Marcella Hazan’s Three Ingredient Tomato Sauce
This 3-ingredient tomato sauce is probably the recipe most people associate with Marcella Hazan. It uses canned tomatoes, butter, and onion, and requires very little active cooking time.
I first made it because I was curious whether a sauce with so few ingredients could really be as good as people claimed. After making it, I understood why it has become one of the most talked-about recipes in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.
The ingredients are easy to keep on hand, and once everything is in the pot, the sauce mostly takes care of itself.
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About This Recipe
One thing I appreciate about this recipe is how practical it is.
The ingredients are inexpensive, there’s very little prep work, and the sauce can simmer while you work on other things. It also keeps well in the refrigerator, making it useful for leftovers or meal prep.
Marcella’s method is unusual if you’re used to building tomato sauce with garlic, herbs, or multiple seasonings. Here, the ingredient list stays remarkably short.
The result is a tomato sauce that works with almost any pasta shape and can easily be used anywhere you would normally reach for a basic tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- Can of whole, peeled tomatoes
- Onion
- Butter
- Salt, to taste
- Pasta
- Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on at the end
Ingredient Notes
1. Canned tomatoes
I prefer using Mutti whole peeled tomatoes. They are easy to find and have a gentle sweetness, characteristic of San Marzano tomatoes.
2. Breaking up the tomatoes
The tomatoes come whole. You can break them up with a wooden spoon, but using your hands is the easiest and quickest method.
3. Onion
The onion is left in halves or large pieces and removed at the end. It flavors the sauce without becoming part of the sauce.
The Recipe
Marcella Hazan’s Three Ingredient Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 can canned peeled tomatoes
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion
Instructions
- Peel and cut the onion in half lengthwise.
- Add canned tomatoes to the saucepan, mashing lightly with your hand or wooden spoon.
- Add the onion, butter, and a pinch of salt.
- Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, at a very slow steady simmer, approximately 45 minutes.
- Taste and add salt, as needed.
- Discard the onion before adding the pasta and serving.
Notes
Cooking Tip: Let the Sauce Shimmer
After bringing the ingredients to a boil, keep the sauce at a low simmer for about 45 minutes. The surface should look slightly glossy, with the butter separating and rising to the top.
Once it reaches that point, remove it from the heat and toss with cooked pasta.
Serve With
- Spaghetti
- Rigatoni
- Penne
- Simple green salad
- Garlic bread or crusty bread
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Wine Pairing: Chianti Classico
Chianti Classico is my favorite pairing with this sauce.
The butter gives the tomatoes a softer flavor, and Chianti has enough acidity to work with the sauce without feeling too heavy.
Since the recipe itself is so straightforward, I wouldn’t overthink the wine. A good Chianti Classico is an easy choice here.
Serve slightly cool rather than at room temperature.
If you’d like to explore more Chianti styles and pairing ideas, you can find the full guide below.
This was one of the first Marcella Hazan recipes I cooked, and it’s one I still make regularly.
The ingredients are easy to keep on hand, the cooking is mostly unattended, and the leftovers are just as useful the next day.
For me, that’s what makes this recipe stand out more than the short ingredient list. It fits easily into everyday cooking.
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Next up in Cooking the Classics: Basic Homemade Beef Broth from Marcella Hazan
About Stephanie
I’m cooking through classic cookbooks one recipe at a time, sharing tested recipes, wine pairings, and what I learn along the way. Each post includes notes from my own kitchen, along with practical wine recommendations designed to make choosing a bottle a little easier.
