Marcella Hazan Recipes: 14 Classics From the Godmother of Italian Cooking, Starting With Her Famous 3-Ingredient Tomato Sauce

Marcella Hazan recipes taught a whole generation of Americans that real Italian home cooking is simple, patient and full of flavor. Born in 1924 in Cesenatico, a fishing town on Italy’s Adriatic coast, she trained as a scientist and only learned to cook after she married and moved to New York. Her cooking classes in a small Manhattan apartment led to The Classic Italian Cook Book in 1973 and Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking in 1992, and home cooks still call her the godmother of Italian cooking. Her tomato sauce with just tomatoes, butter and a halved onion is still pulling hundreds of thousands of views online, more than 50 years later. If you loved our Frank Sinatra Italian dinners, start here. Here are 14 Marcella Hazan recipes worth making, each with a short story, what you will need and easy steps..

Marcella Hazan Recipes Start Here: Tomato Sauce With Onion and Butter

Of all the Marcella Hazan recipes, this is the one everybody talks about. Marcella simmered a can of good tomatoes with 5 tablespoons of butter and a peeled onion cut in half, added salt and nothing else, and let it bubble gently for 45 minutes. The onion is lifted out at the end, and the butter makes the sauce silky and sweet. Food writers have called it the most famous tomato sauce on the internet. You can read more about her life on her Wikipedia page, and if you want more ideas, try our homemade pasta sauce classics..

You will need: One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, 5 tablespoons butter, 1 medium yellow onion, salt and 1 pound spaghetti or rigatoni with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to serve.

How to make it: 1. Pour the tomatoes and their juice into a heavy saucepan. 2. Add the butter, then peel the onion, cut it in half and lay both halves in the pot. 3. Simmer uncovered over low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring now and then and crushing the tomatoes with a spoon. 4. Taste, add salt, and lift out and discard the onion. 5. Toss with hot drained pasta and serve with grated cheese.

The Slow-Simmered Bolognese at the Heart of Marcella Hazan Recipes

Marcella grew up in Emilia-Romagna, the home of ragu, and her Bolognese is the version many cooks swear by. Her secret was patience and milk. The beef is cooked in milk before the tomatoes go in, which keeps it tender and gives the sauce a gentle sweetness. Her original also uses white wine; this family version swaps it for a little broth. Then it simmers for at least 3 hours, the slow way all Marcella Hazan recipes for sauce ask for. It is miles away from most jarred pasta sauce, and worth every minute.

You will need: 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup each chopped onion, celery and carrot, 3/4 pound ground beef chuck, salt, 1 cup whole milk, a pinch of nutmeg, 1/2 cup beef broth, 1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes with juice, and tagliatelle and Parmigiano to serve.

How to make it: 1. Cook the onion in the oil and butter until soft, then add the celery and carrot for 2 minutes. 2. Add the beef and a pinch of salt and cook just until it loses its raw color. 3. Pour in the milk and simmer until it has nearly evaporated, then add the nutmeg. 4. Add the broth, cook it down, then stir in the tomatoes. 5. Simmer uncovered on the lowest heat for 3 hours or more, adding a splash of water if it gets dry, and toss with tagliatelle.

Meatballs and Tomatoes, the Way Marcella Made Them

When PBS American Masters filmed Marcella cooking, she made meatballs that were never fried hard and crusty. She mixed beef with bread soaked in milk, Parmigiano and a little nutmeg, browned the meatballs lightly, then let them finish cooking in tomatoes so they stayed soft and juicy. That clip has been watched more than 450,000 times. Like most Marcella Hazan recipes, it rewards a gentle hand. Serve them the way she liked, with plenty of crusty bread for the sauce, and if your family can never get enough, we have more family meatball recipes to try.

You will need: 1 slice white bread with crust removed, 1/3 cup milk, 1 pound ground beef, 1 tablespoon chopped onion, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 egg, 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano, salt, pepper, a grating of nutmeg, flour for dusting, olive oil and one 28-ounce can tomatoes.

