It’s been said from sources such as New York Times Cooking and Food52, that this recipe might be Marcella’s most famous and one of her easiest. First I began to receive email recipes for this tomato sauce which were basically the same as Marcella’s. Then I recently bought a new cookbook, Six Seasons of Pasta by Joshua McFadden (2024) and he had a recipe with kale in it – totally different from Marcella’s but the same basic principle of adding butter to the sauce. I never eat or use kale so this is a version I will never make. More recently a favorite pasta brand, Sflogni, sent me a recipe using a special holiday pasta, Calabrian Chili Cascatelli. I will post this recipe later…
Next, I pulled out Marcella’s cookbook Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking published in 2020 to compare. I have the thirty-fifth printing and the original was published in 1973. Changes may have been made as one viewer comments there were originally 8 tbsp. of butter! You might say this cookbook is very popular and well respected in the food community!
I was first drawn to adding butter to pesto which made a creamy sauce that was delicious. So, I knew butter would work well with a tomato sauce – sure enough it did! It’s apparent that many chefs use this brilliant idea in their own pasta creations.
Benefits of Adding Butter to Pasta Sauce:
Mellows acidity, creates a velvety texture, enhances cling and mouthfeel, improves flavor.
Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Butter
Recipe by Marcella Hazan, Adapted by Judi Graber
- 2 lbs. fresh, ripe tomatoes or 2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, cut up with their juices (I used a 28 oz. can of tomatoes which is closer to 3 cups)
- 5 tbsp. butter (I used unsalted because that is all I had but adjusted salt)
- 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half (I used a white onion – Vidalia is sweeter)
- Salt
- 1 to 1-1/2 lbs. pasta, 1 lb. is plenty and 12 oz. would have been better with the rigatoni I used ( see comment)
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated for the table
Comment: Rigatoni is a great choice as the sauce coats all the ridges and inside the pasta as well. There are different sizes of this pasta and all would work well. The size I used could almost be stuffed as they were on the larger size. Marcella recommends using spaghetti, penne or rigatoni.
Add the tomatoes (while cutting them up and mashing perhaps), butter, onion and salt to taste in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook on medium low for about 45 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally
Cook your pasta according to package directions. I always save some pasta water and also add some water to clean out the can.
Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com
Hazan’s books are indeed a culinary treasure. I’ve tried this recipe a couple of times, and agree that the butter adds wonderful flavor and texture to the sauce. Now I’m eager to make it again! 🙂
Funny, first it was butter in pesto which I loved and now in tomato sauce. Brillian – who cares about the extra calories and fat 🙂
Judi, this tomato-butter sauce looks wonderful – rich, comforting, and such a timeless classic.
Timeless classic is right Ben – I mean I own the 35th printing. Loved my many 🙂
Judi, thanks for sharing this. I am making chicken parmesan tonight and I am going to add butter to the tomato sauce – thanks so much for the inspiration!
You’re welcome Shashi! Excellent idea to add it to your chicken parmesan – a favorite 🙂
butter makes everything better!
sherry
You betcha Sherry 🙂