Classic Homemade Marinara Sauce
Skip the jarred stuff! This rich, flavorful marinara sauce comes together in just 30 minutes using simple pantry staples. Perfect for pasta, pizza, meatballs, or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks. Kid-approved, freezer-friendly, and guaranteed to make weeknight dinners or last-minute meals feel a little special.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 150kcal
Cost: $6
Ingredients
- 1 28 oz. can San Marzano peeled tomatoes
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup onion finely chopped
- ½ cup white wine or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and crush by hand. This gives a rustic texture and keeps the sauce from being too uniform. Blender optional.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or saucepan. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic for the last 30 seconds, cooking until fragrant but not burnt.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, oregano, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Pour in the wine or broth. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed; add more salt, sugar, or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
- Ladle over pasta, spoon onto meatballs or chicken, slather on pizza, or use as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.
Notes
The sauce improves slightly after a day in the fridge, giving flavors time to meld, perfect for make-ahead dinners.
Substitutions:
- Fresh basil for parsley
- Red wine instead of white for a deeper flavor
- Honey, maple syrup, or grated carrot for natural sweetness
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.
- Freeze in mason jars or freezer bags up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Toss with spaghetti and top with Parmesan
- Use as a pizza sauce for homemade pizza night
- Serve as a dipping sauce for garlic bread or mozzarella sticks
- Spoon over chicken Parmesan for an easy, elevated weeknight meal
Nutrition
Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 603mg | Potassium: 443mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 614IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
