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Easy Marinara Sauce

Hands down, this it THE BEST Marinara Sauce recipe for all of your Italian dishes. It has tons of flavor from the tomatoes, veggies and spices. Plus, it's so easy, requiring about 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Easy Marinara Sauce
Servings: 8 cups
Author: Jen Lunsford

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 cup Onion finely diced
  • ⅓ cup shredded Carrot
  • 2 tbsp minced Garlic
  • 28 oz canned Whole Tomatoes 1 can
  • 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes 1 can
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp dried Oregano
  • ½ cup Water
  • ¼ cup fresh Basil leaves thinly sliced
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Pepper

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the onion, carrot and minced garlic and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes).
  • Add canned whole tomatoes (with juice), breaking them apart in the pot.
  • Add in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, dried oregano, and pepper.
  • Add in the water and stir to mix.
  • Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes, or until thickened.
  • Stir in fresh basil.

Notes

  • If possible always use San Marzano canned tomatoes, they make this sauce The BEST.
  • Use a Dutch oven or ceramic coated pot. Avoid aluminum made pans when making this pasta sauce as the tomato acid may react with the aluminum. It could give your sauce a metallic taste.
  • Marinara with fresh tomatoes is great too! But, that will not make this recipe quick and easy. You will need to blanch and peel then simmer the tomatoes down to make them "crushed tomatoes".
  • Do not skip the carrots (if possible). They really help add a bit of sweetness.
  • If you prefer a very sweet marinara, add a tsp or two more sugar.
  • Tweak your tomato sauce seasonings to your tastes. Sneak in some red pepper flakes for a little extra heat or Italian Seasoning for a bit more extra herb flavor.
  • If time permits, simmer this marinara sauce for longer, it gets even better the longer it cooks.
  • Homemade Marinara Suace freezes well. Go ahead and make a few batches to have on hand for busy weekenight dinners.

Nutrition

Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 383mg | Potassium: 585mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1326IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg