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    Home » Recipes » Healthy Recipes » Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce

    Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce

    By Sherri On February 8, 2016, Updated March 3, 2021 26 Comments

    4302 shares
    4.73 from 11 votes
    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    closeup of homemade marinara sauce in white bowl

    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!
    4.73 from 11 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

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

    Instructions

    • Pour olive oil in a large pot.
    • Add minced garlic and chopped onion in pot and saute until translucent and soft. Do not brown!! This is very important.
    • Place tomatoes in a blender or food processor and blend about 5-10 seconds until smooth and pureed.
    • Add in dry ingredients
    • Bring 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

    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
    Tried this recipe?Mention @ToSimplyInspire or tag #ToSimplyInspire!
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    Filed Under: Healthy Recipes, Main Dishes, Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. judith judge

      October 19, 2020 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      this sounds so good will try it soon

      Reply
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. Mark Whitnell

      October 17, 2019 at 12:40 pm

      3 stars
      You really should try another recipe…add anchovies, and the most important item is a dash of cloves. Delete the sugar.

      Reply
    6. Kay

      November 20, 2016 at 12:30 am

      How many people does this batch serve? My daughter wants to make fresh pasta for a casual dinner party. Got to have good marinara sauce!

      Reply
      • Sherri

        November 21, 2016 at 12:48 pm

        Hi! It makes enough for at least 8-12 servings 🙂 Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

        Reply
    7. Miz Helen

      February 23, 2016 at 10:21 am

      5 stars
      Your homemade sauce looks fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a fantastic day!
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
    8. April J Harris

      February 22, 2016 at 2:37 pm

      5 stars
      There’s nothing like good old fashioned homemade Marinara Sauce! Your recipe sounds delicious, Sherri. Shared. Thank you for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Hop.

      Reply
    9. Ann

      February 21, 2016 at 10:15 am

      Love the home-made version of marinara sauce! 🙂 #foodiefriDIY

      Reply
    10. Bree

      February 20, 2016 at 12:38 pm

      I can’t wait to try this! My husband and I were just talking about finding a recipe for homemade marinara since it’s less expensive, healthier, and yummier than store bought. Will be making this soon 🙂

      Reply
    11. Carole @ From My Carolina Home

      February 19, 2016 at 10:22 pm

      Looks simple and good. Visiting from Pieced Pastimes Saturday Sparks.

      Reply
    12. Nicole

      February 19, 2016 at 11:23 am

      This looks so delicious!! My mother used to make her own homemade maranara sauce and it was so good. Since tasting that the store bought just doesn’t even come close. We will have to give this a try and see how everyone likes it!! Pinning, stumbling, tweeting, and sharing on Google+.

      Reply
      • Sherri

        February 19, 2016 at 11:52 am

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    13. Pam@over50feeling40

      February 18, 2016 at 7:17 pm

      Good recipe! Thanks for sharing with the Thursday Blog Hop!

      Reply
    14. Lori

      February 18, 2016 at 1:17 pm

      I’ll have to try this. I’ve tried other marinara sacues and haven’t found a favorite recipe yet. This looks delicious!

      Reply
    15. Cheryl

      February 17, 2016 at 11:58 pm

      Thank you for sharing, this looks so much better than the stuff you buy. Pinning so I can make it later.

      Reply
    16. Garden-2-Plate

      February 17, 2016 at 11:17 am

      4 stars
      This sounds like mine except I use fresh tomatoes. I would never want to compare it to an Italian mother in laws that sounds like trouble. Thanks for sharing on Raising Homemakers Link Up.

      Reply
    17. Debbie

      February 16, 2016 at 2:45 pm

      This looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    18. Morgan @ Morgan Manages Mommyhood

      February 16, 2016 at 1:01 pm

      There is seriously NOTHING better than homemade marinara (except, maybe fresh bread to dip in it!). This is such a great recipe to have in your back pocket!

      Reply
    19. Becca @ The Earthling's Handbook

      February 16, 2016 at 11:33 am

      I love making homemade sauce! I started when I was around 12 years old and was surprised at how easy it is to make a basic marinara.

      I usually use tomato puree so I can skip the pureeing step–it contains only tomatoes, no salt or anything.

      A while back, I was writing down how I made every batch of spaghetti sauce because I like to use whatever compatible vegetables we have on hand. I haven’t done that recently, but I have half a dozen variations up (plus some other tips in the “spaghetti sauce” category) if you are interested!

      Reply
    20. Liz

      February 15, 2016 at 9:16 am

      Yum! Now I want spaghetti and meatballs at 8:15 in the morning… 😉

      Reply
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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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