January 23, 2020

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Basic Marinara Sauce

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Manywhere

Skill Level: Everyone

Yield : about 1 quart Prep Time : 5m Cook Time : 45m Ready In : 45m

The making of Basic Marinara Sauce

This is a very easy and basic marinara sauce. But it’s so simple and so fresh, it makes one wonder why buy jarred?

This marinara sauce freezes well too, so when you do make it, double, or triple the recipe and put it into some Tupperware containers; stick in the freezer and you have an easy go-to sauce. Add some meatballs or sausage to make a great Italian spaghetti, or just toss with some pasta for a tasty side dish.

A little red wine makes a tasty addition. In the sauce, or in your mouth. I like it both places 🙂

You can make this marinara sauce with your own homemade tomato sauce or a canned tomato. When using canned tomatoes, I prefer whole tomatoes to diced. When you put a whole tomato in a can, you have to use a nice ripe whole tomato. Diced tomatoes can be a combo of good ripe ones and those that are not so ripe.

Ripe tomatoes of course, have rich tomato taste.

Unripe tomatoes, not so much.

If you do use canned tomato, I prefer Italian canned tomato products as they seem to have a richer, deeper, tomato taste.

Basic Marnara Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cups homemade tomato sauce, or 1 (35 -ounce) can Italian tomatoes with their juice, blended until smooth
4 large fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dry
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
Dry red wine, optional (when I add wine, I use about 1/2 cup)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

Step 1

Heat the oil in a sauce pan; add the onion and garlic, saute until soft.

Add the tomato sauce, or blended tomatoes and remaining ingredients.

Simmer, uncovered on low heat, until thickened, 30 - 45 minutes.