Side Dish
The Best Marinara Sauce Recipe
Homemade Marinara Sauce is incredibly easy to make. Juicy tomatoes are simmered with fresh herbs and aromatics to give you the best marinara sauce in just minutes. To make marinara, start with pureed tomatoes. To get extra depth of flavor, next I saute fresh diced onions and garlic in the mixture of oil and butter.
Olive Oil and butter bring out the sweetness of tomatoes and make velvety smooth tomato sauce. To store your marinara sauce, it will last about 5-7 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can freeze it in single serving sizes for up to a year, and just defrost as needed!
Ingredients;
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 2 28-ounce cans peeled crushed or diced tomatoes without salt
- 1 tsp dried or fresh oregano
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar (or sub stevia or maple syrup to taste // omit if avoiding sugar)
- 3/4 – 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flake (reduce or increase according to spice preference)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil (plus more for serving)
- 1-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 3-4 Tbsp tomato paste (optional // for richness / depth of flavor)
Instructions;
- Heat a large pot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add oil (or water) and garlic. Sauté briefly for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until barely golden brown.
- Then add tomatoes, oregano, coconut sugar, salt, and pepper flake.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Then add basil and stir. Cook for 5 minutes more.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, oregano or basil for freshness/herbed flavor, pepper flake for heat, or coconut sugar for sweetness.
- At this time, you can also choose to add nutritional yeast and/or tomato paste for more depth of flavor and richness.
- If the sauce has thickened too much at this point, thin with a little water. Although I prefer mine thicker and leave it on the thick/chunky side.
- Serve with your favorite Italian dishes, such as Eggplant Roll-Ups, Eggplant Lasagna, Chickpea Bolognese,
- Spaghetti Squash Lasagna, or Veggie Meatballs. Or simply over a serving of cooked pasta of choice or spaghetti squash.
- Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or in the freezer up to 1 month.