Homemade Marinara Sauce
An easy Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe that is bursting with flavor. Perfect for pasta, pizza and more!
Skip the store-bought sauce and make your own delicious marinara at home with simple ingredients, most of which you usually have on hand in your pantry. This classic Italian sauce uses simple ingredients, tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs. A tasty complement to Chicken Parmesan, Italian Meatballs, or even as a dipping sauce for Homemade Pretzels!
Ingredients:
A traditional marinara sauce is all about simplicity, starting with quality ingredients.
- Tomatoes: My choice is San Marzano tomatoes which are renowned for their exceptional flavor and texture.
- Garlic: fresh garlic elevates the taste and aroma, a staple in home-cooked Italian dishes.
- Onion: Like garlic, onions add complexity to the sauce as it cooks. When sautéed, onions release natural sugars, this subtle sweetness helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Oregano and Basil: classic herbs always used in an authentic marinara sauce recipe. I used dried herbs in this recipe, but fresh basil and oregano would also work well. Typically you need a larger quantity of fresh herbs because their flavor is milder and more diluted compared to dried herbs. As a general rule of thumb use approximately 3 times the amount of fresh compared to dried.
- Olive oil: Used for sautéing, it also adds flavor to the pasta sauce.
- Salt: Canned tomatoes can vary significantly in their salt content, so taste then season!
- Pepper: fresh ground black pepper adds a great depth of flavor to any recipe.
- Sugar: A small amount of sugar helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
Can I omit the sugar?
For a healthy marinara sauce, you can skip the sugar, but the sauce might taste slightly tangier or sharper.
Yes, but it would require a bit more time to make the homemade marinara sauce as they would have to be peeled and cooked down.
Here’s a great video with instructions for Peeling Fresh Tomatoes.
Expert Tips:
- For a smoother tomato sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce.
- Make a large batch for easy weeknight dinners. Store in a jar in the fridge for 3-4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Try Homemade Marinara Sauce on these recipes
This sauce can be used in any dish that calls for an Italian flavor sauce. Serve it hot over your favorite pasta, use it as a pizza sauce, or incorporate it into other dishes like meatballs, chicken, or lasagna.
This post was originally published February 18, 2015. Occasionally I update with fresh tips, content and photos. Current update March 3, 2024.
Homemade Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 can crushed tomatoes with juice 28oz size
- 2 cloves garlic finely mined
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a large skillet heat olive oil, and sauté onion and garlic until soft.
- Transfer to a pot. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, basil, black pepper and sugar.
- Season with salt.
- Simmer on medium heat until the sauce reduces and thickens (about 30 minutes).
- Serve with pasta, chicken parmesan or as a pizza sauce.
- Optional: Garnish with fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Yikes!! You put sugar in the sauce??? My Italian Noni would smack you! 🙂
The sugar can be left out if desired, but it helps balance the acidity and tartness of the tomatoes. It is in fact something that a lot of Italian chefs do. The great thing about any recipe is tweaking it to your very own preference.
thanks Joanie, yes it is a tasting thing depending on your tomatoes