Locations:

Recipe: Healthy, Homemade 4-Ingredient Tomato Sauce

Fewer ingredients, more homemade flavor

4 Ingredient Tomato Sauce

Homemade tomato sauce is not only delicious (and impressive!), but it’s also naturally low in fat and calories and is an excellent dietary source of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Try adding fresh herbs to amp up the flavor and reduce sodium. You can also add fresh roasted garlic and chopped fresh onion to sweeten the sauce without adding sugar.

Ingredients

  • 28-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small white onion, peeled and cut in half
  • Kosher salt (if desired)

To serve
Shaved Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Place a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the tomatoes, butter, onion halves and a pinch of salt.
  3. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat.
  4. Crush the tomatoes lightly with the back of a spoon as they cook, stirring occasionally.
  5. Simmer very gently for 45 minutes or until droplets of fat appear on the surface of the tomatoes.
  6. Remove and discard the onion.

Serve over hot pasta with Parmesan and black pepper, if desired.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Serves 2 to 4
Serving size = 1 cup

Calories: 180
Total fat: 14 g
Saturated fat: 9 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg
Sodium: 430 mg
Total carbohydrate: 10 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic icon
Health Essentials logo
Subscription icon

Better health starts here

Sign up for our Health Essentials emails for expert guidance on nutrition, fitness, sleep, skin care and more.

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Plate of indian-inspired cauliflower
January 2, 2025/Recipes

Recipe: Spicy Indian-Inspired Cauliflower

A flavorful side dish featuring South Asian spices

A bowl of cooked mashed turnips and Granny Smith apples, with lemons, apples and turnips in background
November 21, 2024/Recipes

Recipe: Mashed Turnips With Cinnamon Apples

Try this deliciously different side dish

Vegetable massamam in a skillet with carrots, onion, chickpeas, rice and peanuts.
September 19, 2024/Recipes

Recipe: Lighter Thai Vegetable Massaman Curry

Spices and flavors that’ll have you feeling warm and satisfied

Cajun sweet potato fry wedges
May 23, 2024/Recipes

Recipe: Baked Cajun Sweet Potato Fries

Swap regular fries for these delicious, and nutritious, potato wedges

stri fry with carrots, shallots, peppers
March 7, 2024/Recipes

Recipe: Zesty Carrot, Hot Pepper and Shallot Stir-Fry

Only 86 calories per serving!

cream cheese whipped potatoes
March 5, 2024/Recipes

Recipe: Cream Cheese Whipped Potatoes

A creamy and satisfying side dish

Hot cinnamon baked acorn squash on parchment paper
February 15, 2024/Recipes

Recipe: Baked Cinnamon Acorn Squash

Subtly sweet, buttery and vitamin-packed

several twice-baked potatoes
January 25, 2024/Recipes

Recipe: Healthier Twice-Baked Potatoes

An easy side you can make ahead of time

Trending Topics

Older woman looking out window

Menopause Weight Gain: Why It Happens and What To Do About It

Hormonal changes, a slower metabolism and muscle loss can make weight gain more common around menopause — healthy habits can help you manage it

Person home sick, wiping nose with tissue, checking their temp on a thermometer

Can You Die From the Flu? What To Know About Severe Influenza

Life-threatening complications include sepsis, stroke, pneumonia and more

Person breathing out fruity-smelling breath

Why Does Your Breath Smell Fruity?

Fruity-smelling breath can happen when your body burns fat for energy, and in some cases, can signal a medical emergency

Ad