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    Home » Recipes » Sauces & Preparations

    Published: Apr 13, 2021 · Modified: Jul 19, 2022 by Gus · This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

    How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce

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    VWFNFGF

    An easy Marinara Sauce is also known simply as Tomato Sauce. This sauce is ideal for pasta, lasagna, and stuffed shells; you can even use it as pizza sauce.

    Table of Contents hide
    1. What is Marinara Sauce?
    2. Ingredients
    3. Instructions
    4. Variations
    5. Storage
    6. How to use it
    7. Recipe
    8. 📋 Recipe
    9. How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce
    marinara sauce in mason jar
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    What is Marinara Sauce?

    The Classic Marinara sauce recipe is usually made with whole tomatoes (plum tomatoes or San Marzano tomatoes), fresh garlic, and herbs. It can also include onions, olives, spices, and even a dash of wine in its many variations. It makes a great pasta sauce.

    spaghetti nest with marinara sauce

    Here in Italy, alla marinara refers to a sauce made with tomatoes, basil, oregano, and sometimes olives, capers, and salted anchovies. People often use it as spaghetti sauce.

    This free version is the simplest possible and still delicious and full of flavor. Most Italian Sauces rely on simplicity, suitable techniques, and ingredients, just like Puttanesca Sauce, the Eggplant-based Pasta, Alla Norma, and the Roman Cacio e Pepe.

    Ingredients

    marinara sauce basic ingredients
    marinara sauce's basic ingredients

    For this easy tomato sauce, you only need

    • Passata (fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes work as well)
    • Minced garlic
    • Fresh basil

    Add a dash of salt and pepper, and you have a delicious and simple tomato sauce. You can choose to add extra virgin olive oil when stir-frying the garlic or ad the end. Use a dash of brown sugar to balance the acidity if you like.

    Salt rounds up the flavor, and sugar balances the acidity of the tomato.

    This is the sauce you use to make pizzas and also the famous and accidentally vegan marinara pizza.

    Instructions

    Fresh Basil Plant
    Fresh Basil Plant

    Wash fresh your basil leaves.

    Mashed Garlic
    Mashed Garlic

    To make marinara sauce, chop, or even better, mince the garlic, heat olive oil, and stir-fry it on medium-low heat for 30 seconds. You can also add two tablespoons of water if cooking without oils.

    sauce in saucepan
    the sauce in the saucepan is halfway cooked

    Add the tomato sauce (Italian Passata) or diced tomatoes, half of the basil, salt, and sugar. If using oregano, you can also add it at this point.

    Tip: if you prefer a runny marinara, use tomato sauce. If you like it chunkier you can either use chunky tomato sauce or add canned peeled tomatoes into the saucepan and directly blend them with an immersion blender.

    Let the sauce cook on medium-low heat with a lid for 15 to 25 minutes, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon, until thick.

    cooked sauce in saucepan
    the cooked sauce in a saucepan

    Add the remaining basil leaves, put a lid on top and let it rest for 5 minutes, or store when it has already cooled down.

    Variations

    You can add a finely chopped white or yellow onion to the sauce at the beginning of the cooking, just after frying the garlic. Many people go for this option; I like it more without it.

    In addition to chopped fresh basil, you can include a tablespoon of fresh or dried oregano. I love the fresh basil by itself, so I tend to use oregano only when I am out of fresh basil.

    If you want to add more complexity to the sauce, you can add a tablespoon of halved green olives.

    Add some capers if you like capers and want an extra acidity punch.

    To add more dept, you may choose to add half a cup of leftover red wine or a tablespoon of tomato paste.

    Spicy - if you want to add some heat, you can use red pepper flakes to your fresh marinara sauce.

    Onion

    Storage

    This easy homemade marinara sauce is so quick and versatile that we always keep one jar in the fridge and another portion in the freezer.

    The one in the fridge we store in a clean, out-of-the dishwasher mason jar.

    marinara sauce in mason jar
    the marinara sauce in a mason jar

    Totally. We always keep a batch in my freezer. We like making pizza once a week, and it is convenient to have the tomato sauce ready. As we use this easy tomato sauce on a variety of dishes is a great keeper.

    Simply thaw either in the refrigerator overnight or place the frozen chunk in a small or medium saucepan and a half-cup of water and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.

    How to use it

    You can use this basic marinara sauce in Eggplant Parmesan, Lasagna, Pasta, and pizza.

