By Eric Kim
Updated Aug. 27, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour, largely unattended
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 55 minutes
- Rating
- 4(12)
- Notes
- Read community notes
A homage to the famous Marcella Hazan tomato sauce, this iteration has you switch the order: First, the butter is melted, so it can then bloom a heaping tablespoon or two of chile flakes to bring out their fruity heat. Any kind works, but what this recipe can teach you is how to mix and match between different chile powders to find exactly the flavor you’re craving in any given moment. Because at the end of the day, chiles have so much flavor, so much nuance, beyond just their spiciness. Use this all-purpose red sauce for pizza, pasta, sandwiches and everything in between.
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Ingredients
Yield:About 1 quart
- 5tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 to 2tablespoons red chile powder or flakes (any mix of gochugaru, togarashi, Aleppo pepper, Espelette pepper and red-pepper flakes, plus 1 teaspoon smoked paprika)
- 1(28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, crushed with your hands
- 1large red or yellow onion, quartered lengthwise and peeled
- 1(2-inch square) Parmesan rind
- Salt
- 1teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
86 calories; 7 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 241 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a large saucepan over medium, melt the butter, then add the chile powder and stir until fragrant, just a few seconds (be careful not to burn the chiles). Add the tomatoes, along with ½ cup water swished around the can to catch any clinging sauce. Stir in the onion, Parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon salt and the sugar, if using.
Step
2
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and jammy, about 45 minutes. Discard or eat the onion. Discard the rind. Taste and add more salt or sugar as needed.
Step
3
Use right away or store in a tightly sealed container. The sauce should keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator (and is even easier to cook with when cold).
Ratings
4
out of 5
12
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Kaitlin
I made this with a mix of gochugaru and red pepper flakes and it was so delicious. Do you want a slightly sweaty brow while you eat your pizza so that you can pretend you're in the south of Italy? Add the full two tablespoons of red chili. It you just want some heat on your palate, add a little less. I think this is my new go-to pizza sauce recipe. I wonder what it's like to be the DJ Kahled of NYT Cooking? Another win from Eric Kim.
Ferguson
Zippier than my usual pizza sauce. This makes a lot of pizza sauce. I usual follow Sam Sifton's pizza video and only use 3 tablespoons of sauce per pizza so I froze the extra. I used a teaspoon each of kashmiri mirch, Aleppo pepper, gochugaru, urfa biber and smoked paprika because I had them all in the cupboard leftover from other NYTimes recipes.
Isabele
Could this recipe be made using EVOO, peanut oil or grape seed oil? I’d like to cut the saturated fat.
Bob
Can this sauce be frozen?
Barbara
Nice addition to the best tomato sauce ever. So good I have to resist the temptation to just drink it or pretend it’s soup.
Kaitlin
I made this with a mix of gochugaru and red pepper flakes and it was so delicious. Do you want a slightly sweaty brow while you eat your pizza so that you can pretend you're in the south of Italy? Add the full two tablespoons of red chili. It you just want some heat on your palate, add a little less. I think this is my new go-to pizza sauce recipe. I wonder what it's like to be the DJ Kahled of NYT Cooking? Another win from Eric Kim.
Denis in Boston
This is really good and I salute you! But also, I use chorizo as a condiment these days. Just a quarter pound in the sauce makes it delightful!
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