Homemade Marinara Sauce
This easy, homemade Italian Marinara Sauce recipe only takes only 30 minutes to make and is infinitely more flavorful and delicious than anything in a jar.
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Growing up in an Italian household, homemade tomato sauce, or sugo as we call it, was on our table several times a week. This is the very first recipes I ever learned to make from my mom, who learned it from her mom, who learned it in Italy. This is the real deal, and it’s so simple to make, you’ll never go back to buying jarred sauce again.
All it takes to make a great homemade marinara is a can of good quality tomatoes, garlic and some spices. And contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t take all day to make. not all day. All you need are a few minutes of prep and 20 minutes to simmer.
Marinara, spaghetti sauce, pasta sauce, sugo, or gravy – it doesn’t matter what you call it. If you’re reaching for the store-bought stuff because you don’t have the time to simmer a pot of sauce on the stove all day, this recipe will change your ways. Don’t believe me? Keep reading to find out how!
For more authentic Italian recipes, try my Zucchini alla Scapece or Roman Chicken Cacciatore.
What Makes This Homemade Marinara Sauce The BEST!
- Beginner-friendly! This recipe is simple to put together and only requires basic cooking skills.
- Minimal ingredients that are easy to find.
- Budget-friendly. The cost of making this recipe is less than a couple of dollars!
- Pantry ingredients are easy to keep on hand and store so you can whip up this marinara sauce anytime the mood strikes.
- Versatile. This sauce is thick enough to use on your pizza, flavorful enough for your spaghetti and meatballs, and even works as a base for tomato soup!
Canned Tomatoes - Using canned tomatoes helps your sauce turn out the same – full of flavor and bright color – every time. Use whole peeled tomatoes, as they’re the least processed canned tomatoes and often have the best flavor. Just crush them with a spoon while cooking to break them into smaller pieces. My family is partial to the Pastene brand, but use whatever high-quality canned tomatoes you prefer.
Tomato Paste - This is optional but will add a richer flavor and thicker consistency. My family tends to make sauce on the thinner side, but if you prefer a thicker sauce don't skip it.
Onion - While some cooks do not include onion in their tomato sauce, I like the added flavor and sweetness it brings. Stick to yellow onion or sweet onions and use as much or as little as you prefer!
Garlic - Fresh garlic is a must! Do not substitute with garlic powder, it's not the same flavor. Use as much or as little as you like.
Bay leaf - This is a signature in our family recipe. Not all cooks add bay leaf, but our Sicilian family does. It adds a very subtle, yet distinct flavor to the sauce that I love!
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- A large saucepan or stockpot for cooking.
- A wooden spoon for stirring.
- Mason jars for storing.
Using Canned Tomatoes for Homemade Marinara Sauce
I always choose to use canned tomatoes, as opposed to fresh, when I make sauce. You can absolutely make a sauce out of fresh tomatoes when they're ripe in the summer, but canned tomatoes are available year-round and have a consistent flavor and texture. Plus, they're convenient!
How to make Homemade Marinara
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes, then cook for 1-2 minutes longer until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the canned tomatoes, then use a wooden spoon to smash and break them into pieces.
- Add a bay leaf and tomato paste (if using), along with about ½ - 1 cup of water, depending on the consistency of your tomatoes and how thick you want your sauce.
- Cover the pot and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
- If the sauce is too acidic or tastes bitter, add a small pinch of sugar to balance the flavors.
- Add fresh basil or parsley (if using) right before serving to preserve their flavor.
Marinara Recipe tips for success
- Cook your onion slowly to avoid browning. If they begin to brown, turn the heat down to low. You want your onions to be soft, but not caramelized.
- Have your can of tomatoes opened and ready before sautéing the garlic. Depending on how hot the pot is when you add garlic, you may only need to cook it for 30 seconds before it turns brown and begins to burn.
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the chunks of tomato and onion.
- If the flavor is a bit too acidic or bitter, add a pinch of sugar. The sugar helps to mellow the acid and balances the flavor. It won’t make the sauce sweet!
- Add some fresh basil or parsley at the end for freshness.
How to store Homemade Marinara Sauce
Store any leftovers in mason jars or airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze marinara sauce?
Absolutely, and I recommend it! Let the sauce cool completely, then pour it into mason jars or plastic pint or quart containers. Be sure to leave at least an inch of space on top, as the liquid will expand as it freezes.
You can also freeze it plastic freezer storage bags. Squish as much air out as possible and lay the bags flat to freeze. It will keep in the freezer for up to 9 months!
When you’re ready to use your frozen sauce, you can either get the bag out the night before to thaw in the refrigerator or let it sit under running water until mostly thawed, then pour it into a small pot on the stove over low-medium heat to warm up.
Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe Serving Suggestions
Homemade tomato sauce is essential in classic dishes like chicken Parmesan and eggplant parmesan. It also makes the base of my Italian Sunday Gravy with homemade Italian meatballs.
Or, you can use this simple tomato sauce as a base for the sauce that braciole gets cooked in. I also always use it in my Sicilian spiedini recipe!
How to use Authentic Italian Marinara Sauce
- Unbreaded Eggplant Parm
- Quattro Formaggi Pizza using homemade Neapolitan Pizza dough
- Chicken cutlet sandwiches
- Lasagna
- As a dipping sauce for fried calamari
- Tomato soup or Minestrone
- Scaccia Ragusana, a Sicilian stuffed bread
Homemade Marinara Sauce FAQs
Marinara sauce is made of tomatoes, garlic and other seasonings, depending on the cook. Some people add onions while others do not. Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and bay leaves can also be added to create a deeper and more robust flavor.
Spaghetti sauce can be marinara sauce, but oftentimes spaghetti sauce has extra ingredients indeed like ground meat or vegetables.
No, the marinara sauce doesn’t need sugar, but if the flavor is too acidic, adding a pinch of sugar can help to balance the acidity and make the flavor more mellow.
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Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ small yellow or sweet onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- kosher salt to taste
- pinch of red chili flakes
- 1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste optional
- pinch of sugar optional
- Fresh basil or Italian flat leaf parsley optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes, then cook for 1-2 minutes longer until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the canned tomatoes, then use a wooden spoon to smash and break them into pieces.
- Add a bay leaf and tomato paste (if using), along with about ½ - 1 cup of water, depending on the consistency of your tomatoes and how thick you want your sauce.
- Cover the pot and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is too acidic or tastes bitter, add a small pinch of sugar to balance the flavors.
- Add fresh basil or parsley (if using) right before serving to preserve their flavor.
Notes
- Cook your onion slowly to avoid browning. If they begin to brown, turn the heat down to low. You want your onions to be soft, not crisp.
- Have your can of tomatoes opened and ready before adding the garlic. Depending on how hot the pot is when you add garlic, you may only need to cook it for 30 seconds before it turns brown and begins to burn. Quickly adding the tomato sauce from tasting like burnt garlic.
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the chunks of tomato and onion.
- Tomato paste is optional. My family tends to make sauce on the thinner side, but if you prefer a thicker sauce don't skip it.
- If the flavor is a bit too acidic or bitter, add a pinch of sugar. The sugar helps to mellow the acid and balances the flavor. It won’t make the sauce sweet!
- This sauce has a robust Italian flavor on its own, but try adding some fresh basil or parsley at the end for freshness.
Can this sauce be canned? I’m unsure if the high heat of canning with affect the sauce.
Yes, absolutely! The heat will not affect the sauce.
Quick question - do you add the entire contents of the canned tomatoes (the juice) or do you just use the tomatoes and discard the juice? Can't wait to try this!
All of it!
Belisimo
Grazie mille! <3
My old school Italian ex mother-in-law taught me how to make Marinara decades ago. Her recipe is almost identical to this one. She would only use San Marzano tomatoes for the lower acidity.
I”m not as fussy and grab whatever is on sale.
I use 12 cans of tomatoes and one18 ounce can of tomato paste for the extra body. To the sautéed onion and garlic I add the tomato paste. I also cheat with dried basil and a little thyme. I add them to the pot and let the herbs, onions, garlic and tomato sauce cook together for a few minutes. Then the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and red pepper flakes. Just let it simmer and simmer…
*I don’t use carrots, a potato or sugar. I adjust the acidity with pinches of baking soda until it’s just right. Never fails!
Marina freezes very nicely. I put the sauce into containers and lay a piece of wax paper right on top touching the sauce to prevent freezer burn. Perfect to use for a last minute quick dinner.
I love this! I've always wanted to make a big batch like you do and can it for later, but freezing is a great idea. I love the wax paper, I'm going to try that!
quick & easy. need to add some spices(Italian seasoning, basil or oregano) as it was kind bland. I used whole tomatoes pulsed so it remained bright and light and cheery
This is the best marinara sauce and so easy!! Way better than any store bought one. Thank you for a delicious recipe!
Yay! So glad you love it as much as we do.
This my new go-to. Simple, tasty, no fuss. Great recipe
SO glad you enjoyed it!
Perfect easy sauce recipe. We make this all the time, so much better than jarred!!
So glad to hear that!!
love your web site. I'm a Gloucester gal & love to cook. Keep up the good work make our fishing port proud ! xo
I love your cooking shows plus your very attractive
Thanks!