Homemade Marinara Sauce
Forget about the jar! Homemade Marinara Sauce is an amazing, multi-purpose Italian sauce that’s ready in just 20 minutes! This garlicky, tomato-based sauce is perfect for pizza, pasta, calzones, or dipping bread sticks!
If you’ve never made your own Homemade Marinara Sauce before, you’d be surprised to learn just how easy it is to make from scratch.
For some reason people think it requires a million ingredients and needs to simmer on the stove all day. Nope.
With ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, you can make your own fabulous Homemade Marinara Sauce in only 20 minutes!
In addition to being absolutely delicious and super easy to make, the ingredients for this marinara sauce are also inexpensive and easily found.
With the exception of fresh basil leaves, you might already have everything to make it!
Tip: Buy a basil plant and you’ll have fresh basil leaves whenever you need them!
Ingredients needed to make this recipe (scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):
- Olive oil
- Fresh garlic
- Canned crushed tomatoes
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Fresh basil
Wondering what the difference is between sauce and gravy? You’ll want to check out this post, gravy vs sauce!
How to use Homemade Marinara Sauce:
- Perfect dipping sauce for bread sticks, calzones, or stromboli
- For making Mushroom Kale Lasagna
- Dunking crispy mozzarella sticks or toasted ravioli
- A fabulous pizza sauce
- A wonderful sauce for your favorite pasta with The Best Italian Meatballs (shown below)!
Jazz up your Italian themed dinner with some Italian Pickled Vegetables (Giardiniera). It’s perfect on salads, or as part of an appetizer with cheese and crackers.
Have a little bit more time? Try my Amatriciana Pasta Sauce. This Italian favorite is made with bacon, onions, and garlic and is sure to be a new family favorite for pasta night!
How long is homemade marinara sauce good for?
Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Marinara can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months!
NOTES:
- Dried basil is NOT the same as fresh basil. The former imparts a sweetness to the sauce that I am just not a fan of. If you don’t have a fresh basil plant, you can get fresh basil leaves in the produce department of the grocery store.
- Different brands of crushed tomatoes provide different textures and chunkiness. Some are slightly watery and offer very minimal pieces of tomato, while others are very thick and hearty. Buy what you know you like. I used Muir Glen Organic Fire-Roasted Crushed Tomatoes in these photos.
- Dried garlic or garlic powder is not a substitute for fresh garlic in this recipe. This sauce is all about the incredible flavor from fresh garlic.
Homemade Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4-5 garlic cloves minced (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3-4 fresh basil leaves sliced or torn
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a medium sauce pan and saute the garlic for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn't burn. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and keep stirring for another minute. Add the canned tomatoes to the pan and turn up the heat so that it starts to bubble. When it does, reduce the heat to simmer and add the salt and fresh basil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for needed salt and enjoy!
- Can be refrigerated for a couple days or put in the freezer for later.
Did you make this recipe? Rate it and let me know in the comments below! ♥
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So delicious!! Thank you!!
Thank you for the feedback! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Goes great with all your favorite pastas!