Do you love Italian food? Who doesn’t, right? One of the most popular dishes in Italian cuisine is marinara sauce. It’s simple to make and tastes delicious. In this blog post, I will show you how to make a quick homemade marinara sauce from scratch. It only takes a few ingredients and a little bit of time. I promise, once you try this recipe, you’ll never want to buy store-bought sauce again!
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What is Marinara Sauce?
Marinara sauce is a classic Italian sauce that is made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs. It is typically used as a pasta sauce, but can also be used in other dishes, such as pizza or chicken parmesan. It can also be used simply as a dip for bread or chips. This sauce is very easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients. More often than not, it will taste better than those regular average jarred ones in the store. So why not try making it yourself today!
Read this excellent article from Taste of Home on: Marinara vs. Tomato Sauce: What’s the Difference?
What you’ll need to make a marinara sauce from scratch
To make a marinara sauce from scratch, you’ll need:
– a good quality extra virgin olive oil (I used Colavita) Make sure it says “First Cold-Pressed” for the best quality!
– garlic
– onions (sometimes I use shallots)
– canned whole peeled tomatoes (may use crushed) For this recipe I used the Cento brand of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes.
– tomato paste
– salt
– pepper
– red or white wine (optional – I left it out)
– fresh parsley (optional – I left it out)
– fresh basil leaves
The steps to making a delicious and hearty marinara sauce
There are a few simple steps to follow in order to make a delicious and hearty marinara sauce from scratch. The first step is to prepare your mise en place (or gather your ingredients), which include: extra virgin olive oil, onions, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes (optional), canned tomatoes, tomato paste, salt/pepper, parsley (optional), and basil.
Next, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once heated, add the onions and sweat them down until translucent in color (about 3-4 minutes). Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant/golden brown. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and infuse it in the oil for about a minute. Next, add canned tomatoes and tomato paste to the saucepan and stir until well combined. If using whole peeled tomatoes like me, crush these tomatoes in the pan with a masher or spatula.
Taste and season with salt, pepper, and basil. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 15 minutes (may simmer longer for better results).
Your homemade marinara sauce is now ready to enjoy! Serve over pasta or use as a dipping sauce for breadsticks or pizza. Enjoy!
Watch a Video Tutorial on how to make it:
Can I substitute with Fresh Tomatoes?
The answer is: yes, absolutely. If you would like to use fresh tomatoes in your marinara sauce, there are a few things you will need to keep in mind.
First, you will need to blanch the tomatoes before adding them to the saucepan. This can be done by boiling water in a pot and then dropping in the tomatoes for about 30 seconds. Remove from boiling water and place in an ice bath. Once cooled, remove skins of tomatoes and discard. Then, proceed with the recipe as directed above.
Another option would be to roast the tomatoes in the oven until soft before adding them to the saucepan. For this, I recently learned from culinary school that you should roast it nice and slowly (at around 250 degrees F). That way, it’ll keep the tomatoes nice and moist when it’s ready to be used.
How to store your homemade marinara sauce
If you have any leftover marinara sauce, be sure to store it in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in the fridge and label it with today’s date. It will keep for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze the sauce for later use. Simply place the sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for a few hours. Then heat it up until warm and enjoy.
Marinara sauce recipe variations
There are many different ways to customize your homemade marinara sauce to fit your own taste. Here are a few variations to try:
– Add ground beef/pork or sausage for a heartier sauce
– Stir in some Parmesan cheese or toasted pine nuts for extra flavor
– Use different types of canned tomatoes, such as diced, crushed, or pureed.
– Experiment with different herbs and spices, such as oregano, thyme, or Italian-style peppers (I especially love Calabrian chilis). I often put chopped flat-leaf parsley in my marinara sauce as well.
Rule of thumb: Never restrict yourself to the confines of a recipe. Always be creative, always strive to improve upon each and every attempt. So have fun and add whatever you have on hand and make it your very own homemade marinara sauce. Don’t worry, be happy. You’re welcome 🙂
So there you have it guys! By following these simple steps, you can make a delicious and homemade marinara sauce from scratch that will be sure to please everyone at the table. This sauce is delicious, hearty, and perfect for topping off your favorite Italian dishes. So gather your ingredients and give it a try today! And don’t forget to let me know how yours turned out in the comments below. Be sure to tag me on Instagram as well so I can see your beautiful creations! Thanks for reading. Buon appetito!
As always, if you have any questions or would like more information about this topic, please feel free to contact me. I’m always happy to help!
Here are some other YangYummm favorites that you might enjoy:
INGREDIENTS:
Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes – The STAR ingredient that makes or breaks your marinara sauce (I’ve tested several canned tomatoes and found that I like using whole peeled tomatoes only from the following brands)
- Cento (because it’s cheap and readily available)
- Pomi (also readily available and Made in Italy)
- Any other San Marzano Tomatoes that’s DOP (Protected Designation of Origin)
Tomato Paste (Double Concentrated) – Provides a nice potent concentrated tomato flavor to the sauce in a quicker amount of time (Again, using the DOP products are ideal but they tend to be expensive and unavailable so use whatever you have. I used the Trader Joe’s Tomato Paste)
Onions – For added flavor/texture
Garlic – For aromatics
Crushed Red Peppers (OPTIONAL) – for added heat (may use other peppers or fresh chilis)
Fresh Basil – For extra beautiful fragrance, color and flavor. I love adding basil in my marinara (although some people may think it makes it not authentic) You may add some fresh parsley as well.
Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large Saute Pan
- 1 Mason Jar (for leftover storage)
Ingredients
- 1 (4oz) small onion, roughly chopped may substitute with shallots
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed good quality first-pressed olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced (or minced/crushed)
- 2 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (may use crushed, diced, or puree)
- Pinch of crushed Red Pepper flakes (OPTIONAL)
- ¼ cup water, if needed (OPTIONAL)
- 1 bunch of fresh basil leaves (chopped, torn, or whole)
Instructions
- First, prepare your mise en place: gather your ingredients, which include: extra virgin olive oil, roughly chopped onions, sliced garlic, pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional), open canned tomatoes, tomato paste, salt/pepper, and rinsed fresh basil. Set aside.
- Next, heat up a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add the onions and sweat them down until translucent in color (about 3-4 minutes).
- Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant/golden brown. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and infuse it in the oil for about a minute.
- Next, add tomato paste and canned tomatoes to the saucepan and stir until well combined. If using whole peeled tomatoes like me, crush the tomatoes in the pan with a masher or spatula. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and basil. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 15 minutes (may simmer longer for better results).
- Remove from heat and enjoy with some pasta, bread, or other foods! Yummmy!
Video
Notes
- Only add water as needed to the sauce if either using tomatoes that don’t have much liquid or if the sauce is reduced significantly.
