My Mother's Butter, Tomato, and Onion Sauce

Name: My Mother's Butter, Tomato, and Onion Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, or 3 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes with their juice; 1 whole medium sweet yellow onion; 5 tablespoons butter; 1¼ teaspoons salt

A rich and classic Italian tomato sauce made with just four simple ingredients: ripe tomatoes, sweet onion, butter, and salt. The slow simmering process creates a velvety smooth sauce perfect for pasta.

4 servings

55 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•2 pounds ripe tomatoes, or 3 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes with their juice
•1 whole medium sweet yellow onion
•5 tablespoons butter
•1¼ teaspoons salt

Cooking Instructions

1.
If using fresh tomatoes, peel them. Coarsely chop the fresh or canned tomatoes. Trim both ends of the onion; peel it and cut it in half lengthwise.
10 min
2.
Put the tomatoes, onion, butter, and salt in a 4- to 5-quart saucepan over medium heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to a slow but steady simmer. Cook, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are no longer watery and the sauce has reduced, about 45 minutes, depending on the size and shape of the pot. The sauce is done when the butter has separated from the tomatoes and there is no remaining liquid.
45 min