Hearty Homemade Marinara Sauce

This Hearty Homemade Marinara Sauce is perfect for all your favorite Italian dishes! Serve it over pasta and meatballs, layer it into your favorite lasagna stuffed peppers, or alongside some yummy baked chicken strips or Parmesan Crusted Chicken. This marinara sauce recipe only requires a handful of ingredients and a 20-minute simmer on the stovetop!

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As you know there are a variety of tomato-based Italian sauces available. And even though they may seem similar they all serve a different purpose and offer unique flavors and consistencies.

Let's start with Marinara Sauce.

What is Marinara Sauce?

Marinara sauce is a tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs. It's a thinner, brighter sauce that requires less time to cook than homemade pasta sauce. It originated in Italy and is used in Italian-American dishes like Chicken Parmesan or Spaghetti and Meatballs.

Marinara vs. Pasta Sauce

These two sauces are made with many of the same ingredients, pasta sauce is simmered longer and has a thicker, richer, and robust flavor. And it's often referred to as "gravy" in many Italian homes.

This homemade marinara sauce requires only a few ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge.

One of the benefits of making it yourself allows you to have complete control over the ingredients you use. By making your own sauce, you can avoid preservatives, and additives, and tailor it to your taste preferences and dietary needs.

Mariana Sauce Ingredients

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, grated or pureed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup parsley, finely chopped
• 44 ounces of canned crushed tomatoes, (two 22-ounce cans)
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 4-ounce canned tomato paste
• 8 ounces water
• ⅓ cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt & pepper
• ¼ teaspoon sugar to taste if needed. And more if the suace it too tart.

The last ingredient on the list is a bit controverisal. Some say the secret ingredient to sauce is a pinch of sugar. And other purists disagree.

The Secret Ingredient Your Pasta Sauce Might be Missing

Great sauce is really dependant on the tomato's inherent sweetness that is released when they're cooked down and concentrated. And sometimes fresh or canned tomatoes are acidic and just not sweet enough.

This is becasue If the tomatoes are canned out of season it could result in them being underripe and they might be more acidic than sweet.

In order to figure out if sugar is necesscary for your marinara recipe, cook the sauce down, then taste and and make your decision.

It's best to add just a pinch and taste, then add more if needed.

Now let's go over how these ingredients come together to make this marinara sauce recipe.

How to Make Marinara Sauce

• Place a saucepan on the stove over medium heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil.
• Add the grated onion, sprinkle with half a teaspoon of the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes. Be sure to stir the onions a few times while it cooks.
• Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Next, mix in the tomato paste and allow the mixture to cook for 3 minutes. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to loosen the paste and keep it from browning/burning on the bottom of the pan.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, parsley, and ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
• Turn down the heat for a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook the sauce for 20 minutes.
• If needed, add ¼ teaspoon sugar to taste. And more if the sauce is too tart.

Be sure to stir the sauce occasionally. That will prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and help it cook evenly.

Tip: For a smoother texture use an emersion blender or food processor and puree the sauce.

Now that you've worked so hard to create this delicious Italian sauce, let's go over some tips for storing and freezing it.

Storing and Freezing Homemade Marinara Sauce

It's important to let your sauce cool completely to room temperature before storing or freezing it. This helps the flavors fully develop and ensures the sauce retains its bright taste.

How to Store Marina Sauce?

You can store your marinara sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

How to Freeze Marinara Sauce?

Once the sauce has reached room temperature, transfer it to an air-tight container. I've used mason jars in the past, but any freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid will work.

I should mention, when you're filling the containers, leave some space between the sauce and the lid. About an inch of space is what you need. This will give room for the sauce to expand as it freezes.

And of course, it's always a good idea to label the container with the date you made the sauce. Then you'll know exactly when it needs to be used.

Frozen homemade marinara sauce can stay fresh for up to three months. Just remember to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or defrost it on low heat.

Ways To Use Marinara Sauce

• Spaghetti and meatballs are of course a classic recipe.
• Chicken Parmesan is another traditional way to use red sauce.
• It makes an excellent dipping sauce for breadsticks or Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders.
• Any lasagna or layered Italian casserole, like my Million Dollar Spaghetti - is a total no-brainer.
• Meatball Subs coated with Marinara Sauce are always delicious.
• And I love the combination of Italian Sausage, peppers, and pasta sauce over zoodles for a tasty low-carb meal.

Whip up a batch of this homemade marinara and use it now for your favorite Itailan recipes or freeze it for later.

With just a handful of ingredients and about 30 minutes, you'll have a hearty homemade marinara sauce recipe that's easy to make and better than any canned version you can buy!

Bon appétit!

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