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 absolutely love your recipes, they are now being added to my recipe binder 😀 my kids love everything I make from your site.. I do want to know about canning or freezing as that will be my experiment next summer homemade jams jelly salsa and sauce
I’m so happy to hear that your family are loving them!
Hi Natasha!
All your recipes are excellent and very easy to make. I love your personality and how much fun you have explaining your videos. Two of your recipes that I have made several times is the cabbage fried rice and I also add carrots and the other is the cabbage casserole, both are a great hit. I also laugh a lot when the time comes to try the recipe, the tremendous portion that you put in your mouth, you really are very funny. I’m going to make the lasagna soon and I’ll tell you how it turns out.
Congratulations, you are excellent!
Aww, thank you, that is very sweet! I’m so glad you love my recipes.
Can this be canned or frozen?
I love your recipes and have used many of them with happy results
Hi Barbara, I haven’t tried canning this. To Store Homemade Marinara Sauce: transfer to a sealed jar or Tupperware container and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Please get your recipe books published. We are all waiting.
Hi Donna! We’re working on it! Our book is planned to come out Fall of 2023!
So happy for you no happy for me…your recipes are beyond fabulous. A recipe book from you is a must. Happy Holidays and many thanks for taking all the time it takes to share your recipes!
Thank you for your kind words, Linda. I am currently working on my cookbook and it will be ready by October of next year!
Oh my gosh!! I’m so excited to hear you’re working on a book! So many of your recipes are my absolute favourites & so easy to follow. Looking forward to getting the book. Yay!
Thank you, Jodi! We are so excited!
Hi Natasha,
3 times I did this recipe. So quick and so good. I accompanied with 2 boiled eggs and rice.
I did also with spaghetti but then accompany with brocoli.
Positive of this recipe I lose weight everytime I eat this. Thank you.
Hi Mirella! So glad you love this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
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.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Shalay!
I’m about to test out your wonderful chicken parmesan so I wanted to go all out and make homemade marinara and yours of course looks the best. If I wanted to double or triple how would you do the measurements for each ingredient? I don’t want anything to be too much or too little. But we add pasta on the side and love extra sauce for that and even bread sticks. Thank you so much and I’m so excited to see how it ends up turning out.
Hi Angela, I have a tool on my website to help with that. If you hover your cursor above the number of servings in the recipe card, slide right or left to increase/decrease the recipe and the ingredient list will be adjusted for you.
Natasha,
Love all of your recipes they are great! They all look so yummy! Every time I check out one of your great recipes I want to make it right away. When I go to your site I always find great recipes to prepare for my family.
Hi Carol! I’m so happy to hear that. This is why I do what I do. So glad it’s helpful.
I just made this recipe with fresh garden tomatoes. It might take longer, but it is worth it. I cook down the tomatoes and use the hand bender so it isn’t chunky. Otherwise followed your recipe. I have been cooking for 60 years and have made a lot of marinaras. This one was the easiest. It is delicious! I actually love all of your recipes.
Thank you for sharing, Darleen! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes.
I just finished mine with fresh tomatoes – I’m canning it. already tastes great
The best feeling! I hope you love it even more once it’s ready!
I doubled the recipe and canned it and it turned out great, thanks!
You’re welcome and great to hear that!
Can you explain your canning process for this sauce please (:
Hi Natasha, can I make this recipe with home grown tomatoes? Would you change anything?
Many thanks.
Hi Sharyon! Yes, see my recipe notes. Fresh tomatoes would essentially have to be turned into crushed tomatoes with the added steps of blanching and peeling the tomatoes and then simmering them down to the correct consistency which will really increase the time for making homemade marinara.
This is the best Marinara sauce. I slways double this and freeze half of it so I always have some available. Thank you for ALL the wonderful recipes you share. (Your apple pie is actually my favorite.)
You’re welcome! Thank you for sharing. I’m glad you enjoy my recipes.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Malibda!
Hi Natasha, I am just wondering can your delicious marinara sauce be canned?
Thanks,
Susie
Hi Susie! I have not tested canning this. If you experiment, please let us know how it goes.
Hi Natashia,
I prefer a marinara sauce that isn’t chunky. What would I replace the can of tomatoes with?
The tomatoes are a key ingredient in this recipe. I have not tested an alternative. You may try blending them to make them less chunky.
Hello Natasha,
In the section where it shows your fav ways to use Marinara there is a mistake,
While you wrote lasagna in the 2nd one, the link goes to lasagna roll ups
However at the end where you wrote lasagna roll ups it also links to it.
Can you please address this issue
And,
Did anyone else face this issue
Thank you so much
Hi Polly, thank you so much for that helpful feedback. Here is the Lasagna recipe and I have updated the link in the post.
This marinara sauce is so easy to make. It is delicious! Thank you so much Natasha. You are so awesome!
Hi Debra! Thank you. So glad you enjoyed it.
My husband lost most of his sense of taste and smell several years ago. Tonight he said, “Even with my limited taste, I can tell this is better than any jarred spaghetti sauce!”
I love that because I prefer this over any jarred sauce as well.
Bless you, Natasha!
Hi Sue! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoy this recipe. 🙂
This recipe is so simple and such a great recipe. My wife and I use this as our go to sauce. 👍👍
Glad to hear that, Tim. Thank you for the great feedback!
Your sauce is very good and similar to the sauce my Italian grandmother made from scratch, 70 yrs ago, using fresh crushed tomatoes from her garden. One thing she added to the recipe, were a couple thick chunks of pepperoni. The oil from the pepperoni would be skimmed off when the sauce was finished. The pepperoni would be sliced and used on pizza.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, John. I’m all smiles
Made this today … had to use diced fire roasted tomatoes plus 2T of tomato paste per crushed tomatoes substitution advice I found . Otherwise followed recipe and it was Wonderful – looking forward to making in future using all exact ingredients !!
I took pix – how do I get it to you ?
That’s wonderful, Mary! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. You can always tag me on Facebook or Instagram, #natashaskitchen.
I love this sauce! I did add white wine, sugar and kosher salt to it. Then added cooked ground beef at the end and a little pasta water to thin it out a bit. This will become our weekly option, thank you!
Great to hear that you loved it, Ann!