This Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe is easy and full of flavor! This marinara is delicious on my same day pizza recipe, lasagna al forno, couscous stuffed peppers & more! Best thing..it's quick and easy & only takes 10 minutes to prep this yummy tomato sauce!
This is a great Marinara recipe for an easy weeknight meal. You can prep it earlier in the day and allow it to simmer on the stove for maximum flavor. This marinara sauce is delicious as a topping on pasta or meatball subs, or use it as a dip for breadsticks or fried ravioli. Make Chicken Parmesan with my perfect crispy chicken fritta recipe and pour this heavenly sauce over the top.
Pasta and all of its variety of sauces have such a place in my heart. I am totally in love with bread and pasta and I've tried to break up with them at previous times in my life, but it is just not even worth it. Everything in moderation..am I right? That's my thought as I get older. I just love food way too much to cut anything out.
If you love pasta like I do, be sure to check out my recipes for vegetarian stuffed shells, pesto tortellini salad, and chicken minestrone soup!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It's so simple to make!
- The flavor is incredible and you will definitely be able to tell the difference between this and a canned sauce.
- Many of the ingredients are most likely already in your pantry and fridge. I love recipes like that!
- Finally, it is a sauce that the whole family will love. It's hearty, but not full of tomato chunks (I know kids are not a fan of that & to be honest, neither am I.)
- You can use this sauce for so many recipes. Try it in my Cheesecake Factory Copycat Four Cheese Pasta! Make some English Muffin Pizzas, Italian Manicotti, or use it as a dip for breadsticks or my air fried zucchini. The possibilities are endless!
The Ingredients:
Olive Oil- Adds a robust flavor to the sauce & the perfect cooking oil for Italian food. Try to use a higher quality olive oil, especially when making sauces.
Onion and Garlic- Adds texture and flavor to the marinara
Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Salt and Bay Leaf- Classic seasonings used in Italian cooking to amplify the flavor.
Red Pepper- For a touch of spice.
White Granulated Sugar- For a touch of sweetness. I find the sweet and spicy flavors of sugar and red pepper really make a difference in marinara sauce.
Tomato Sauce: Used as the base in the sauce and is very thin in texture.
Crushed Tomatoes: Adds a bit of texture to the sauce. It is a well blended tomato, that results in a finer textured sauce with no chunks of tomatoes. I like using a San Marzano style tomato for the crushed tomatoes. It's difficult to find authentic San Marzano tomatoes that are crushed, but a San Marzano "style" still gives a quality result.
Fresh Basil or Fresh Parsley (Optional): I personally love fresh basil stirred into my Pasta Sauce at the very end before serving. It gives it that final homemade touch!
Substitutions and Variations for Homemade Pasta Sauce:
Love veggies in your marinara? Add in a ½ cup of finely diced bell peppers with the onions.
Big on garlic? Feel free to double or triple the amount!
Like a chunkier sauce? Substitute the crushed tomatoes with whole plum tomatoes. I suggest using San Marzano if you can find them. After cooking, give them a good mash with a potato masher before serving.
How to Make Quick & Easy Marinara Sauce:
Watch the full recipe video on YouTube and be sure to Subscribe. It's free and I post new recipe videos every week.
Here are the Step by Step Instructions for this Homemade Pasta Sauce:
Step 1: Soften the Onions
Place a dutch oven on the stovetop on medium low heat. Add in olive oil and allow to warm up for a minute. Add in the onion and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir and allow them to soften for about 4-6 minutes.
Step 2: Stir in Garlic
Add in the garlic and stir. Cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Step 3: Add Tomato Sauces
Pour in the cans of tomato sauce and crushed tomato.
Step 4: Pour in the Spices & Seasoning
Next, sprinkle in remaining salt, dried basil, thyme, oregano, sugar, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir well.
Step 5: Bring to a Low Boil
Cover and allow to cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Take cover off and stir.
Step 6: Simmer
Place cover back on and reduce heat to low.
Cook for 30 minutes up to 4 hours. If you decide to cook for a long period, just stir it every hour.
Top with fresh basil or parsley at serving and parmigiano-reggiano cheese.
Enjoy!
Expert Tips:
If you know that you aren't going to cook the sauce for long, make sure the onions are fully softened before adding in the tomato sauces. You don't want to bite into a crunchy onion.
At any time the onions or garlic start to brown, turn down the heat. You want a translucent, softened onion, with no browning.
Looking for maximum flavor? Cook for 2 hours or longer. The flavor is still great with only 30 minutes of simmering, but it gets even better with time.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! This homemade marinara recipe is full of flavor that you can't expect from a jarred sauce. The flavor continues to build with time & the freshness is difficult to duplicate. If you have the extra time, homemade marinara is worth it!
I'm a firm YES on this topic! You don't need a lot, but the sugar helps to cut down on the acidity of the tomatoes. Add in a dash of red pepper flakes for a sweet and spicy kick to the spaghetti sauce and you will be known as the Queen of flavor!
This Marinara sauce is on the thinner side for a marinara. Think marinara meets tomato sauce. It uses crushed tomatoes rather than whole tomatoes, so you get the full flavor, but in a more pureed form. I've never been big on chunks of tomatoes in my sauce.
How to Store or Freeze Leftover Sauce:
You can store in a sealed container, like tupperware, for up to a week in the fridge.
You can also freeze the sauce and keep it for up to 4-6 months. Make sure to get all of the air out of the bag, so it keeps its flavor well and doesn't get freezer burnt.
More Recipes You'll Love:
Recipe
Homemade Pasta Sauce
- Total Time: 45 minutes to 4 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This homemade pasta sauce is easy and full of flavor! Best thing..it only takes 10 minutes to prep this delicious sauce!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ of a yellow onion, minced (about ¾ cup)
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 28 ounce can San Marzano Style Crushed Tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- Optional: Fresh basil or parsley at serving and parmigiano-reggiano cheese for topping
Instructions
- Begin by mincing the yellow onion and garlic clove.
- Place a dutch oven on the stovetop on medium low heat. Add in olive oil and allow to warm up for a minute.
- Add in the onion and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir and allow them to soften for about 4-6 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and stir. Cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the cans of tomato sauce and crushed tomato.
- Next, sprinkle in remaining salt, dried herbs of basil, thyme and oregano, sugar, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir well.
- Cover and allow to cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Take cover off and stir. Place cover back on and reduce heat to low.
- Cook for 30 minutes up to 4 hours. If you decide to cook for a long period, just stir it every hour or so.
Notes
If you know that you aren't going to cook the sauce for long, make sure the onions are fully softened before adding into the tomato sauces. You don't want to bite into a crunchy onion.
At any time the onions or garlic start to brown, turn down the heat. You want a translucent, softened onion, with no browning.
Looking for maximum flavor? Cook for 2 hours or longer. The flavor is still great with only 30 minutes of simmering, but it gets even better with time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: italian
Keywords: homemade pasta sauce, quick marinara, easy marinara, tomato sauce recipe
George
This was so easy to make and really good! Thank you.
★★★★★