A three-ingredient Italian tomato sauce simmered with butter and a halved onion. Sweet, rich and perfect with spaghetti or gnocchi.
About this Italian recipe
Simmering tomatoes slowly with butter and a whole halved onion is a traditional northern Italian method. The onion flavours the sauce and is removed before serving.
Ingredients you will need
The main ingredients are canned whole peeled tomatoes, butter, onion, salt, spaghetti, parmigiano reggiano. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
How long it takes
Allow 50 min in total: 5 min of preparation, 45 min of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
Inspired by Marcella Hazan
Marcella Hazan made this style of tomato sauce famous with English-speaking home cooks. This is our version of the traditional method. Read our profile of Marcella Hazan.
This is our own home-kitchen version of a classic dish. It is not Marcella Hazan’s recipe and is not endorsed by them. For the chef’s own recipes, see their official books and restaurants.
Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion
Ingredients
Method
- Put the tomatoes with their juice, the butter and the onion halves in a saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring and crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pan.
- Taste and add salt. Remove the onion.
- Toss with freshly cooked spaghetti and serve with grated Parmigiano.
