Why buy marinara sauce when you can use this homemade marinara sauce recipe to make the most delicious pasta sauce from the comfort of your kitchen?
I always find that homemade sauces pack the best punch of flavors when made from scratch. Since this marinara sauce can be used in so many different Italian recipes, it’s a no-brainer to make a batch whenever a recipe calls for it without needing to make a trip to the store. Making your own red sauce will also save you money in the long run!
This hearty marinara sauce is made with just a handful of ingredients, dried herbs and, of course, a variety of tomatoes. Make a batch to store in the refrigerator and use it for your pizzas, pastas, casseroles and so much more!
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What is Marinara Sauce?
Marinara Sauce is a tomato based sauce used in Italian-American cuisine and includes ingredients such as tomatoes, garlic, onions and herbs. It can also be modified to include additional ingredients such as capers, wine, spices and olives too! Marinara sauce is extremely versatile!
This easy marinara sauce recipe uses basic pantry ingredients, making it a quick and simple sauce that comes together in little time. Of course, you can swap in any fresh ingredients that you’d like for an equally delicious marinara sauce.
Add a variety of fresh herbs (mmmm, fresh basil!!) or whole tomatoes from the vine to customize your homemade sauce straight from the garden.
Saute some fresh onions along with the garlic or add red pepper or ground sausage or beef. The options are endless.
Roast a head of garlic cloves or add a great dry red wine for a more robust depth of flavor.
What Dishes Can I Make With This Marinara Recipe?
Marinara sauce can be used in almost any dish that requires a tomato base or is Italian-inspired. This includes, but isn’t limited to:
- Pizza Sauce;
- with your favorite Pasta;
- Casseroles like Baked Ziti or Chicken Parmesan;
- Creamy tomato soup;
- Meatballs in marinara;
- As a dip for mozzarella sticks or fried calamari
- Minestrone; or
- Fish dishes
More Italian-Inspired Dishes You May Like
- Basil Pesto Recipe
- Pizza Dough Garlic Bread Knots
- Grilled Pizza
- Penne Pasta with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 12 oz. can tomato paste
- 29 oz. can tomato sauce
- 2 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Fresh basil, oregano, and/or parsley for garnish
- Parmesan cheese for garnish
How to Make this Sauce:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and saute fresh garlic over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add all remaining ingredients except for the bit of sugar and garnish: basil, oregano, red pepper, onion flakes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes.
- Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook 30 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and add granulated or brown sugar to taste (the sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes).
- Serve over any type of pasta or add it to any of your favorite Italian dishes.
How Should I Store This Easy Marinara Sauce?
You can either store your Marinara Sauce in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
- For Refrigerator: Allow the sauce to completely cool before storing it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for 4-5 days.
- For Freezer: Once completely cool, transfer your homemade marinara sauce into a freezer-safe container or bag and store it for up to 4 months. I suggest that you store your sauce in smaller serving portions if you’ve made a large batch. This will be much more convenient to pull out the right quantity than having to thaw excess. Two-cup portions are usually my go-to amount.
How Can I Reheat my Sauce?
If chilled from the refrigerator, simply transfer to a pot on the stovetop and heat on low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly. You could even heat in the microwave – just use a microwave-safe cover over the sauce so it doesn’t splatter.
To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight and then heat as directed above. If you’re in a rush, you can thaw the frozen sauce in a bowl of cold water or as a last resort, defrost it in the microwave.
Tips For Making The Best Marinara Sauce
- If you are using fresh tomatoes, you can either opt to keep the skins on or remove them prior to adding them to the other ingredients. The skin left on may come across in the overall texture of the sauce which is not bad at all but if you prefer a smoother sauce then I suggest removing the skins. The skins are already removed if you use canned or crushed tomatoes.
- Select quality, organic tomatoes for your marinara sauce to enhance the flavors. Make sure that you also wash your tomatoes well if you choose to keep their skins on.
- Marinara sauce is flavorful but not spicy hot. If you enjoy hotter sauces, then add in some cayenne pepper or additional red pepper flakes to your marinara sauce and taste to test.
- A good option for tomatoes is San Marzano tomatoes which are really flavorful and have a lovely sweetness to them compared to the more acidic Roma tomatoes (although those could work too, especially considering that I’ve used sugar in this recipe to cut some of the acidity down!)
Best Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 12 oz. can tomato paste
- 29 oz. can tomato sauce
- 2-15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Fresh basil oregano, and/or parsley for garnish
- Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add all remaining ingredients except for the sugar and garnish: basil, oregano, red pepper, onion flakes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes.
- Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook 30 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and add granulated sugar to taste (the sugar cuts the acidity in the tomato sauce).
- Serve over pasta or …
Nutrition
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