Homemade marinara sauce is perfect for pasta, pizza, or dipping.
This easy sauce is made with canned tomatoes and a handful of seasonings simmered until thick and flavorful. This classic red sauce is always a win!
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: This fresh, wholesome sauce has a balanced tomato base with garlic, herbs, and a subtle sweetness.
- Skill Level: This sauce is easy to make and uses simple everyday ingredients, most of which you likely have on hand. Don’t let the simplicity fool you; it’s delicious.
- Serving Suggestions: Homemade marinara sauce can be used to replace tomato sauce in most recipes or for preparing lasagna. So double or triple the batch and freeze it for last-minute recipes!
Ingredient Tips for Marinara Sauce
- Tomatoes: Use a combination of crushed and canned tomatoes along with tomato paste. While it costs just slightly more, I love the fresh flavor that San Marzano tomatoes add to sauces. Fresh tomatoes can be peeled and added.
- Vegetables: Onion and garlic add flavor, while shredded carrots add sweetness and balance the tart flavor of the tomatoes.
- Sugar: Depending on the brand of tomatoes, you may not need sugar in this recipe. If the sauce is tart, add a pinch or two. But you can omit the sugar entirely if you’d like.
- Seasonings: Add dried seasonings (like DIY Italian seasoning) before simmering in Step 5. Fresh herbs should be added just before serving. A few red pepper flakes or a splash of sriracha gives homemade marinara a little pep!
- Variations: Sneak in shredded zucchini or a little pureed pumpkin or squash as a natural sweetener and nutrient booster. Or add ground beef and turn this into a hearty homemade spaghetti sauce.
How to Make Marinara Sauce
- Sauté onion, carrot, and garlic in oil until softened (full recipe below).
- Add whole tomatoes and break them up with a spoon.
- Add remaining ingredients with ½ cup of water and simmer until thickened.
- Stir in basil before serving.
Save It for Later!
Marinara sauce will last about 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. For longer storage, it can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Besides spaghetti, use marinara sauce in chicken parmesan, for a great meat sauce, or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.
More Easy Tomato Sauces
Step up your sauce and try one of these favorites to spoon over your favorite pasta or pizza.
Did your family love this easy Marinara Sauce? Leave us a rating and comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- ⅓ cup shredded carrot
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes 1 can
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1-2 teaspoons granulated sugar optional
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- To the pot, add the finely diced onion, shredded carrot, and minced garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add whole canned tomatoes (juice included), breaking them apart gently with a spoon.
- Mix in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar if using, dried oregano, and season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir in ½ cup of water.
- Simmer uncovered on low heat for about 20 minutes, or until thickened to the desired consistency. Stir in fresh basil.
- Serve over spaghetti or enjoy in your favorite recipes.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course, Pasta, Sauce
Cuisine Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Everyone loved this sauce when I made lasagna. This is a keeper.
The sauce was so good with the easy lasagna. So happy I found both recipes.
I actually canned marinara sauce from garden ingredients last fall and cracked it out and added San marzana tomatoes. The recipe is fairly similar. Last weekend I made authentic italian meatballs. I’m dropping those in and taking to work. I will also use this to top Italian stuffed green peppers! Very good.
Hi Holly .. Have made this sauce on several occasions and decided it was time to rate this and as many others have .. outstanding .. next time I would like to add some meatballs. Would you recommend uncooked or browned and how long should they be left in the sauce prior to serving
Thanks
Randy
Hi Randy, I would brown the meatballs first and them simmer in the sauce to finish cooking. Enjoy!