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’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. 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.
“I am first generation Italian. My mom was a fabulous cook…This was outstanding.”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: 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.
Step 2: Blanch the tomatoes. 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. 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.
Step 3: Shock the tomatoes (ice bath). Plunge the tomatoes into an ice-cold water bath to stop the cooking process.
Step 4: 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.
Step 5: 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.
Step 5: Simmer the sauce low and slow. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1½ to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and is no longer watery.
Step 6: 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. The sauce will keep in the fridge for about 4 days, or you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Video Tutorial
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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
- 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-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 (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-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.
- 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.
Notes
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.
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This is a clone of the recipe we make, only adding a little oregano and switching tomatoes to canned crushed.
Each year my husband & I cook this sauce and can it in pint jars for future use. We’ve always have 2 pots of sauce cooking at the same time.
After about 3 days of cooking/canning, we have about 100 pint jars of sauce.
Don’t feel like cooking? Grab a jar of sauce & a few home made meatballs from the freezer, and
Dinner is served!
I can only make the guess that your pantry shelf might be dedicated to Rao’s marinara. It’s definitely a favorite here.
Would this sauce be good with meatballs?
Sure!
Hi there, Do I chop the tomatoes and add the juice from the cans if using San Marzano tomatoes?
Yes to both. 😊
Enjoy!
Great recipe. Could you double and cook in slow cooker?
Hi Ann Marie, I don’t have a slow cooker, so I haven’t tried it myself, but I think it would work. You’d need to occasionally lift the top and mash the tomatoes while they’re cooking. Please report back if you try it!
Haven’t made this but will. I boil my tomatoes only 30 seconds and the skins come off easily. I always remove the seeds and use them along with the skins, boil, puree and strain them. Use Early Girls. Makes a delicious tomato juice and you can add whatever flavor you want. I freeze lots of tomatoes in the summer and also make my American Spaghetti sauce (has ground beef and mushrooms) and freeze it. Since I have no stove for 3 months, I cooked my pasta and added it to the sauce and froze it. Can microwave it to heat it up and it is delicious. I use lots of your recipes and they are always so good. Everyone always likes your Sausage and Pasta Bake. I always add a little more pasta water to it so it won’t be dry. Will save your sauce recipe.
Looks delicous
Hi Jennifer,
I am avoiding all refined sugar – even small amounts. Can you provide a substitute that might have the same effect as sugar? Thank you!
You can just omit the sugar. The sauce will still be delicious.
I skip the sugar by adding a pinch of baking soda. This changes the pH to counter the tomato acidity, giving it a sweet taste. Do this at the end, if you feel the flavors need it.
My Italian mother would add a splash of dry vermouth to her sauce
I know I will love this recipe as I love so many of your recipes Jenn. But just double checking…remove all the onion?
Thanks for your kind words, Kate! Yes, you do remove the onion. It’s in there for flavoring while the sauce simmers. That said, if you’d prefer to keep it in there, that’s fine. Enjoy!