This homemade marinara sauce is not lacking one bit of flavor. Made with whole tomatoes, chopped basil, garlic, and white onion. A simple and flavorful sauce that can be added to lots of dishes.
It's amazing what a good marinara sauce can do to a dish. When my husband and I first got married, I learned that his favorite dish is spaghetti. Now, I on the other hand, have never been a lover of spaghetti. Of course! The sauce on spaghetti has always been too much for me. I felt like it was lacking in flavor just a bit too acidic for me.
This homemade marinara sauce is a game changer! The flavor is unreal and simmering this sauce on low for about 30 minutes helps cut the acidity. That means, my husband's favorite meal can be mine too!
A good homemade marinara sauce can be used in so many dishes. This recipe will save you a grocery store run for many meals to come. It is not only full of flavor and fresh ingredients. This homemade sauce is also simple to bring together and can be made within the hour it is needed. What more could you need in a recipe?
Now, let's make homemade marinara sauce together!
Why You Will Love This Homemade Marinara Sauce
This homemade marinara sauce recipe is simple. It does not require any special ingredients, in fact, you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. There are also no unique steps or tools needed to bring this marinara sauce together.
You will also love this recipe because it is full of flavor. The ingredients that go into this recipe give it so much flavor. From the minced garlic to the bit of red pepper flakes. Simmering this sauce on low for a bit also helps to enhance those spices and flavors.
Lastly, this recipe is quick. There is about a 30-minute window of simmering this recipe down. Although, it is a recipe that can be made the day it is needed. In fact, not just the day it is needed, but an hour before. It comes together easily and quickly.
Ways to Use Homemade Marinara Sauce
The recipes that could use marinara sauce are endless. Here are just a few of those endless recipes...
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Chicken Parmesan
- Pizza Sauce
- Stuffed Shells
- Lasagna
- Mozzarella Sticks with homemade marinara on the side
Any other ideas of ways to use homemade marinara sauce? Let us know in the comments below!
FAQs
Why is my homemade marinara sauce watery?
A key part to homemade marinara sauce is allowing it to simmer. Tomatoes are very acidic. They naturally have a lot of water and juices in them. Allowing the sauce to simmer on low will cause the water to evaporate out. This will make the sauce thicker. Keep in mind also, that sometimes you just get more watery ingredients, like the onion or garlic.
What makes marinara sauce taste better?
The key to a flavorful marinara us using fresh ingredients and the right spices. This recipe is made with fresh garlic, white onion, and chopped basil. The spices in this recipe are Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt to bring out all those flavors.
How long does homemade marinara sauce last?
When stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge, this sauce lasts 3 to 5 days. You know the sauce is bad when it tastes off or sour. If you desire to prep your sauce for longer, you can freeze it for 2 to 3 months. To thaw it, transfer it from the freezer to the fridge the day before using. This is the safest method.
Ingredients
Whole tomatoes - canned
White onion- finely diced
Garlic - minced
Fresh basil - chopped
Red pepper flakes - we use ¼ teaspoon in this recipe. Just enough to enhance the flavors. Although, as always, if you prefer to add more for more spice, go ahead!
Italian seasoning - again, feel free to add more according to taste and your preferences!
Salt
Olive oil
Tool You May Need
Large bowl
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Garlic mincer
Medium sized pot
How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce Step-by-Step
To start, dump the whole canned tomatoes in a medium sized bowl. Using your hands or a potato masher, crush the whole tomatoes until they become smaller yet are still a bit chunky. Set aside.
Next, prep the fresh ingredients. This looks like dicing the white onion, mincing the garlic, and chopped the fresh basil. Having these ingredients prepped ahead of time keeps anything from burning or cooking too long when the pan is hot and ready.
Set your medium sized pot on medium heat (about a level 5). Once hot, add in the olive oil followed by the minced garlic.
Allow the minced garlic to become fragrant. Once fragrant, add in the finely diced white onion.
Once the white onion is just translucent, add in the freshly chopped basil, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Cook the seasonings for about 1 minute. After the minute is up, add in the crushed tomatoes.
Give everything a good stir and allow to boil.
Once boiling, turn down to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes. Stirring every 10 minutes or so. This process will reduce the acidity and amount of water.
After about 30 minutes, the sauce should be less watery and a thicker consistency. Place in a jar and allow to cool before sealing and storing in the fridge if not being used right away.
Homemade Marinara Sauce
This homemade marinara sauce is simple yet full of flavor. Made with whole canned tomatoes, fresh basil, onion, garlic and all the good spices! A versatile homemade sauce for many dishes.
Ingredients
- 28 ounces whole tomatoes
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To start, dump the whole canned tomatoes in a medium mixing bowl. Using your hands or a potato masher, squeeze the tomatoes until they become a crushed texture. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the fresh ingredients. This looks like finely dicing the onion, chopping the basil, and mincing the garlic. Having this done before we move to the stovetop will make the process a lot less stressful.
- Add in the tablespoon of olive oil into a medium sized pot and allow to heat up on medium high heat.
- Once heated up, add in the minced garlic and yellow onion. Saute until the onion is just translucent.
- Then, add in the basil, red pepper flakes, and italian seasoning and cook for one minute. This will help the spices become more fragrant and noticeable within the sauce.
- After a minute, add in the crushed tomatoes. Allow to boil then turn down to a simmer.
- Simmer for 30 minutes and stir every 10 minutes or so within those 30 minutes. This will help the sauce thicken and not be so acidic.
- If not using right away, allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.
Love It?
If you loved this recipe, we would love to hear about it. Leave us a review and a comment down below telling us your thoughts. If you loved making this recipe, be sure to save it so you can come back to it again and again!
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