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    Home » Recipes » Italian

    Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce

    Published: Feb 8, 2016 · Modified: Oct 25, 2023 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 31 Comments

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    Making homemade marinara sauce is so easy to make with canned tomatoes and a few other simple ingredients for a fresh authentic pasta sauce that perfectly seasoned.

    This recipe is great to freeze so that you always have it available to use with many pasta recipes like topping these baked chicken tenders, for chicken parmesan, meatballs, this classic lasagna recipe, and 3 cheese baked ziti,…..you can literally use this sauce for everything you’d like!

    marinara sauce being poured onto pasta in a white bowl

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    Jump to:
    • Best Marinara Sauce Recipe
    • Ingredients Needed
    • Can I use fresh tomatoes?
    • Variations
    • How to Make this Marinara Sauce from Scratch
    • Tips
    • Homemade Marinara Sauce

    Best Marinara Sauce Recipe

    My husband taught me how to make this most incredible homemade sauce years ago.  This recipe actually comes from his mother’s husband, Papa Mike, whose Italian mother taught him how to make.

    Let me give you all the confidence you need to make this simple recipe.  It is a really easy tomato sauce to make and is so much better than jarred sauce!

    It is truly an all-time favorite! We use it for so many recipes other than spaghetti sauce. This marinara sauce is perfect as a dipping sauce and a pizza sauce too!

    Ingredients Needed

    • Olive oil – enough to cover the bottom of the pot.
    • Onion –  chopped
    • Garlic  – fresh minced garlic is the best. But you can use jarred minced garlic as well.
    • whole tomatoes – using canned whole tomatoes are my favorite. Plum and San Marzano canned tomatoes are my go-to’s to use.
    • dried basil – you can also add in a few fresh basil leaves.
    • dry oregano –
    • sugar – to cut the acidity just a tad.
    • black pepper – I add about ⅛ teaspoon.

    Can I use fresh tomatoes?

    Yes, you sure can make this marinara recipe with fresh tomatoes! Fresh tomatoes from our garden are always wonderful. Each 28 ounce can is approximately 2 pounds of tomatoes or 10-12 tomatoes, depending on their size.

    Variations

    1. You can use other types of canned tomatoes like canned crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes. I think the flavor is better with whole tomatoes though.

    2. Add more favorite seasonings like a bay leaf or a little fresh thyme.

    3. Add crushed red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce to give the sauce a kick.

    4. Add vegetables like mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, or zucchini for a veggie-packed sauce.

    5. Add a cup of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

    How to Make this Marinara Sauce from Scratch

    Step 1 – Add the olive oil to a large pot.

    stainless steel pot with onions sauteing

    Step 2 – Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté until translucent and soft. Then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Do not brown!  This is very important.

    a blender with tomatoes and onions inside

    Step 3 – Place tomatoes and onions in a blender or food processor and blend about 5-10 seconds until smooth and pureed.

    pot with marinara sauce topped with dried basile

    Step 4 – Add in dry ingredients

    Step 5 – Bring sauce to a slow boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for a minimum of 1 ½ hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes so not to burn the bottom.  I prefer to simmer for about 3 hours but it is still yummy if you cook it at the minimum.

    Tips

    • Use an immersion blender if you have one and blend the tomatoes directly in the pot you will be using.
    • Using high quality canned tomatoes and fresh garlic for best flavors.
    • Allow the sauce to simmer for at least an hour to give the flavors time to meld together. The longer you let it simmer, the more bold the flavors will be.

    closeup of a scoop of marinara sauce over top of a bowl

    A close up of a bowl homemade marinara sauce

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate it in the recipe card. We would love for you to join us and over 300,000 followers on Facebook as well as on Pinterest and Instagram too!

    closeup of homemade marinara sauce in white bowl

    Homemade Marinara Sauce

    Making homemade marinara sauce is so simple to make with basic ingredients with no extra planning. The fresh taste is extraordinary!
    4.80 from 15 votes
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 20
    Calories: 49kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • 4 Tablespoon olive oil enough to cover the bottom of the pot.
    • 1 small onion chopped
    • 4-6 cloves garlic minced
    • 84 ounces Whole Plum tomatoes (3) 28 ounce cans
    • 2-3 Tablespoon dried basil
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • pepper to paste

