This Easy Marinara Sauce recipe is just that...easy. The beauty of this lies in the simplicity of the ingredients and how versatile it is. This is a classic recipe that is always good to have on hand.
Marinara Sauce Ingredients
This recipe only has eight ingredients in it. Whole peeled tomatoes, garlic, oil, fresh basil, fresh oregano, grated parmesan, unsalted butter, and kosher salt. It comes together in about 45 minutes, so it is great for a quick weeknight meal.
I like to use whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes since they tend to have the freshest "tomato" flavor that you can find in any canned or jarred variety. This is one area I would not recommend making any substitutions.
The only real "non-traditional" ingredient is unsalted butter. I have found that it adds a soft richness to the sauce that olive oil on it's own doesn't provide.
I developed this recipe specifically for my Sunday Eggplant Parmesan, and it pairs great with my recipe for Homemade Cheesy Bread. It will work perfectly for virtually any recipe that calls for marinara sauce. This would be great as a pizza sauce for a Margherita pizza! It's so bright and fresh tasting, you'll have a hard time finding excuses to go back to jarred sauces.
Did you make this recipe for Easy Marinara Sauce?
Let me know in the comments below how yours turned out, and don't forget to leave a rating!
Recipe
Easy Marinara Sauce
Equipment
- Medium sauce pot
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Neutral Oil
- 4 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 28 oz Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes San Marzano
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Oregano Minced
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil Minced
- 1 Tablespoon Parmesan Grated
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Pinch Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in a medium sauce pot. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30-seconds until fragrant.
- Add whole tomatoes, oregano, basil, parmesan cheese and unsalted butter. Stir to combine and butter is melted.
- Break tomatoes with a wooden spoon, and bring sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 45-minutes to 1 hour until thickened.
- Crush tomatoes further if needed. They should be softer after simmering.
- Taste and adjust sauce for seasoning.
Marshall says
You guys.
When I say this is literally the only marinara recipe you will ever need for the rest of your life, I could not be more serious. I was blown away by the flavor in this sauce the first time I made it, and almost couldn't believe how much better it got the next time I made it with fresh herbs instead of dried. I can pretty much put this together from memory now, that's how often I make it, and I *always* make a double batch.
Another huge win: my kids actually eat it. I was short on time a little while ago and had to use jar sauce (which we had been buying for forever and is actually what I would consider really good), and my son took a bite and said, with a slight grimace, "Dad, is there something wrong with the sauce?" After telling him it what it was, he said, "Ok, well next time definitely make the good stuff."
There's pretty much no wrong way to do this recipe, but if you want the best quality, San Marzano tomatoes and fresh herbs are your best bet. Either way, though, you won't be disappointed!