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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.

Wooden spoon in a Dutch oven of homemade tomato sauce.

I’ve got a confession: there’s a whole shelf in my pantry reserved for my favorite jarred tomato sauce — perfect for those hectic nights. But when tomatoes are in season and I’ve got some time on my hands, there’s nothing like making tomato sauce from scratch. It’s so delicious and makes me wonder how I can ever settle for that run-of-the-mill jarred stuff! My go-to recipe is based on cookbook author 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 in a time crunch, feel free to use canned whole peeled tomatoes (select the San Marzano variety for the best results). Just steer clear of canned diced tomatoes; they’ve got a chemical in them that prevents them from fully breaking down.

What you’ll need to make Homemade tomato sauce

tomato sauce ingredients

Step-By-Step Instructions

Begin by scoring the tomatoes with an X on one end. Don’t cut too deep – about 1/4 inch is good.

scoring 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.

boiling the tomatoes

Plunge the tomatoes into an ice-cold water bath to stop the cooking process.

tomatoes in water bath

Transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board and peel the skins off.

peeling the skins off of the tomatoes Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch chunks.

cutting the tomatoes

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.

tomato sauce ingredients in Dutch oven

Bring to a gentle boil.

boiling tomato sauce

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours, until the sauce is no longer watery.

tomato sauce after simmering

Remove the onion and discard. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to smash any large chunks of tomatoes or garlic to make a slightly chunky and thick sauce.

smooth tomato sauce

Before serving, stir in the basil.

adding the basil to the tomato sauce

The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days, or can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Wooden spoon in a Dutch oven of tomato sauce.

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Homemade Tomato Sauce

Based on Marcella Hazan’s famous recipe, this simple and rich homemade tomato sauce is a summer essential.

Servings: About 1 quart (enough for 1½ pounds of pasta)

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds plum tomatoes (or two 28-ounce 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

  1. 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-inch 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-inch chunks (discard the cores at this point) and transfer them, along with all of their juices, into a Dutch oven or saucepan.
  2. 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.
  3. Make-Ahead Instructions: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 1/2 cup
  • Calories: 256
  • Fat: 21 g
  • Saturated fat: 9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17 g
  • Sugar: 10 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Sodium: 503 mg
  • Cholesterol: 31 mg

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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Comments

  • Hi, I have to say it is the best tomato sauce recipe I have ever made. Absolutely delicious! Thank you. I love cooking and I tried lots of different recipes before, however none of them was like this one. Lots of tomatoes around now in our Summer, I know how am I going to cook them from now on!
    Gosia
    Australia

    • — Gosia on January 27, 2024
    • Reply
    • This was fantastic. I raised an eyebrow at the amount of butter, but it was delicious. (I used home-grown beefsteak tomatoes so that might have helped!)
      In case anyone’s wondering if they really need to skin the tomatoes first, I didn’t and it tasted fine.
      Carol
      Australia

      • — Carol Norton-Smith on February 14, 2024
      • Reply
  • Hi
    Can you use a food mill to remove the skin and seeds to save time?

    • — Maureen Mackinnon on January 23, 2024
    • Reply
    • Sure 😊

      • — Jenn on January 23, 2024
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,

    Are plum tomatoes Roma tomatoes? If not, would you recommend Roma tomatoes over Campari tomatoes? Thank you and can’t wait to try this recipe!

    • — Oleda on January 13, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Oleda, they are slightly different varieties, but it’s fine to use plum tomatoes. Hope you enjoy the sauce!

      • — Jenn on January 15, 2024
      • Reply

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