    Instructions

    • Pour olive oil in a large pot.
      4 Tablespoon olive oil
    • Add the chopped onion to the pot and saute until translucent and soft. Do not brown!! This is very important. Then add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
      1 small onion, 4-6 cloves garlic
    • Place tomatoes in a blender or food processor and blend about 5-10 seconds until smooth and pureed.
      84 ounces Whole Plum tomatoes
    • Then pour the blended tomatoes into the pot.
    • Add in dry ingredients
      2-3 Tablespoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon oregano, pepper to paste, 1 teaspoon sugar
    • Bring the sauce to a slow boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for a minimum of an 1 ½ hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes so not to burn the bottom. I prefer to simmer for about 3 hours but it is still yummy if you cook it at the minimum.

    Notes

    Nutritional information is with (3) 28 ounce cans of tomatoes.
    You can use other types of canned tomatoes like canned crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes. I think the flavor is better with whole tomatoes though.
    2. Add more favorite seasonings like a bay leaf or a little fresh thyme.
    3. Add crushed red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce to give the sauce a kick.
    4. Add vegetables like mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, or zucchini for a veggie-packed sauce.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1.4mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barbara

      January 30, 2024 at 2:12 pm

      I also make a marinara sauce to keep in the freezer but instead of adding sugar, which some people don’t or can’t use, I add a little bit of baking soda which takes out the acidity without adding anything else. It will foam up a bit but just stir it in and you will never know it is there.

      Reply
    2. Barry

      October 25, 2023 at 10:58 am

      Can you use fresh tomatoes? If so what would the equivalent about of tomatoes be?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Sherri

        October 25, 2023 at 11:07 am

        You sure can. Use 2 pounds of tomatoes, which is usually 10-12 tomatoes, depending on the size.

        Reply
    3. Stephanie

      March 04, 2021 at 8:53 am

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe. I add carrots instead of sugar like my Italian Grandma used to do. It’s delicious. My family loves it.

      Reply
    4. Nancy Derhammer

      January 18, 2021 at 7:46 pm

      Can this be made in a slow cooker or crock pot

      Reply
      • Sherri

        January 18, 2021 at 8:03 pm

        Oh absolutely! I would but everything in and cook in on low for 6-7 hours. I would check it half way through and make sure it’s not losing moisture, If it’s looks too thick you can add 1/2 up of water.

        Reply
    5. Sue

      October 19, 2020 at 9:57 am

      It seems daunting to make homemade sauce when you aren’t Italian. I am and live on the stuff! 🙂
      My Mom made the best meat sauce around but 2 of my kids became vegetarian so I started making marinara and it’s my favorite.
      One morning a week growing up I’d wake up to the wonderful aroma of Mom making sauce. Ahhhhh!!!
      I like to simmer it for awhile but as you said you don’t really have to.
      I make sauce every week!

      Reply
      • Tracy Lee Quewezance

        November 16, 2022 at 12:56 am

        The recipe isn’t clear for me as to how much tomatoes to add

        Reply
        • Jeff d

          November 25, 2022 at 9:31 pm

          5 stars
          How can you miss where it says 3-28oz cans

    6. judith judge

      October 19, 2020 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      this sounds so good will try it soon

      Reply
    7. Shaunda Necole

      May 20, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      5 stars
      I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’ve never made homemade marinara.

      Reply
    8. Liz Berg

      May 18, 2020 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      I always make a double batch! Some for dinner and the rest for the freezer! A winning recipe!!!

      Reply
    9. Krysta

      March 11, 2020 at 12:54 pm

      This sauce is delicious. It’s what I make every time we need a red sauce! I do not ad the sugar and it’s STILL great! And one batch is enough for a meal for our family of 5 plus enough to freeze another meals worth.

      Reply
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    4.80 from 15 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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