632 shares This post may contain affiliate links.Read my disclosure policy.This is the best tomato sauce, in my humble opinion! Inspired by Marcella Hazan’s iconic recipe, this lighter version uses high-quality canned tomatoes, just a touch of butter, and a halved onion to create a rich, silky pasta sauce with only three ingredients (plus salt).

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter There’s a reason Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce went viral long before viral recipes were even a thing.With just tomatoes, an onion, and butter, it transforms into a velvety, rich sauce that clings perfectly to pasta.No garlic, no olive oil, no sugar—just three ingredients (plus salt) that somehow become magic.

I love it, but I usually make a slightly lighter version with high-quality canned tomatoes and less butter.It still has that sweet, buttery depth, but it’s a little lighter—and ready in less time.Why This Recipe WorksMarcella Hazan’s tomato sauce is legendary.

In her first edition of The Classic Italian Cookbook (1973), she called for two pounds of fresh tomatoes, one stick of butter, and one onion.I love that recipe, but through the years, I’ve been testing it with less butter, so it’s a little lighter for weeknights without losing that rich, buttery depth of flavor.I’ve found that two tablespoons of butter still work great.

Minimal ingredients, maximum flavor: Three ingred

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