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.
Add a Comment
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How would I have to alter the recipe if I’m using European butter?
Hi Shu, it should be fine with no modifications. Enjoy!
I used it in spaghetti, and not gonna lie, it was the best spaghetti bolognese I’ve ever made.
Can you add the basil prior to freezing?
It’s not the end of the world if you do, but I’d suggest waiting until you reheat and are ready to serve it.
Out of curiosity, why does frozen tomato sauce have a suggested “use by” date of three months? Would it be a little longer if I vacuum pack and freeze my sauce? I have about 10 pounds of fresh tomatoes from the garden spread all over my counters! Love your direct, succinct answers.
Hi Barbara, I think use by dates often mean that’s when a product is at its best. How nice that you already have so many fresh tomatoes from your garden! Unfortunately, I don’t know much about vacuum packing so I can’t say whether or not it would last longer that way — I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Best sauce that I have had and even better the second day!
Can frozen garden san marzanos or romas leftover from summer be used to make this in winter?
Sure, Kristen, that should work. Enjoy!
Mine smells good but looks terrifying. It actually looks like vomit instead of tomato sauce and I’m not exaggerating. But great recipe overall, I guess cooking isn’t my strong suit.
Jenn, first of all, I want to say I love your site! I use your recipes all the time.
With regard to this recipe, I wanted to make a suggestion on a technique that may (or may not) simplify it a bit. My family comes from Greece and they have many traditional recipes that include fresh tomato sauce. When saucing fresh tomatoes, rather that blanching them, ice bathing them and then peeling them, they simply halve them and use a cheese grater to remove the pulp from the skin. At this point, you can easily core them, remove the seeds, etc. before grating them. Running a fresh tomato half over a cheese grater leaves you with a smooth sauce and a clean skin that can then be discarded. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on this technique.
Thanks and keep the great recipes coming!
Hi Nathaniel, Thanks for your nice words about the website – so glad you like it! I’ve never heard of that technique; sounds very different! Will let you know if I give it a try – thanks for sharing. 😊
I saw this in one recipe. (NYTimes)… it seems like more work to me, but also your note let me realize that you are not grating the peel into the tomatoes. This makes more sense now.
I made this for the first time today using canned whole tomatoes. After 2 hours on a low simmer, I put my stick blender in the cooking pot and blended everything, including the onions, until it was completely smooth. It is easy and delicious. No more buying jars of marinara sauce for me!
I forgot to give it 5 stars!
My husband said best sauce he’s ever tasted. I agree.
Hi Jenn,
We love all your recipes. Would this sauce work in your classic lasagna recipe? Thanks!
So glad you like the recipes! Technically using this sauce would work, but because of the no-boil noodles in the lasagna, the amount of sauce is really important and I’m not sure how the amounts of the two sauces compare so, to be safe, I wouldn’t recommend it. Sorry!
Best recipe! No more store bought stuff for me. I used my own home grown tomatoes, onions and garlic. It was amazing!
This is the best sauce ever!! I made it at the end of tomato season with random garden tomatoes. I had to simmer it at least an hour longer and pureed the onions instead of taking them out. I just took a portion out of the freezer today, simmered with Italian meatballs (Unpeeled recipe) , and served it over bucatini. Very Rich! Such a nice change from traditional spaghetti sauce! Thanks again Jenn!
I made this yesterday with canned crushed tomatoes. It is wonderful!
Could you can this sauce? If not, what would I have to add, if I wanted to do so?
Thanks, Cathy
Hi Cathy, I didn’t develop this recipe for canning so I can’t say for sure that it would be safe. Sorry!