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Simple marinara sauce recipe made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a few other ingredients. This homemade tomato sauce is flavorful, delicious, and super easy to make. Let me show you how to make the best marinara sauce from scratch.
Homemade marinara sauce from scratch is easy and inexpensive to make. You only need tomatoes and few herbs and spices to make this mouth-watering, aromatic, full of flavors tomato sauce.
I bet you will love this Italian marinara sauce that is quick to whip up and can be stored for later use for stews, as dips, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce and much more.
Guess what? You only need 6 ingredients to make this classic marina sauce with the option of adding a few more herbs if desired or you can use Italian seasoning mix.
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What is Marinara Sauce?
Marinara sauce is a rich tomato sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs. It is commonly used in Italian dishes, spaghetti and other pasta. I use this sauce as a base in my homemade spaghetti sauce, the blend of tomatoes and herbs simmered slowly gives it a rich delicious taste.
I use canned whole peeled tomatoes but you can substitute for fresh peeled whole tomatoes, crushed or chopped tomatoes.
Marinara Sauce Recipe
This marinara sauce recipe I will be sharing with you is one I have been using for years and has become a family favorite. My homemade marina sauce uses ripe tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, and herbs simmered enough to bring all the flavors together. It is the best marinara sauce if I do say so myself and here are some reasons why you should be making it:
- It is rich, packed full of Italian flavors, and tastes amazing.
- This sauce is versatile and can be used as a pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, dip, and more.
- It's cheaper to make than buying and you can make as much as you want in the comfort of your home.
- This easy marinara sauce tastes better than store-bought and does not contain sugar or preservatives.
- It stores well so you can make it ahead and store it for later use.
Marinara Sauce Ingredients
Whole Tomatoes- I use canned tomatoes but you can also use peeled fresh tomatoes.
Onions - I use brown onion but you can use any other type. I like to chop the onions finely so it's not that obvious in the sauce.
Garlic- This adds a lovely garlicky taste and aroma.
Fresh Basil- You can use dried basil.
Dried Oregano
Salt
Pepper- Red crushed pepper or black pepper. Adjust quantity to suit how spicy you want the marinara.
Olive oil- You can use vegetable or sunflower oil or even butter.
Parsley - This is optional.
How to Make Marinara Sauce
Here is how to make the best marinara sauce:
Place a pot on heat, add the olive oil then add the chopped onions and garlic. Sautee the onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes or till it is translucent.
Add the tomatoes and other ingredients then cover the pot and simmer for 25 - 30minutes.
After it has simmered for 30 minutes, open the lid, stir the sauce, crush the tomatoes with the cooking spoon and taste. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
Serve with spaghetti or pasta of your choice or leave to cool completely and store for later use.
Variations
With this recipe, you can play around and adjust the herbs and pepper as needed. If you like a kick to your meal, add extra crushed pepper to add some spiciness.
Marinara sauce with meatballs: Add meatballs to the sauce and let it simmer. The meatballs will absorb the flavor of the herbs and other ingredients.
Marinara sauce with Mushroom: Sautee the mushrooms with the onions and garlic and simmer with other ingredients.
How to Use Marinara Sauce
What to use marinara sauce for? This rich tomato sauce is versatile and can be used as a dipping sauce, as pizza sauce, in sandwiches and burgers and in recipes such as
How to Store
This sauce stores well and can be made ahead. You can make an extra batch and keep in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for later. To store leftovers, put in an airtight container or freezer bags then label, and store.
Fridge– Store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezer– Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat– Put in the fridge overnight to defrost and heat up on the stove or microwave when ready to eat. It can also be heated in the microwave from frozen (if stored in a microwave-safe container).
Tips
- You can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes.
- Use good quality tomatoes as this determines the outcome of your sauce. I like to use Italian peeled plum tomatoes and my sister who lives in the US recommends San Marzano tomatoes for a plush red look.
- You can make it less spicy or spicier by adjusting the pepper to suit your preference.
- If you want the marinara sauce smoother than how it is, use an immersion blender to puree after it's cooked.
- You can add other herbs such as thyme, rosemary, marjoram or sage.
- If you find it too thick you can add a little water to loosen up the texture.
- It is important to simmer as simmering the sauce allows all the herbs to be infused into the sauce and makes it flavorful and delicious.
- This recipe does not use sugar, the ingredients are balanced and does not need sugar.
FAQ
Can I use this sauce for Pizza?
Yes, you can! This sauce is versatile and can be used as pizza sauce. Just simmer it enough to thicken or add tomato paste to thicken it up then use.
What is the difference between Marinara sauce and Spaghetti sauce?
Marinara sauce is a basic tomato sauce that contains tomatoes and few herbs while spaghetti sauce contains meat and more ingredients.
Do I need to Simmer Marinara Sauce?
Yes, you need to simmer the marina sauce to enable the herbs to be infused into the sauce and also to thicken it up.
Can I add meat to it?
Yes! You can add meatballs, mushrooms, or any other meat product to the sauce based on your preference. I like to pair mine with meatballs.
More Italian Recipes on the blog
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Simple Marinara Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 28 oz (800g) Whole peeled Tomatoes canned
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon Black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1.5 tablespoon Olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Fresh basil to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Place a pot on heat, add the olive oil then add the chopped onions and garlic. Sautee the onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes or till it is translucent.
- Add the tomatoes and other ingredients then cover the pot and simmer for 25 - 30minutes.
- After it has simmered for 30 minutes, open the lid, stir, crush the tomatoes with the cooking spoon the sauce and taste. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve with spaghetti or pasta of your choice or leave to cool completely and store for later use.
Video
Recipe Notes
- You can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes.
- Use good quality tomatoes as this determines the outcome of your sauce. I like to use Italian peeled plum tomatoes and my sister who lives in the US recommends San Marzano tomatoes for a plush red look.
- You can make it less spicy or spicier by adjusting the pepper to suit your preference.
- If you want the marinara sauce smoother than how it is, use an immersion blender to puree after it's cooked.
- You can add other herbs such as thyme, parsley, rosemary, marjoram or sage.
- If you find it too thick you can add a little water to loosen up the texture.
- It is important to simmer as simmering the sauce allows all the herbs to be infused into the sauce and makes it flavorful and delicious.
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