE COLORS OF SEX - [...] made some super easy but oh-so-tasty tomato sauce. This is the recipe, only I used a white onion instead…
  34. The Classics- Tomato Sauce at Apples & Onions LA - [...] Better pictures and more eloquent description of this fantastic sauce seen here and here. [...]
  35. What’s For Dinner? « bebehblog - [...] from top left 1. & 2. Marcella Hazan 3 Ingredient Tomato Sauce – Steamy Kitchen 3. Espinacas con Garbanzos…
  36. Around Here « - [...] on this, feasting on that, and getting many of our mealtime ideas from this [...]
  37. Daily Digest for June 18th « May Yan - [...] Marcella Hazan Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter | Steamy Kitchen Recipes. Filed under: tweets Leave a comment Comments…

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Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put onions in tomato sauce? ›

Of course, you can use canned tomatoes if you don't have fresh tomatoes. onions – don't be alarmed at the amount of onions used. They will add so much delicious aromatic flavor as well as a sweetness that is intensified as the onions become tender and golden.

Should I put butter in my marinara sauce? ›

Add butter

Yes, that's right. Toss in a few tablespoons of butter, and let it melt into the sauce. If you've never tried it before, it might seem strange, but a little butter makes tomato sauce rich and smooth, and also balances out too much acidity, which is common in jarred sauces.

Why do you put butter in tomato sauce? ›

Because of the naturally high acidity of tomato sauce, I find that most store-bought tomato sauces tend to be way too abrasive and sharp-tasting. The addition of butter really rounds out the flavor of the sauce and helps to temper the acidity. It also gives the sauce a nice sheen, which is a fun bonus.

Why Italians don t mix onion and garlic? ›

While it may seem like a harmless pairing, Italians tend to use them separately in their dishes. Garlic is used to add a pungent flavour to dishes, while onions add a sweet and slightly savoury flavour. Mixing the two can result in an overpowering and unbalanced taste that can ruin your dish.

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.

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.

What does adding milk to marinara sauce do? ›

When you make home-made tomato sauce with fresh or tinned tomatoes, it can sometimes turn out to be too acidic. Add a little milk to tomato sauce for a sweeter taste to offset the acidity of the tomatoes. This is a well-kept secret amongst Italian grandmothers.

Do Italians put butter in their sauce? ›

Exactly, butter is used quite a lot in traditional Italian food. The traditional Bolognese ragu uses butter, but most people would think olive oil is more common. I think butter is more popular in the north. Of course the southern heat would make butter go rancid more quickly and olive groves flourish there.

Why do you put baking soda in tomato sauce? ›

Great tomato flavor is all about balancing acidity and sweetness. Too much of either can leave you with asauce that tastes one-dimensional. Many sources recommend adding a pinch of baking soda to a sauce that's overly tart, which raises the pH and makes it less acidic.

Why do you put lemon in tomato sauce? ›

"Lemon zest adds a brightness," he told me. "Without adding additional acid (already provided by the fresh tomato).

Why does my homemade tomato sauce taste bland? ›

Your spaghetti sauce may taste bland due to insufficient seasoning. Try adding more salt, herbs (like basil, oregano, or thyme), and other flavor enhancers like garlic, onion, or red pepper flakes. Also, a dash of sugar can balance flavors and bring out the natural sweetness of tomatoes.

How do you make store bought tomato sauce taste homemade? ›

A jarred sauce can sometimes lean a bit acidic, so the way to balance that is with richness. A glug of a good quality extra virgin olive oil, a splash of cream or half and half, a dollop of ricotta or mascarpone, or even a few pats of butter stirred in can smooth those rough edges.

How to make canned tomato sauce sweeter? ›

"If it tastes a little too acidic, that's when you add a pinch of sugar." Add it just like you would add salt: a little bit at a time, until you get the flavor you want—and without any shame.

How do you make tomato sauce taste less like tomatoes? ›

Try adding some basil, oregano, or thyme to your sauce. These herbs not only add a fresh aroma but also help in cutting the strong tomato taste. Similarly, spices like garlic, paprika, or even a hint of cinnamon can enhance the overall flavor profile.

What happens if you don t add lemon juice to canned tomato sauce? ›

If the tomatoes have not been acidified prior to canning you are risking the possibility of bacterial growth, which can be fatal. If you just canned them, and they haven't been stored, you might be able to open the jars and start over, or maybe freeze them.

References

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