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The 3-ingredient Sauce

can of san Marzano tomatoes, onion, stick of butter, le crest pan with lid on counter

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5 from 2 reviews

Once again, the three-ingredient sauce is making a come back. I think the first time I made this was about 10 years ago. While we are all quarantined, it seems like a good time to revisit this simple recipe.

Ingredients

Scale
  • one 28 ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes (whole, diced, crushed) whatever you have in your pantry
  • one onion, peeled and cut in half
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • one pound pasta (again…whatever you have on hand, short, long…)

 

Instructions

  1. In a medium heavy saucepan like a Le Creuset, empty the tomato can into the pot.
  2. Add the onion and the butter.
  3. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then lower the heat and let it simmer for a good 45 minutes.
  4. If you are using whole canned tomtoes, using a wooden spoon, crush them against the side of the pan to break them up. This is why I like to use diced tomatoes.
  5. After 45 minutes, remove from the heat and discard the onion. Add salt as needed.
  6. Prepare the pasta and serve on top or add the pasta to the sauce and combine.

Notes

This recipe is so simple that you may never open a jar of a sauce again. It’s the butter and the onion that makes this simple sauce velvety and delicious. There are no spices, no red pepper flakes, no glug of red wine or garlic to chop…it’s just tomatoes, onion and butter…how can that be? If you haven’t tried it…go…try it!