Whew! Well, January is behind us… I’m not sure how that happened so quickly. Each month seems to disappear more quickly than the one before it. But, I guess it’s like they say, time flies when you’re having fun.
I’ve got a great little recipe for you today. This SUPER EASY marinara is a real show stopper. It’s great just by itself served over pasta (that’s how we like it at our house), but it also has lots of other uses like replacing a jarred spaghetti sauce and works great when making lasagna! One thing we like to do is make a big batch and freeze it in smaller portions and use it over pasta as a side dish on a busy weeknight. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 – 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 – 28 ox can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions. Saute until they start to brown.
- Add minced garlic. Heat until fragrant.
- Add both cans of tomatoes (with juice) and salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook on low for 30 to 45 minutes. (I like a fresh, more astringent flavor in my sauce, so I cook it for the least amount of time. If you’re looking for a deep, robust flavor cook it longer.)
Recipe Card
Stacey’s Basic Marinara
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions. Saute until they start to brown.
- Add minced garlic. Heat until fragrant.
- Add both cans of tomatoes (with juice) and salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook on low for 30 to 45 minutes. (I like a fresh, more astringent flavor in my sauce, so I cook it for the least amount of time. If you're looking for a deep, robust flavor cook it longer.)
Please note:
If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
After working in an Italian restaurant, here’s a couple more tips:
– If the sauce is tasting too acidic, add just a little bit of sugar – no more than a teaspoon at a time. All canned tomatoes are not alike and sometimes they are too acidic.
– If you want to make it a Fra Diavolo sauce (as in Shrimp Fra Diavolo), add 1/4 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes and a jalapeno pepper (which has been halved and de-veined and de-seeded) to the sauce. Leave the halves of the jalapeno pepper simmering in the sauce for only 15 minutes, otherwise, it will make the sauce too spicy.
Thanks for these great tips!
So good! Only used crushed tomatoes and half the garlic and was just what I was looking for, something simple, light and oh so tasty!
So glad you enjoyed it! This is one of those recipes that many folks overlook, but it’s sooo good!
My family does not care much for the acidic taste of marinara so I ad a tablespoon of dark brown sugar to this sauce. It seems to bring out the flavor of all the ingredients and it tastes richer.
I know quite a few folks that like to add a bit of sugar.
You’re correct. Sugar cuts the acidity in many sauces.
What kind of containers do you use for freezing your sauce?
I typically use quart freezer bags.
This is simmering right now and the smell in my house is fantastic! I love the fact that I had everything on hand and was able to put it together with ease. Serving with Italian sausages tonight, freezing the rest for another meal.
Wonderful! I hope it tasted as good as it smelled! Sounds delicious!
This is almost the same great recipe that I make in larger batches . I cook the onions and garlic in oil. Then add some red wine. Pour that into a large crockpot and then add the other ingredients.
In the last picture it looks as if there are little pieces of green in it. Do you add some sort of Italian seasoning or spice? Thanks so much!
I normally don’t add any italian seasoing or herbs. But, what happened this time is the only can of tomatoes I had had some basil in them, so that’s what you see in the sauce.
I always put dried basil and garlic powder in mine, but I use stewed tomatoes instead of the plain diced ones. I squish them up with my hands, removing the stem ends diced and stewed tomatoes always seem to have so many of. I started doing that after using plain diced tomatoes, for years, and wow! it made a BIG difference. (Also eliminated the need for adding your own onions) Even when I was a working gal, it only takes a few minutes to prepare, and is SO much better than bottled sauce. Thanks!
Another great tip! Thanks, Cynthia!
This sounds so good; I’ve been wanting to make some sauce “from scratch” and will do so now; happily you do not have a long “laundry list” of ingredients that I don’t normally stock – that’s the beauty of your recipes; simple yet delicious. Thanks!
Thanks, Karen! I share recipes that are things I like to cook and I love easy recipe that use common ingredients. I hope you’ll give this a try and come back and let me know what you think. 🙂
Do I have to use the crushed tomatoes? I know it sounds strange, but I don’t like crushed tomatoes, only diced. Thanks!
I like to used the crushed for texture, but there is no real reason that you can’t use all diced. Enjoy!
Perfect timing!! Hunts tomatoes are part of Krogers’ MegaSale in SC this week. Thanks for your website. Have added quite a few of your recipes to my collection.
Awesome! I wish I could take credit for that timing!! 🙂
may i ask approximately how much this recipe/batch makes? am definitely making..sounds great! thank you..chris
Sure! It makes around six cups depending on how much moisture is lost while cooking. Good luck!