Homemade Marinara Sauce: Easy 30-Minute Pasta Sauce
This homemade marinara sauce is the recipe I’d teach anyone who wants to cook more from scratch. Two cans of whole tomatoes simmer with olive oil, sweet onion, plenty of garlic and a spoonful of tomato paste, then get finished with a big handful of fresh basil. In 30 minutes, you have a thick, glossy, bright red sauce that tastes rich and fresh at the same time.
It costs me about $6 for six cups, which is less than two jars of the good stuff at the store. It’s naturally vegan and gluten free, and it freezes beautifully, so I almost always make a double batch.
Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Total: 30 minutes | Serves: 8 | Diet: vegan, gluten free
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Quick. Ready in the time it takes to boil pasta.
- Pantry friendly. Canned tomatoes, garlic, onion and olive oil.
- Budget friendly. About 75 cents per serving.
- Versatile. Pasta, pizza, dipping, chicken parm and more.
- Freezer friendly. Make once, eat for weeks.
What Is Marinara Sauce?
Marinara is a simple, quick-cooking Italian-American tomato sauce. Unlike a long-simmered Sunday gravy with meat, marinara cooks for a short time to keep the tomato flavor bright and fresh. The classic ingredients are tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and herbs, usually basil and oregano. Some versions skip the onion, but I like a small one for a touch of sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Tomato paste adds a deeper, rounder flavor, and a pinch of red pepper flakes gives just a hint of warmth. What makes a great homemade marinara sauce isn’t a long list of ingredients. It’s good tomatoes, enough olive oil and the right amount of simmering.
Why Canned Tomatoes Are Best
Fresh tomatoes are wonderful in late summer, but for most of the year, canned tomatoes make a better sauce. They’re picked and packed at peak ripeness, so they have more flavor than pale winter tomatoes. I use whole peeled tomatoes because they tend to be higher quality than crushed or diced, and crushing them by hand gives the sauce a nice rustic texture. Diced tomatoes are often treated with calcium chloride to stay firm, so they don’t break down as well. San Marzano-style tomatoes are sweeter and less acidic, but any good brand of whole peeled tomatoes will work. Taste a piece from the can. If it’s bright and sweet, your sauce will be too.
Ingredients for Homemade Marinara Sauce
You’ll need a large bowl and a wide, heavy pot or Dutch oven. A wider pot helps the sauce reduce faster.
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60ml)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (16g)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano style (1.6kg)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar, only if the tomatoes are very acidic
- 1 large handful fresh basil leaves, torn (about 15g)
Ingredient Notes
Olive oil: Don’t be shy. A generous 1/4 cup gives the sauce its silky texture and rich flavor.
Garlic: Thinly sliced garlic gives a sweeter, milder flavor than minced. Use what you like.
Tomato paste: Cooking it briefly with the garlic deepens the flavor and color. Freeze leftover paste in tablespoon portions.
Basil: Add it at the end so it stays fresh and fragrant. In winter, use 1 teaspoon of dried basil with the oregano.
Sugar: Only add it if the sauce tastes sharp or sour. Many good tomatoes don’t need it.
How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Crush the Tomatoes. Pour the tomatoes and their juices into a large bowl and crush them with your hands or a potato masher until mostly broken down, leaving some small chunks.
- Soften the Onion. Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden at the edges.
- Bloom the Garlic. Add the garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes and stir for 1 minute until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly. Don’t let the garlic brown.
- Add the Tomatoes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then swirl a splash of water in each can and add it to the pot. Stir in the oregano and salt.
- Simmer. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and the oil starts to shimmer on the surface.
- Finish. Turn off the heat and stir in the torn basil. Taste and add more salt, or a little sugar if it tastes sharp. For a smoother sauce, pulse briefly with an immersion blender.
Tips for the Best Homemade Marinara Sauce
Don’t burn the garlic. Browned garlic tastes bitter. Cook it just until fragrant, then add the tomatoes.
Simmer uncovered. This lets the sauce thicken and the flavors concentrate.
Stir and scrape. Tomato sauce can stick to the bottom. Stir every few minutes and scrape the pot.
Season at the end. As the sauce reduces, the salt concentrates. Taste before adding more.
Use a splatter screen. Simmering sauce bubbles and pops, so partially cover the pot or use a screen if you like a clean stove.
Can You Can Homemade Marinara Sauce?
Many people search for canning pasta sauce recipes made with canned tomatoes, and I get the appeal. But home canning tomato sauce safely needs a tested recipe, added acid like lemon juice or citric acid and the correct processing time, because tomatoes alone may not be acidic enough to prevent the bacteria that cause botulism. Recipes with onion, garlic and oil, like this one, are lower in acid and are not safe for water bath canning as written. For tested canning recipes and instructions, check the National Center for Home Food Preservation. For everyday cooks, freezing is the easiest, safest way to store a big batch of homemade marinara sauce.
Easy Variations
- Arrabbiata: Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a spicy sauce.
- Puttanesca style: Stir in chopped olives and capers at the end.
- Vodka-style: Stir in a splash of cream after simmering (this makes it non-vegan).
- Roasted garlic: Use a whole head of roasted garlic instead of fresh.
- Veggie loaded: Blend in a grated carrot and zucchini for extra vegetables.
- Using canned tomato sauce: In a pinch, swap one can of whole tomatoes for two 15-ounce cans of plain tomato sauce. It will be smoother and cook a few minutes faster.
What This Recipe Costs
Here’s what I paid this fall: two cans of whole tomatoes $4.00, olive oil $0.80, onion $0.40, garlic $0.30, tomato paste $0.20, basil $0.50, seasonings $0.10. That’s about $6.30 for 6 cups of homemade marinara sauce.
How to Use Homemade Marinara Sauce
Toss it with spaghetti or penne and a little pasta water for a quick dinner. Spoon it over meatballs, chicken or eggplant parmesan. Use it as pizza sauce, layer it in lasagna or baked ziti, or serve it warm for dipping mozzarella sticks and garlic bread. It’s also great with my cheesy zucchini boats, and a ladle stirred into my slow cooker chicken tortellini soup makes a tasty tomato twist.
Storage and Freezing
Fridge: Store cooled homemade marinara sauce in a sealed jar or container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze in freezer bags laid flat or in freezer-safe containers with 1 inch of headspace for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or warm gently from frozen on the stove.
Portion tip: Freeze some in 1-cup portions for pizza night and quick lunches.
For more on how long foods last in the fridge, the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart is a handy reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between marinara and pasta sauce?
Marinara is a quick, simple tomato sauce with garlic and herbs. Jarred pasta sauces often include more ingredients, sugar or meat and are cooked longer.
Can I use fresh tomatoes for homemade marinara sauce?
Yes. Use about 4 pounds of ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, and simmer a little longer, 30 to 40 minutes.
Why is my marinara sour?
Some tomatoes are more acidic. Add a pinch of sugar or a little grated carrot and simmer a few more minutes.
Is marinara sauce vegan?
Yes. This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten free. Just skip any cheese on top.
How can I make it smoother?
Pulse it with an immersion blender or in a regular blender, venting the lid to let steam escape.
Make a Pot This Week
This homemade marinara sauce is simple, cheap and full of fresh tomato flavor, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes. Once you make it, the jarred stuff will be hard to go back to. For more easy meals, browse my dinner recipes.
If this sauce made your pasta night, share the recipe with a friend who loves Italian food, and follow me on Pinterest for more budget pantry recipes. After you make it, scroll down to the recipe card and leave a star rating, then tell me in the comments what you served it with. Happy cooking!
