What else speaks Italian than a mildly tangy easy homemade Marinara Sauce recipe. This sauce is so easy and simple to make and tastes great.
This Marinara Sauce recipe is the perfect companion to my Arancini Recipe or to a plate of pasta or homemade pillow soft gnocchi.
In fact, this Marinara Sauce is so incredibly easy to make that after you make it once, you won't need to refer to this recipe ever again! (Although I really hope that you do return. LOL!)
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Here's Why You'll Love this Dish
- Sauce that is the base that you can build on to make endless other sauces
- Easy to make
- Simple yet delicious
- Taste that all will love including kids
- Customizable in that you can add any herbs and spices to suit your preference
Try mother other pasta sauce dishes, like:
- Pasta with Anchovies
- Pasta in Tomato Sauce with Pork Ribs
- Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage and Rapini
- Seafood Pasta with White Wine Sauce
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
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Making the Perfect Marinara Sauce
It Starts With Vine Ripened Tomatoes
The best Marinara Sauce is made from fresh vine ripened tomatoes. And, if you grow your own that's even better. My mom is the epiphany of Italian tradition in that she grows her own Tomatoes and when sauce season comes around, she's out there harvesting, ripening and preserving her home grown tomatoes as a puree.
She shares her jars of pureed tomatoes with me and often I use the pureed tomatoes to make my tomato sauce. However, when I run out, I resort to store bought tomato puree.
If you decide you want to try to grow your own tomatoes, keep in mind that there are specific tomatoes that are used for making tomato sauce. In my family, that was the san marzano tomato. The king of tomato for sauce. What makes these tomatoes so special is that they are meaty and have very little pulp. And usually, you are removing the pulp otherwise the sauce would be too runny. You want a tomato puree that is thick and meaty for the perfect tomato sauce.
If you decide to buy crushed tomatoes, it may take you a while to find the brand of tomato puree that you like. Be patient, you will find it.
What to do with Acidic or Bitter Sauce
I find that sometimes the tomatoes aren't as sweet as they should be, especially if you are buying fresh tomatoes in store. They are usually picked well ahead of being perfectly ripened and sit in the grocery store to ripen. Not like tomatoes that ripen on the vine.
When I get a batch of tomatoes or crushed tomatoes that aren't as ripe as I'd like them to be, the sauce will be a little bitter or acidic. When this happens I will add about half a teaspoon of sugar, give or take. The sugar takes away the tartness of the sauce when the tomatoes aren't as sweet as they should be.
What Goes in a Good Marinara Sauce?
When I hear of people putting everything but the kitchen sink in a tomato sauce, I shake my head. Your not making minestrone soup. You are making Marinara Sauce. The simplest sauce out there. Don't overpower the sauce with ingredients you don't need. A good Tomato sauce has simple ingredients like a good olive oil, onion, garlic, and herbs.
Start with the sauteing the onion and garlic. Don't brown them, just cook them until they are light in color and are fragrant. Then add the pureed tomato, salt and herbs. If you find that the tomato puree is very thick, simply add some water.
If the tomato puree is too thin, add about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Let the tomato sauce cook out. As it cooks down it will thicken and the taste will intensify.
Frying Pan vs. Saucepan
Really, you could use either a frying pan or a saucepan to make your tomato sauce. Me, personally, I love using a frying pan to cook my sauce. I find that the sauce cooks way quicker in a frying pan and tastes a little bit better. Cook your tomato sauce covered for about 30 minutes. If you want to thicken it as it cooks, cook it slightly uncovered.
Pasta and the Finish
You've gone through all this trouble to make your home made tomato sauce. Don't ruin it by pouring it over soggy pasta. Always cook your past as directed by the product instructions and remove the pasta when it's al dente. Al dente means cooked but firm to the bite.
And, of course, top your pasta off with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Oh and by the way don't buy cheese that comes in a jar in the grocery isle. All good cheese can be found in the deli-cheese section not on a shelf in an isle.
Ingredients
To make a basic homemade marinara sauce you'll need olive oil, white onion, basil leaves, tomato puree, salt, pepper, garlic, tomato paste and sugar is optional.
For exact measurement details see recipe card...
How to Make Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce
Marinara sauce is the easiest and simplest sauce you'll ever make.
Heat up oil. Sauté garlic and onions until translucent and fragrent.
Add tomato puree.
Add fresh basil and other herbs and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Taste the sauce and if sauce is tarte or acidic, add 1 teaspoon (more or less) of sugar. Let simmer for another 20 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning as needed.
Storage:
Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for a maximum of 7 days.
You can also freeze the sauce in an airtight container but consume it within a month. To thaw, remove from freezer and place in refrigerator overnight. Heat up on the stove top and place on your favorite pasta or gnocchi.
Top Tips
Sometimes the tomatoes or tomato puree you use may result in your sauce being acidic. Add in about 1 tsp of sugar during the cooking process to help neutralize the sour taste. A little bit of sugar goes a long way.
The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will get. If it gets too thick add a little bit of water.
Never rinse your pasta under water as that removes the starch on your pasta which is very important in order for your sauce to grip on to. Instead use either a spider spoon or a spaghetti spoon to pick up the pasta from the water and place into a serving dish or into the pan with the sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ways to to take your marinara sauce up a notch:
- Heat - add hot oil or pepper flakes to make an arrabbiata tomato sauce (spicy tomato sauce)
- Meat - add meat to make a ragu sauce
- Vegetables - add more chopped vegetables to increase the flavor of the sauce
- Herbs - add your favorite herbs like oregano, thyme or bay leaves
The perfect recipe isn't that far away. I'd love to know how you substituted ingredients to fit your dietary needs. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Main Dishes to Try
- Baked Ziti - Easy Cheesy Italian Comfort Food
- Creamy Burrata Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli
- Napoletana Style Italian Sausage Pizza Like Mom Makes
- Easy Pesto Pasta Recipe with Crispy Prosciutto
Recipe Details
Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe
https://easyhomemaderecipes.caEquipment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic cut or chopped
- ½ cup white onion diced
- 24 oz tomato puree
- 2 tbsp tomato paste optional
- 4 basil leaves or dried basil - added at the end of cooking
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Heat up oil. Sauté garlic and onions until translucent and fragrent.
- Add tomato puree. Add a little bit of water if too thick. If the tomato puree is to thin, add tomato paste.
- Add fresh basil and other herbs and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and if sauce is tarte or acidic, add 1 teaspoon (more or less) of sugar. Let simmer for another 20 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning as needed.
- Add dried basil if you are not using fresh basil and stir. Remove from heat and serve over your favorite pasta.
Notes
Top Tips
Sometimes the tomatoes or tomato puree you use may result in your sauce being acidic. Add in about 1 tsp of sugar during the cooking process to help neutralize the sour taste. A little bit of sugar goes a long way. The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will get. If it gets too thick add a little bit of water. Never rinse your pasta under water as that removes the starch on your pasta which is very important in order for your sauce to grip on to. Instead use either a spider spoon or a spaghetti spoon to pick up the pasta from the water and place into a serving dish or into the pan with the sauce.Nutrition
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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