Today, I have a classic sauce recipe for you: we will make a delicious Italian staple, marinara sauce. This recipe is as simple as it is delicious. A tasty marinara is an absolute staple for me — whether I’m enjoying it on pizza, for a plant-based eggplant parm, as a pasta sauce, or as a dip for arancini.
I have experimented with different variations of this sauce. This one has become my go-to recipe. It is super simple to make and delivers flavor without any compromise. If you are into tomatoes (and you should be —this is Let’s Go Tomato, after all!), this recipe will be a real treat for you.
This recipe only requires seven ingredients, about forty minutes of your time, and can easily be scaled. Whether it’s for a simple weeknight dinner or a larger gathering, this recipe has you covered.
Ingredients for making Simple Marinara Sauce:
- Canned tomatoes
- White onion
- Garlic
- Fresh basil
- Dried oregano
- Chili (dried flakes or fresh)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
As with all simple Italian recipes, the magic lies in the quality of the ingredients. I recommend finding good canned plum tomatoes, like the San Marzano variety. They are picked at peak ripeness and have more flavor than the fresh tomatoes I can usually find. If you have a harvest of fresh, ripe tomatoes, those will work wonderfully as well.
The tomatoes pair beautifully with high-quality extra virgin olive oil, which gives the sauce extra depth of flavor and body.
Aside from this, an onion, garlic, and a few simple spices will give the sauce its kick!
How to Make Delicious Marinara Sauce:
Making this marinara sauce is super straightforward. Begin by preparing the ingredients: combine the canned tomatoes in a bowl, peel the onion and cut it into quarters, and crush and peel the garlic cloves. That’s it! No need to cut or mince anything.
In a pot, add olive oil, chili flakes, and the whole crushed garlic cloves. Warm the oil gently to infuse it with the spices. Once it reaches a medium-hot temperature, add the tomatoes, quartered onion, one-third of the basil leaves, oregano, and salt.
Bring the sauce to a simmer for at least 30 minutes. By then, it should have thickened nicely.
Break the softened tomatoes down using a spatula. I like it most if a little bit of tomato texture remains in the sauce.
And that’s all there is to this beautiful recipe! The marinara sauce is ready to enjoy. I love having it fresh. Today, I used mine as a dipping sauce for arancini, which I made from leftover vegan mushroom risotto. Quite delicious!
The sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. Alternatively, you can preserve it using water bath canning, for which you need to add extra lemon juice to the jars. It’s a great pantry staple for lazy days!
Serving Suggestions:
There are so many options to choose from! This sauce works wonderfully for:
- Making eggplant parm
- Dipping with arancini or focaccia
- Spicing up casserole dishes
- Endless pasta dishes
- A simple yet delicious pizza
I hope you enjoyed this super simple marinara sauce recipe. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Some other Delicious Recipes:
- Penne all’arrabbiata
- Spaghetti aglio e olio
- Pappa al pomodoro
- Spaghetti alla puttanesca
- Roasted tomato soup
- Panzanella Salad
- Homemade tomato sauce
Delicious Marinara Sauce
Marinara is an absolut classic for a reason. This sauce is simple to make and is perfect to spice up so many recipes. It’s always nice to have a jar ready in the fridge!
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 Jar 1x
Ingredients
500g canned plum tomatoes
1 white onion
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
15 fresh basil leaves
Salt to season
Instructions
Begin by preparing the ingredients: combine the canned tomatoes in a bowl, peel the onion and cut it into quarters, and crush and peel the garlic cloves.
In a pot, add olive oil, chili flakes, and the whole crushed garlic cloves. Warm the oil gently to infuse it with the spices. Once it reaches a medium-hot temperature, add the tomatoes, quartered onion, one-third of the basil leaves, oregano, and salt.
Bring the sauce to a simmer for at least 30 minutes. By then, it should have thickened nicely.
Break the softened tomatoes down using a spatula. I like it most if a little bit of tomato texture remains in the sauce.
That’s it. Check for seasoning and add the remaining basil leaves.
Notes
I love enjoying this marinara sauce fresh. I like adding it to sterile jars while still hot and keeping it in the fridge once it has cooled down, where it should last for 3-5 days.
If you want to can this sauce using water bath canning, you need to add extra lemon juice to the tomato jars to introduce more acidity.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan