Homemade Marinara Sauce doesn’t get any easier! This requires just a handful of ingredients – tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, and basil, and a quick 20-minute simmer for a memorable Italian Marinara.
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Marinara Sauce Recipe
Everyone needs a great pasta sauce in their recipe collection, and this one is a keeper. It is a simple tomato-based sauce made with onions, garlic, and herbs. It originated in Italy and is used in many Italian-American dishes like Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti and Meatballs, or Baked Ziti.
Once you try this, you’ll ditch the canned marinara sauce – it’s fresher, more flavorful, doesn’t have hidden preservatives, excess sugar or salt, etc, and you can customize it. I use this homemade marinara sauce to elevate any recipe that calls for Marinara Sauce.
Marinara Sauce Video Tutorial
I hope this Marinara recipe becomes a new favorite go-to recipe for you.
Helpful Reader Review
“I love that this marinara recipe was so quick to make! It was easy, too. It’s absolutely delicious!! One of the best I’ve ever had, and I cook often.” – Shalay ★★★★★
Ingredients for Homemade Marinara Sauce
The ingredients are pantry staples like canned tomatoes that we always keep on hand, so it’s easy to whip up. Since the ingredient list is very short, make sure to source the best quality ingredients you can find.
- Olive Oil – Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for extra flavor
- Onions and Garlic – aromatics that add sweetness and depth of flavor
- Crushed Tomatoes – “San Marzano Tomatoes.” San Marzano is an Italian variety of plum tomatoes and the gold standard of Italian Marinara. They are known for their sweet flavor and low acidity for a more authentic marinara sauce.
- Simple Seasonings – I used dried oregano because I always keep that on hand, but you can use fresh oregano. To substitute fresh oregano, add 1 1/2 tsp or 3 times the amount of dried oregano. You’ll also need salt and pepper to round out the flavors.
- Fresh Herbs – you can use either chopped fresh basil or parsley, depending on what you have on hand. they both add vibrant Italian flavors when stirred in at the very end.
Substitutions & Variations
- Heat – add a pinch of red pepper flakes when adding dried herbs.
- Tomato Paste – add 2 tsp tomato paste before adding crushed tomatoes to add depth of flavor.
- Parmesan Rind – if you have a rind on hand, simmer it in the sauce for extra richness then remove before serving.
- Italian Seasoning – swap dried oregano with Italian seasoning for a more complex flavor.
- Tomatoes – if you don’t have crushed tomatoes, you can use whole peeled San Marzano canned tomatoes and crush by hand or use fire roasted canned tomatoes for a smoky flavor profile.
- To Balance Acidity – some canned tomatoes can be more acidic. You can simmer with a peeled carrot or add a bit of sugar (start with 1/2 tsp) to balance the acidity.
Can I Substitute Fresh Tomatoes?
Fresh tomatoes would essentially have to be turned into crushed tomatoes with the added steps of blanching and peeling the tomatoes then simmering them down to the correct consistency which will really increase the time for making homemade marinara.
If you’re looking for a marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes, make sure to check out our Mushroom Mariana Sauce.
How to Make Marinara Sauce
A saucepan and spatula are all you need to make a homemade marinara sauce that tastes better than any canned version. Watch the Video Tutorial below, and you will memorize this recipe in no time.
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add diced onion and saute until soft (5 minutes), then stir in garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer partially covered for 15 minutes.
- Stir in chopped fresh basil and remove from heat.
Pro Tip: Use Non-Reactive Cookware
When making marinara sauce, always use a non-reactive saucepan such as stainless steel, enameled cast iron or a ceramic-coated pot. Avoid aluminum or uncoated cast iron which can react with the acidity of tomatoes to create a metallic taste and even discolor your sauce.
Is Marinara Sauce the Same as Pasta Sauce?
They are similar and sometimes used interchangeably in recipes, but they do have some big differences in ingredients and cooking times.
- Marinara sauce – cooks quickly in under 30 minutes with lighter and fresher flavors and a shorter list of ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, onion, herbs, and olive oil.
- Pasta Sauce (Italian tomato sauce) – is slowly simmered for 1 to 4 hours. Includes more aromatics like carrots and celery as well as wine, broth, and sometimes meat as with Bolognese Sauce.
