Homemade Marinara Sauce

A plate of pasta with marinara sauce with a fork next to it and fresh basil near the dish

5 from 13 votes

Tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil are all it takes to make this delicious sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes, it's an easy option any night of the week.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Homemade marinara sauce, marinara sauce, Marinara Sauce Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 130

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves minced
56 oz canned tomatoes crushed (four 14oz or two 28oz cans)
a good handful of fresh basil chopped (I use a lot, but use as much or as little as you like).
Salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and saute the garlic for about a minute until lightly browned (being careful not to let it get too dark).
Add the tomatoes & basil, season with salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.
Taste for seasoning before serving and add more salt as needed.

Video

Notes

In such a simple recipe, high-quality tomatoes are key to a delicious sauce. I recommend San Marzano tomatoes as they are sweet and low in acidity.
Use fresh garlic for the best possible flavor.
Garlic burns easily and will become bitter when overcooked. Be sure to cook until it just starts to brown before adding the tomatoes.
Baking soda neutralizes acidity. To save bitter tomato sauce, add a pinch of baking soda at a time (tasting in between) until the acidity disappears. Alternatively, add sugar a half teaspoon at a time until it has the desired sweetness.

Salt like you mean it. Seasoning is the key to a simple tomato sauce. Taste between small additions, allow to dissolve and add more until it's perfectly seasoned.

Using Fresh Tomatoes

To use fresh tomatoes you will need 4 lbs of tomatoes, they will have to be prepped by skinning them, straining the seeds from the pulp, and dicing them into pieces that will cook evenly.

To adapt this recipe, add a little water, vegetable stock, or tomato juice (about a half cup) to the pan when adding the fresh tomatoes to help them cook down with the other ingredients. Check often and add liquid if it starts to dry out. The sauce may need to be pureed with a little water to loosen after cooking.

Nutrition