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    Home » Recipes » Healthy Recipes » Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce

    Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce

    Published: Feb 8, 2016 · Modified: Dec 19, 2022 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 28 Comments

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

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

    marinara sauce being poured onto pasta in a white bowl

     

    My husband taught me how to make this most incredible homemade marinara 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.  It is a really easy sauce to make!

    It is truly an all-time favorite!

    How to Make this Marinara recipe

    Step 1: Pour olive oil in a large pot.

    Step 2: Add minced garlic and chopped onion in the pot and saute until translucent and soft. Do not brown!  This is very important.

    stainless steel pot with onions sauteing

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

    a blender with tomatoes and onions inside

    Step 4:Add in dry ingredients

    pot with marinara sauce topped with dried basile

    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.

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

    Try these pasta recipes too:

    Chicken and Spinach in Feta Cream Sauce

    Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole

    Cod Recipe in Tomato Basil Sauce

    A close up of a bowl homemade marinara sauce
    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!
    4.79 from 14 votes
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 40 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.
     

    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

    Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @ToSimplyInspire or tag #ToSimplyInspire!

    Sharing of this recipe to social media is both encouraged and appreciated. Please share the direct link back to the recipe. Copy/Pasting and/or screenshots of the recipe to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected

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    Filed Under: Healthy Recipes, Main Dishes, Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. 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

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    Hi there! I’m Sherri I love creating a variety of easy recipes that anyone can make and enjoy! From healthy to comforting, I hope you find something that inspires you!.

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