Sauce · Italian
Basic tomato sauce
Marcella Hazan's 3-ingredient miracle. Tomatoes, butter, onion, no garlic, no fuss.
A basic tomato sauce is the foundation of countless meals, from pasta to pizza to braises. Built from good tinned tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, it needs only a gentle simmer to come together. Master this and you always have dinner within reach.
Ingredients
- 800 g good tinned whole tomatoes, san marzano if you can
- 80 g butter
- 1 onion, peeled, halved
- salt
Method
- Tip tomatoes (with juice) into a wide pot. Crush by hand.
- Add butter and the onion halves cut-side down. Pinch of salt.
- Simmer uncovered, very gently, stirring occasionally.
- Fish out the onion (cook's treat). Taste, should be sweet and round, not sharp.
- Toss with pasta, dolloped on bread, stirred into anything that needs life.
Tips
- Soften the garlic gently in olive oil without browning it, since burnt garlic turns the sauce bitter.
- Simmer long enough to reduce and concentrate, which deepens the flavour and thickens the sauce.
- A pinch of sugar can balance the acidity of the tomatoes if the sauce tastes too sharp.
Common questions
Can I freeze tomato sauce?
Yes, it freezes beautifully for up to three months. Make a big batch and portion it for quick future meals.
Why is my tomato sauce bitter?
Burnt garlic or under-ripe tomatoes can cause it. Cook the garlic gently and add a small pinch of sugar to balance acidity.