    Basic Pizza Recipe
    Basic Pizza Recipe
    eggplant parmesan
    No-Fry Eggplant Parmesan

    If you want more Simple Italian Sauces, check out:

    • 3-Ingredients Pasta Sauce
    • 5-Minutes Vegan Pesto Sauce
    • Puttanesca sauce recipe
    • Creamy Vegan Sauce for Everything
    • Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

    See how to make vegan homemade pasta and spaghetti noodles.

    marinara sauce in mason jar
    the marinara sauce in a mason jar

    ⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

    Recipe

    📋 Recipe

    marinara sauce and spoona

    How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce

    Gus
    An easy and straightforward Marinara sauce is also known as Tomato Sauce. This sauce is ideal for pasta, lasagna, and pizza.
    5 from 20 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Resting Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Basics & Preparations, Sauces & Dressings
    Cuisine Italian-Inspired
    Servings 4 Servings
    Calories 160 kcal

    Equipment

    cuisine art large casserole with a lid.
    (affiliate link)
    Large saucepan (affiliate link)
    Cuisinart Garlic Press.
    (affiliate link)
    Garlic press (affiliate link)
    bamboo wooden spoon.
    (affiliate link)
    Wooden Spoon (affiliate link)
    mason jars.
    (affiliate link)
    Mason Jar (affiliate link)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 24 ounces tomato sauce pureed (Italian passata)
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 cup basil fresh leaves

    Optional:

    • 1 tablespoon organic sugar cane don't use to make it WFPB
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt don't use to make it WFPB
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin, don't use to make it WFPB
    • 1 onion yellow or white, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon oregano preferably fresh, dry also works
    • 1 tablespoon capers
    • 1 tablespoon green olives halved
    • ½ cup red wine
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Directions
     

    • Chop. Grind or thinly chop the garlic and fry in olive oil on medium heat for 30 seconds. You can also add 2 tablespoons of water if cooking without oils.
      2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion
    • Add the tomato sauce, half of the basil leaves, sugar, and salt.
      24 ounces tomato sauce
    • Cook for twenty to thirty minutes until it has reduced one-third. It should be thick.
    • Remove from heat and add the remaining basil leaves. Taste for salt. Let it rest.

    Notes

    If making it Whole Foods Plant-Based , don't use the salt, oil and sugar. Use a little bit of water, instead of oil, to prevent sticking to the pan, and aid the simmering process.
    If using onions at the beginning of the cooking, just after frying the garlic.
    If using oregano, add it when the first batch of basil is added.
    If choosing to add red wine, add it with the tomato sauce.
    If using olives or capers, add them during the last five minutes before removing them from the heat.
    You can replace the tomato sauce with canned tomatoes or fresh super-ripe plum tomatoes (use the same quantity and put them in a blender for 1-2 minutes until pureed).
    If freezing any leftovers simply thaw either in the refrigerator overnight or place the frozen chunk in a small or medium sauce pan along with half-cup of water and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. 
     

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1562mgPotassium: 684mgFiber: 4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1086IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram and Hashtag it #ourplantbasedworld so we can see what's cooking!!
    Nutrition Facts
    How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    160
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    8
    g
    12
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Sodium
     
    1562
    mg
    68
    %
    Potassium
     
    684
    mg
    20
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    17
    g
    6
    %
    Fiber
     
    4
    g
    17
    %
    Sugar
     
    12
    g
    13
    %
    Protein
     
    3
    g
    6
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1086
    IU
    22
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    16
    mg
    19
    %
    Calcium
     
    66
    mg
    7
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Emily says

      January 18, 2022 at 10:23 pm

      5 stars
      I love how easy this sauce is to make! It's so versatile and delicious!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        January 18, 2022 at 10:30 pm

        I am glad you found it easy and yummy Emily! Stay tuned for more sauce recipes!

        Reply
    2. Natalie says

      January 18, 2022 at 7:47 pm

      5 stars
      Oh, I love the idea of adding capers. Fantastic. I have to give this recipe a try. Homemade is always the best!

      Reply
    3. Anaiah says

      January 18, 2022 at 7:18 pm

      5 stars
      This is perfect on spaghetti and pizza. It's such an easy and versatile sauce to always have on hand. My son loves his marinara with his tofu nuggets too!

      Reply
    4. Joshua says

      January 18, 2022 at 7:31 am

      5 stars
      This sauce is very easy to make and taste great with everything from breadsticks, spaghetti, or eggplant parmesan. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        January 18, 2022 at 9:42 am

        Thank you, Joshua! We appreciate your feedback!

        Reply
    5. Andrea says

      January 18, 2022 at 5:03 am

      5 stars
      Love how simple and easy this is! It came out so yummy too!

      Reply
    6. Kayla DiMaggio says

      January 17, 2022 at 11:33 pm

      5 stars
      This marinara sauce was so delicious! It was easy to make and goes with so many things!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        January 18, 2022 at 9:41 am

        Thank you for the lovely review of our marinara sauce, Kayla! I am so glad you enjoyed it and found it easy to make. We love hearing that people are able to enjoy this sauce with many different dishes because we want everyone to be able to experience the versatility of plant-based cooking.

        Reply
    7. Jessica Formicola says

      October 15, 2021 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      Homemade sauces and condiments are my jam, and this marinara sauce is perfection! Had it with pasta last night and it was incredible!

      Reply
    8. Nathan says

      October 14, 2021 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      No more store-bought marinara sauce for me! I love how simple and delicious this recipe is. Such great, classic flavors!

      Reply
    9. Jamie says

      October 14, 2021 at 10:44 pm

      5 stars
      The capers and green olives are such a nice touch to this marinara! I love how simple the ingredients are! Looks delicious.

      Reply
    10. kushigalu@gmail.com says

      October 14, 2021 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      Homemade sauce is always the best and this looks so perfect, delicious. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply

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