This lighter take on Marcella Hazan’s iconic tomato sauce uses high-quality canned tomatoes, a halved onion, and butter for a rich, silky pasta sauce made with just 3 ingredients. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta.
In a medium pot, combine the crushed tomatoes, butter and the onion, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt over medium heat.
Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat, covered until the onions are soft, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Discard the onion (or puree it with tomatoes and add back to the sauce) before tossing the sauce with pasta. This recipe makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta.
Notes
How to Freeze Tomato Sauce This sauce freezes beautifully, so it’s worth doubling the batch to have some on hand for busy nights.
To freeze: Let the tomato sauce cool completely at room temperature. Transfer it to airtight containers, glass jars (leave space at the top for expansion), or freezer-safe zip-top bags laid flat for easy stacking. Label with the date and freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw and reheat: Overnight in the fridge: Place frozen sauce in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it. Quick method: Submerge the sealed bag in a bowl of cool water to speed up defrosting.
To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.