How to make it: 1. Soak the bread in the milk, then mash it into a paste. 2. Mix it gently with the beef, onion, parsley, egg, cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. 3. Shape 1 1/2 inch balls, dust lightly with flour and brown them in a little oil. 4. Add the tomatoes, cover partly and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, turning the meatballs now and then. 5. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Marcella Hazan Recipes Fans Adore: Roast Chicken With Two Lemons

This might be the easiest roast chicken ever written. No butter, no oil, no basting. Marcella pricked two lemons all over with a fork, pushed them inside the bird, closed it up and let the oven do the rest. The chicken puffs up and the lemons steam it from the inside, so the meat is juicy and the skin turns deep gold. It is one of the simplest Marcella Hazan recipes in her books. If you love a good bird, see how famous chefs roast chicken around the world.

You will need: 1 whole chicken (about 3 to 4 pounds), salt, black pepper, 2 small lemons and kitchen twine or toothpicks.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F, rinse and pat the chicken very dry, and season it well inside and out. 2. Roll the lemons on the counter, prick each one 20 times with a fork, and push them into the cavity. 3. Close the opening with toothpicks or twine, without sealing it airtight. 4. Roast breast side down for 30 minutes, turn it over and roast 30 to 35 minutes more. 5. Raise the heat to 400 F for the last 20 minutes, until the thigh reaches 165 F, and serve with the juices.

Minestrone, Romagna Style

In her home region, minestrone is not a quick soup. Marcella cooked the vegetables one after another in butter and oil, letting each one soften before the next went in, then simmered them for hours with broth and a piece of Parmigiano rind. The soup turns thick, deep and almost creamy. Like many Marcella Hazan recipes, it tastes even better the next day. On a cold night it is the kind of bowl that fills the whole house with a good smell, just like our cozy pasta e fagioli soup pots.

You will need: 3 tablespoons each butter and olive oil, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 potatoes, 1 zucchini, 1 cup green beans, 3 cups shredded cabbage, 6 cups broth, 1 Parmigiano rind, 2/3 cup canned tomatoes, 1 can cannellini beans, salt and grated cheese.

How to make it: 1. Cook the sliced onion in the butter and oil until golden. 2. Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, zucchini and green beans one at a time, cooking a few minutes after each. 3. Stir in the cabbage until it wilts, then add the broth, rind and tomatoes. 4. Cover and simmer at a slow bubble for at least 2 1/2 hours. 5. Add the beans for the last 15 minutes, season with salt and stir in grated cheese before serving.

Potato Gnocchi With Butter and Sage

Marcella Hazan recipes for gnocchi teach that the best ones use as little flour as possible, so they stay light and soft instead of heavy. She used baking potatoes, mashed them while hot and worked in the flour a little at a time. Then the little dumplings were rolled off a fork so the ridges could hold the sauce. In Marcella Hazan recipes, the favorite simple sauce was butter melted with fresh sage leaves and a snowfall of Parmigiano. If you are short on time, our easy gnocchi dinners start from a pack.

You will need: 2 pounds baking potatoes, about 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, 6 tablespoons butter, 12 fresh sage leaves and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

How to make it: 1. Boil the potatoes in their skins until tender, then peel them while hot and press through a ricer. 2. Add flour a little at a time, kneading lightly, just until a soft dough forms. 3. Roll into ropes, cut into 3/4 inch pieces and roll each one over a fork. 4. Cook in salted boiling water and lift out about 10 seconds after they float. 5. Toss with butter melted with the sage leaves and plenty of cheese.

Genoese Basil Pesto, Made the Old Way

Marcella loved pesto from Liguria and wrote that it is best made with a mortar and pestle, though she happily allowed a food processor for busy cooks. Her trick, found in several Marcella Hazan recipes, was to beat in soft butter and a mix of Parmigiano and pecorino at the end, by hand, so the sauce stayed creamy and bright green. A spoonful of the pasta water loosens it on the plate. It is one of those little pasta tricks that make a weeknight bowl taste like a trip to the Italian coast.