Storing Homemade Marinara
- To Refrigerate: Once your marinara has cooled completely to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container or glass jar with a lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Add cooled marinara sauce to freezer-safe ziptop bags or containers, remove excess air, and leave a little room for expansion, then freeze flat for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw frozen sauce in the refrigerator, or you can quick-thaw zip-top bags in a bowl of warm water for 15-20 minutes. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop in a non-reactive pan. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
How to Use Marinara Sauce
This recipe is so versatile. Use it for any recipe that calls for Marinara Sauce, from tossing with homemade pasta to casseroles or even instead of pizza sauce on my favorite Overnight Pizza Dough or as a dipping sauce for Stromboli. Here are my favorite ways to use homemade marinara:
- Stuffed Chicken Parmesan
- Lasagna
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Juicy Meatball Recipe
- Spaghetti Meat Sauce
- Meatballs Parmesan
- Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Manicotti
- Zucchini Lasagna
Homemade Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, 1/2 cup chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 Tbsp fresh basil, or parsley, finely minced, plus more to garnish
Instructions
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add 1/2 cup chopped onion stirring often until soft and golden (about 5 min). Add minced garlic and stir 1 min, or until fragrant.
- Stir in 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bring to a light boil then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 15 minutes.
- Finally, stir in 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil then turn off the heat.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
I wanted a simple sauce for homemade meatballs… This sauce is OUTSTANDING!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Steve!
When I was a chef that worked with a Italian chef at a yacht club.We used to make marinara a coule times a month because we use it for so much
Wow! That’s awesome!
Can I use San Marzano tomatoes for this recipe? Thanks!
That should work too, Christine I hope you love the recipe!
Nothing to do with real lasagna, the cheese stated isn’t part of the real recipe, we use besciamella sauce. And no eggs added.goes to show that a lot of people have never eaten genuine lasagna before, sounds like an American improvised dish.
Super easy and delicious. I added a 1/2 tsp to cut the acidity just due to our preference but otherwise followed the directions exactly.
Hi Natasha do I need to add different ingredients if I want to can this?
You need to make some adjusments if you want to can this recipe. I haven’t tried canning this to advise of the changes and process.
Wow. All I can say is this is the best and the easiest marinara sauce I have ever made. This will be my go to recipe from now on! Thanks Natasha!
You are so very welcome!
Will be making this sauce as soon as I get the ingredients thank you Natasha .Your recipes are great so easy to follow ..👍 Love your fun antics during your Videos .
Natasha arancini balls recipe is 5 star. I have not seen a recipe that Nasha made that is not fabulous and I love her personality.
Morning Natasha:
Thanks for the tasty recipe! It was yummy. I added a Dan of tomato paste and some additional herbs. Frankly, your recipe was just as good without the additional “Touches”.
Thanks again . “Lars”
You’re very welcome!
What to do with all my garden Roma tomatoes?? Found this recipe and made sauce!! Great recipe. Thankyou.
You’re so welcome, Ryan! This recipe tastes even that much better with fresh garden tomatoes!
Best marinara sauce and so easy!!! Will deff be keeping this recipe!!!!
Yummy. I only had tomato sauce on hand so that’s what I used. However, I did add a handful of cherry tomatoes to the pan with the onion and let them “blister” then crushed them, so it worked just as well as crushed tomatoes!
Can this recipe be jarred by water bath?
Hi Ranger! I haven’t tried canning this.
You’re recipes are all Ammmazing! thank you for sharing.
Quick, easy, and delicious. The only change I made was pulsing in food processor as I prefer a smooth marinara sauce.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Collette! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Natasha! I made this recipe along with your mozzarella sticks and it was a life changer!! Thank you so much! You are a life changer.
My marinara sauce turned out chunky and I followed your recipe exactly. It didn’t taste like sauce
Hi Juhee, what tomato product have you used?
Hi. I used crushed tomatoes.thats what the recipe calls for
Hi Juhee. The consistency will vary from brand to brand so try different ones until you find one you like. I used Tuttorosso crushed tomato with basil so I cut back slightly on the fresh basil addition. Pulpy but not chunky consistency
Juhee – crushed tomatoes are quite literally … tomatoes that have been crushed. Sounds like you nailed the recipe 🙂 If you didn’t want “chunky” maybe consider blending / pulsing? Sometimes you need to use your head in the kitchen! Or perhaps you can buy a jar or can of tomato sauce that suits your preference.
Easy to prepare and delicious.
Thank you Natasha, 🥰
You’re very welcome!
Hi Natasha, Thanks to you for all the quick and budget friendly restaurant style recipes. any tips on how can we store the sauce and for how many days . TIA
Hi Padma! To Store Homemade Marinara Sauce: transfer to a sealed jar or Tupperware container and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. You can add the basil when you initially make the sauce or add it fresh when you reheat the sauce.
Hi Natasha, I am from South Africa I always cook meal from your page and my hubby loves it. He thinks he is married to the chef:-). I want to try the source can I use chopped tomatoes or grate it myself at home or I need the tin one? Also can I use the source as my pizza base?
I’m so happy to hear that, Mimie! If you want to use fresh tomatoes, you’ll want to first make homemade crushed tomatoes and then proceed with the recipe. You can research online how to make crushed tomatoes.
Yes- this sauce works great for pizza! I hope you love the recipe.