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
Natasha, I am looking for a good marinara to can. Do you think this one would work well?
Hi Bonnie, 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 for up to 3 months.
I’ve scrolled up and down 3 times and could not find the video. Saw a lot of advertising videos. Your videos are always very hardvto find, at least for me. Sorry.
Hi Kathy, the video is under the “Ingredients” heading towards the top of the post. I hope that helps! Also, make sure your ad blocker isn’t turned on or it won’t load. I’m working on switching it out to a youtube video which will load regardless.
Once cooked/simmered and cooled, will this marinara sauce freeze well? Wanting to make a triple+ batch at once and freeze some for later if so. Thx
Hi Jess! 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.
I added just a little bit of thyme and rosemary and it gave a little extra flavor. Not that it needed it if was great the way it was I was just experimenting and it was a nice little addition to add flavor.
Thank you for sharing, Rick! 🙂
hi- can this recipe be made with fresh tomatoes instead of canned?
Hi Mimi! See my notes above in the blog post “Can I Substitute Fresh Tomatoes?”
Hi Natasha, Sharon from Australia here.
What can I say but thank you.
My cooking has improved so much thanks to your easy- to -use recipes and helpful hints.
Every time I cook one of your meals my family give me good compliments.
The only trouble I do have is converting the American measurements to the Australian measures.
Hi Sharon! Thank you so much. I’m so glad you and your family are enjoying my recipes. I understand the frustration with the conversion. Most of my recipes include a “metric” button in the recipe card. If you click on that, it will convert the ingredient list for you. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha, I tried this sauce, to me it was kinda bland maybe it was the brand of crushed tomatoes I used but I added Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese it was better. Thank you for your great recipes. 🥰
Hi Cindy, maybe that was it. Every brand varies and yes, you may add those seasonings if you like them better with those.
Good tomatoes are the key, and I never buy ‘crushed’ tomatoes, as you have no idea what you are getting. Buy whole peeled tomatoes (preferably plum/romas), and just crush by hand
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Patricia!
Hi Natasha, I make the sauce very often and it’s absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Linda!
Hi Natasha,
What are your thoughts on adding ground turkey to the sauce for the stuffed shells recipe?
Hi Colean! Yes, cooking the ground meat and then adding it to the sauce I think would work great.
excellent sauce, no need to fly to Italy, save the plane trip money, this is GOOD. great job Natasha.
Aww, thank you, Chet! So glad you loved the sauce.
Could I use garlic infused olive oil for this recipe? And show many cups does the recipe make?
Hi Cathy! I think that would be fine. At the top of the recipe card, it lists the number of servings. It will yield 3 cups. You can increase or decrease this amount by hovering over the number of servings in red and it will change the ingredient quantities for you.
Excellent! Took a lot longer to cook, but was very easy and tasted great! I appreciate your including the nutritional information, but without either the serving size or the number of servings, it’s pretty useless. How many does this serve (i.e. how many servings did you use when calculating the nutr.?) Thanks for sharing.
The nutrition label is per cup of marinara. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha! I couldn’t find the video for this recipe.
Thanks!
Hi Tree, the video is right under the section titled: “Ingredients for Marinara Sauce:” I hope that helps!
Wow, this is really good. I have tried many recipes but this one has hit home. I might pull back to 1/4 onion, maybe. I use whole san marzanos, crushed by hand, then use an immersion blender at the end. PERFECT
Hi Jim! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I am a long time follower of Natasha’s kitchen. Every single recipe i’ve tried has been a hit in my household – this sauce was no different. Incredible easy recipe to follow and the sauce tasted wonderful. Thank you so much for creating and sharing these awesome recipes.
I’m so glad to hear that, Era! Thank you for sharing. I appreciate your love and support over the years. It means a lot to me.
Can you add meatballs to the marinara sauce and can I freeze it?
I think that will work!
Hi Natasha,
I would like to ask can I substitute store bought canned tomato sauce instead of the canned crushed tomato?
Hi, Rowena using a sauce/puree will make it taste and seem more like a tomato sauce than a marinara. I highly recommend crushed tomatoes.
You asked the same question the day before.Don’t forget the most important part of the recipe..San Marzano crushed tomatoes.Not just any crushed tomatoes and not tomato sauce
If you can find it, not sure who carries this crushed tomatoes. This recipe makes 3 cups, but you need 5 cups for baked ziti, so how do I make it taste right if making extra???
I love your recipes and I will be making your Baked Ziti this Christmas. I would like to ask, can I use store bought tomato sauce to make the homemade marinara sauce?
Hi, Rowena using a sauce/puree will make it taste and seem more like a tomato sauce than a marinara. I highly recommend crushed tomatoes.
Can you use dry basil instead of fresh or even oregano because I don’t have any fresh basil and only have dried basil and dried oregano
Hi Tia! Yes, you can. Dried herbs tend to lose some of their flavors so you’ll have to experiment with the amount.
Yes, old dried herbs can lose some flavor. But they still tend to be more concentrated than fresh ones. The general recommendation is to DECREASE the amount of herbs to 1/3 if substituting dried for fresh. One TABLESPOON of fresh herbs is about 1 TEASPOON of dried ones.
Sauce turned out wonderful! Made to go with your Chicken Parmesan recipe, which is also fantastic!!
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you loved this recipe. The chicken parmesan is one of our favorites! 🙂