You will need: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons pine nuts, 2 garlic cloves, salt, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano, 2 tablespoons grated pecorino, 3 tablespoons soft butter and 1 pound pasta.

How to make it: 1. Blend or pound the basil, oil, pine nuts, garlic and a pinch of salt into a smooth paste. 2. Move it to a bowl and stir in both cheeses by hand. 3. Beat in the soft butter. 4. Cook the pasta and save a cup of the cooking water. 5. Toss the pasta with the pesto and a spoonful or two of the water until creamy.

Marcella Hazan Recipes for Cozy Nights: Saffron Risotto, Milanese Style

Marcella insisted that risotto is not a dish you leave alone. The rice is toasted in butter, then hot broth goes in a ladle at a time while you stir, so the starch turns into a creamy sauce all on its own. Her golden Milanese version is colored with saffron and finished with butter and Parmigiano, and in Milan it is the classic side for ossobuco. Every grain should still have a little bite. For more ideas, browse our creamy risotto recipes.

You will need: 5 cups hot chicken or beef broth, 2 tablespoons chopped onion, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 1/2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice, a large pinch of saffron threads, salt and 2/3 cup grated Parmigiano.

How to make it: 1. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer and soak the saffron in a few spoonfuls of it. 2. Cook the onion in half the butter until soft, then stir in the rice for a minute. 3. Add a ladle of broth and stir until it is absorbed, then keep adding broth one ladle at a time. 4. After about 15 minutes stir in the saffron liquid and keep going until the rice is creamy but firm, about 20 to 25 minutes total. 5. Off the heat, beat in the rest of the butter and the cheese, season and serve right away.

Pasta With Broccoli and Garlic

Marcella believed vegetables could be the star of a pasta night, not just a side. For this one she cooked broccoli until truly tender, then let it melt into olive oil that had been gently flavored with garlic and a little hot pepper. Mashing some of the florets with a spoon turns them into a green, rustic sauce that clings to short pasta. A shower of grated cheese finishes it, a typical touch in Marcella Hazan recipes. It is cheap, quick and full of flavor, a cousin of our buttery 20-minute garlic noodles.

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, salt, 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 pound orecchiette or penne and grated Parmigiano or pecorino.

How to make it: 1. Cut the broccoli into small florets and peel and slice the stems. 2. Boil it in well salted water until very tender, then lift it out and keep the water for the pasta. 3. Warm the oil with the garlic and pepper flakes until the garlic is pale gold. 4. Add the broccoli and cook a few minutes, mashing some of it with a spoon. 5. Cook the pasta in the broccoli water, toss it in the pan with a splash of the water and top with cheese.

Baked Fennel With Parmesan

Many American cooks first met fennel in Marcella’s books. She loved how its gentle anise taste turns sweet and mellow when it is cooked. In this side dish, wedges of fennel are boiled until tender, laid in a buttered dish, dotted with butter and blanketed with Parmigiano, then baked until the top is golden and bubbly. Among Marcella Hazan recipes for vegetables, it is a favorite. It goes with roast chicken, pork or fish and makes a nice change from potatoes. Add it to your list of roasted vegetable side dishes this winter.

You will need: 3 large fennel bulbs, salt, 3 tablespoons butter and 2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and butter a baking dish. 2. Trim the fennel, then cut each bulb into wedges through the core so they hold together. 3. Boil the wedges in salted water until just tender, about 10 to 12 minutes, and drain well. 4. Arrange them in the dish, dot with the rest of the butter and cover with the cheese. 5. Bake about 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Chicken Cacciatora, Marcella’s Way

Cacciatora means hunter’s style, and the version in Marcella Hazan recipes is a simple, rustic braise. Chicken pieces are browned in oil, then simmered slowly with onion, garlic, a little rosemary and tomatoes until the meat almost falls from the bone. Many cooks add wine, but a splash of broth works perfectly well and keeps this a dish the whole family can enjoy. Serve it with bread, polenta or plain rice to catch the sauce. It sits happily beside our juicy chicken thigh dinners.

