How To Make Classic Marinara Sauce (with Fresh Tomatoes!)
Classic Marinara Sauce is a must-know for all home cooks. Once you learn this basic sauce you can use it in lasagna, cannelloni, ravioli, stuffed shells, pizza, spaghetti marinara and more. And the best part is…it takes only 8 common household ingredients - which you most likely already have in your kitchen- and only 15 - 20 minutes of prep time to create! :)
With such fresh and healthy ingredients, vivid colours and mouth-watering flavours, it really is no wonder this sauce is so persistently popular, generation after generation and the base flavour for so many other great Italian dishes.
One of the best things about this marinara sauce is that it makes use of common household ingredients like pasta, tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, onion and simple herbs and seasonings. Like most traditional European food, it takes just a few select ingredients and lets the natural flavours of the produce shine.
You can make a large batch of this sauce and store it in the fridge to use over the next few days in different dishes and prepping this sauce ahead of time makes dinner on busy weeknights a breeze. Just boil your pasta, heat the sauce and toss the two together. You’ll have a delicious and nutritious dinner served in little more than 10 minutes!
I also love adding it to multiple component dishes - like spinach and ricotta cannelloni - because having the sauce already made and ready to pour straight over the cannelloni makes the process of preparing the dish so much quicker and easier :)
I always prefer to use fresh ingredients where possible, as opposed to canned or frozen, and I like sourcing my own locally grown, organic tomatoes for making sauces like these. You may also want to use the fresh tomatoes that you’ve grown in your garden for cooking and preparing this sauce is a great way of doing that. However, I have also provided quantities in the recipe for those who would like to make this sauce with canned tomatoes so either way, this recipe’s got you covered!
Now if you want to go back to basics and finally learn how to ace this enduring and virtually essential home cook’s recipe, read on!
CONTENTS OF THIS RECIPE POST
I always recommend reading the entire post to get the best understanding of the recipe, helpful tips, information about ingredients, storage advice etc.
Here’s an overview of the topics covered in this post :)
WHAT INGREDIENTS GO INTO A CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE?
Garlic & Brown Onion
Work together to create the base flavour in this sauce.
Olive Oil
Is needed to sauté the garlic, brown onion and tomato paste.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the main ingredient of this marinara recipe, giving the sauce its signature bright red colour and core flavour. You can use either canned pureed tomatoes, canned whole tomatoes or fresh tomatoes. For more information on selecting the right tomatoes, see the “Choosing the Best Tomatoes” section of this post.
Tomato Paste
Adding a couple tablespoons of tomato paste strengthen’s the flavour of the sauce and is my secret tip to achieving the best, bold-flavoured marinara.
HERBS AND SEASONINGS
Dried Oregano
It is customary to add dried oregano to a marinara sauce when cooking.
Dried Mixed Herbs
I like to put a teaspoon of dried mixed herbs into my marinara for another touch of flavour. I buy my dried mixed herb seasoning at the supermarket, but if you can’t find any or don’t have it on hand you can omit this ingredient.
Salt and Pepper
I also season the marinara sauce with salt and pepper.
OPTIONAL
Crushed Chilli Flakes
To give some heat to your marinara sauce, you can easily add some crushed chilli flakes when sautéing your garlic.
Sugar
You may like to add just a little white or brown sugar to your marinara sauce if you feel it is needed to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
GARNISHES
Basil
A traditional marinara is always garnished with fresh basil leaves.
COOKING TIP: A good way to strengthen the sauce’s flavour even more is to add some tomato paste - something I always do when making my marinara!
NO SUGAR?
A marinara is all about the fresh, bold flavour of the tomato, accentuated by the herbs and other subtle additions to the sauce. Many people choose to add some white or brown sugar to their marinara sauce for added sweetness and/or to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. However, I find cooking tomatoes really brings out their natural sweetness and I don’t feel the need for added sugar in this recipe. I also believe that if you are using high-quality tomatoes, the sauce should not be so acidic that it requires sugar to balance out the flavours. But what I recommend doing is giving your sauce a try and if you feel it could use a little sweetness, add some sugar to your tastes.
CHOOSING THE BEST TOMATOES
The most integral component of this recipe is the tomatoes. They really are the star of this dish when it comes to flavour, so whether you’re opting to use canned or fresh, you’ll want to make sure that they’re high quality. For this reason, I always opt to use fresh. locally grown and organic tomatoes. If your preference is to use canned, then remember that the best canned tomatoes should be just that - canned tomatoes. Some may also have citric acid or salt, but check the label before you buy and steer clear of the added sugars, colours and other strange ingredients found in some varieties. It’s also a good idea to doucle-check that the cans are BPA free :)
MEAL PREP AND STORAGE
Store this marinara sauce in an airtight container or airtight jar in the fridge for 3-4 days and have it ready to use when you need it on pasta, pizza, ravioli, cannelloni or even in lasagna :)
VIDEO
RECIPE
CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE
Yield: 4 cups
Time: 15 - 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy / Beginner
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INGREDIENTS
3 tbsps olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can (28oz / 800g) pureed or whole tomatoes OR 12 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp mixed herbs
Salt and pepper, to taste
OPTIONAL
1/4 tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
1-2 tsp(s) brown or white sugar, or to taste
GARNISH
Fresh basil leaves
METHOD
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat, then add onion and turn heat to medium, sautéing for around 3 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent.
Add garlic (and chilli flakes, if using) and sauté for 30 seconds. Turn heat to medium high, then add the tomato paste and sauté for a further 30 seconds, stirring frequently, to ensure the tomato paste doesn’t burn. You can add a dash of water if need be to loosen the tomato paste from the pan.
Add tomatoes and their juices to the saucepan and bring to a high simmer, uncovered, then reduce to a simmer and add oregano, mixed herbs, salt and pepper; and stir to incorporate. If desired, also add some sugar and stir to incorporate. Continue to simmer the sauce, stirring often, until it has thickened and reduced, (around 8 - 12 minutes). If you are using fresh, chopped tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes, rather than pureed, the tomatoes should break down as they cook, but if you like, you can gently crush them down with your cooking spoon until they reach the desired consistency.
If using immediately, garnish with basil. Otherwise, allow to cool and store in an airtight container or airtight jar in the fridge for 3-4 days.
STORAGE: This marinara sauce can be stored in an airtight container or airtight jar in the fridge for 3-4 days.
When you try this recipe…
I’d love to know!
Please leave a comment below letting me know your thoughts on this classic marinara sauce recipe :)
