Simple Marinara Sauce

Finished Marinara Sauce in a white skillet topped with sprigs of basil.

This easy to make from scratch Simple Marinara Sauce can be used with everything from pizza to lasagna or pasta. It can be made ahead and frozen as well which makes it perfect for meal prep. It's gluten free, dairy free, and made with just a few ingredients. Marinara sauce is a very simple straightforward sauce with clean flavors that pairs perfectly with just about anything!

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Author : Kari Peters

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 65kcal

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
2 cloves garlic minced
1 sprig basil or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
28 ounce can whole tomatoes (San Marzano or Muir Glen) can also be diced tomatoes, regular or fire roasted are both tasty here.
1/2 tsp sea salt more or less to taste

Instructions

Blend the whole tomatoes in a blender until they're the consistency you desire. We like a slightly chunky marinara sauce.
Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the garlic until fragrant, but not browned, about 30 seconds.
Add the blended tomatoes along with the sprig of basil or oregano, and stir to combine.
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Try not to stir so the sauce doesn't splatter. As it simmers undisturbed, a layer of liquid will rise to the top which helps to keep the splattering to a minimum.
Simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove the basil sprig if using, then season to taste with sea salt and serve as desired.

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Notes

This recipe makes about 3 cups of finished Marinara Sauce, but it will vary a bit depending on the rate of evaporation.

Nutrition