You will need: 3 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, 1 sliced onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 sprig rosemary, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes and 1 sliced bell pepper (optional).

How to make it: 1. Pat the chicken dry, season it and brown it well in the oil, then set it aside. 2. Cook the onion in the same pan until soft, then add the garlic and rosemary. 3. Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits. 4. Add the tomatoes and pepper, return the chicken and cover the pan partly. 5. Simmer gently about 40 minutes, turning the pieces, until tender and the sauce is thick.

Marcella Hazan Recipes for Sunday: Milanese Ossobuco

Ossobuco means bone with a hole, and the marrow inside the veal shank is part of the treat. In Marcella’s books the shanks are dusted with flour, browned and slowly braised with vegetables, broth and tomatoes for about 2 hours, until the meat is spoon-tender. A sprinkle of gremolata, lemon zest with garlic and parsley, wakes it all up at the end. Wine is traditional, but extra broth does the job here. Fans of fall-off-the-bone oxtail will love it.

You will need: 4 veal shanks about 1 1/2 inches thick, flour, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup each chopped onion, carrot and celery, 1 garlic clove, 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 1 cup canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, and lemon zest, garlic and parsley for the gremolata.

How to make it: 1. Tie each shank around its middle with twine, dust with flour and brown it in the oil. 2. In a large pot cook the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the butter until soft. 3. Set the shanks on the vegetables, add the broth and tomatoes, and season. 4. Cover and braise on low heat about 2 hours, turning now and then, until very tender. 5. Mix the lemon zest, minced garlic and parsley and scatter it over the shanks just before serving.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Marcella included carbonara in her classic books long before it became a restaurant favorite in America. She warned against cream and against scrambling the eggs. Instead, crisp pancetta is tossed with hot spaghetti and a mix of beaten eggs and cheese off the heat, so the eggs turn into a glossy sauce. Plenty of black pepper finishes it, as Marcella Hazan recipes always insist. It takes about 20 minutes and uses things most kitchens already have. If you love pasta comfort, our Italian baked pasta classics are next.

You will need: 1 pound spaghetti, 1/4 pound pancetta or thick bacon cut in strips, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 garlic clove, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano, 2 tablespoons grated pecorino, black pepper and salt.

How to make it: 1. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water. 2. Meanwhile brown the pancetta in the oil with the garlic clove, then remove the garlic. 3. Beat the eggs with both cheeses and lots of black pepper in a warm serving bowl. 4. Drain the pasta, toss it at once with the egg mixture, then add the pancetta and its fat. 5. Toss quickly until creamy, adding a spoonful of pasta water if needed, and serve right away.

Torta di Riso, the Bolognese Rice Cake

For dessert, Marcella Hazan recipes turn to a sweet from her home region. Torta di riso is a rice cake from Bologna, made by cooking rice slowly in milk with sugar and lemon zest, then baking it with eggs and almonds until it sets into a golden, custardy slice. It is traditionally made for spring festivals, but it is lovely at any holiday table and keeps well for days. Serve it cool, cut into small squares. For more sweets from Italy, see our Italian desserts beyond tiramisu.

You will need: 4 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup Arborio rice, 3/4 cup sugar, zest of 1 lemon, a pinch of salt, 1 cup blanched almonds lightly toasted and chopped, 4 eggs, butter and fine breadcrumbs for the pan.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the milk, rice, half the sugar, the lemon zest and salt very gently for about 1 hour, stirring often, until thick, then cool. 2. Heat the oven to 350 F and butter and crumb a 9-inch pan. 3. Beat the eggs with the rest of the sugar and stir them into the rice with the almonds. 4. Pour into the pan and bake about 45 to 50 minutes, until golden and set. 5. Cool completely, then cut into small squares.