Is there anything more satisfying than a homemade sauce? While store-bought jars might be convenient, they’re often packed with excess salt and sugar. The beauty of crafting your own Hearty Marinara Sauce is that it’s not only healthier but also perfect for making in bulk and freezing for later.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Making your own pasta sauce isn’t for everyone. But if you like to know what is going into your food, if you like to control the amount of salt and sugar in what you eat, and if you love the fresh flavors that home cookin’ brings to your table then this recipe is for you.
- You control the salt and sugar
- No added mystery “natural flavors”
- Sneak in added veggies like grated carrots or finely chopped spinach
If you like this recipe, you’ll love my Chicken Artichoke Dish. It’s ready in 35 minutes.
Marinara Ingredients
Canned Tomatoes
The biggest flavor difference between a good tasting sauce and a great tasting sauce is the type of tomatoes you buy. If you have never bought San Marzano tomatoes, save up a few extra bucks and give them a try.
A true San Marzano tomato is grown at the base of Mount Vesuvius in the Campania region of Italy. This region is where the Neapolitan pizza was born. San Marzanos are a plum tomato with fewer seeds, a thicker flesh, and a slightly sweet robust flavor.
There are plenty of knock off San Marzano tomatoes out there. A true San Marzano tomato will have a star seal on the can from the DOP that states “Pomodoro San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese Nocerino” which means it is grown in this special region.
According to Rick Zullo’s article, “Why San Marzano Tomatoes are the Best” at Eat Like an Italian, San Marzanos grown in California have a different flavor, which is still tasty, but not the same. One thing about a true San Marzano is it will not contain calcium chloride which some produces put in canned tomatoes (particularly diced) to help keep their shape. Calcium chloride also makes it more difficult for the tomato to break up and melt into the sauce.
How to tell if you have a knock off San Marzano:
- It contains calcium chloride.
- The tomatoes are diced. San Marzanos are only sold whole or filleted, never diced or crushed.
- It doesn’t have the DOP star emblem ensuring it’s grown in the Campania region.
You be the judge if San Marzano’s are worth the price for you.
Olive Oil
Every good sauce has some extra virgin olive oil to give it some richness and allow the onions and garlic to soften.
Onion & Garlic
I like a yellow onion in my marinara sauce but choose what you like. White onions work well too.
You gotta have garlic in your sauce. This is an Italian dish, after all.
Basil & Seasonings
Basil also adds a little bit of sweetness to this sauce. Plus, it’s tomatoes BFF.
Anything goes flavoring your sauce. Here is what typically goes in mine:
- Salt & Pepper
- Italian Seasoning
- Red Pepper Flake
- Red Wine (if there is an open bottle)
- Parmesan rind (if there’s one available)
We go through a lot of parmesan wedges since we make Chicken Spiedini often. Once we get down to the rind, we put in a freezer safe zip top bag and throw it in the freezer.
If you are using grated parmesan cheese in the canister, please read the ingredient list. There are a lot of additives to keep it from clumping together. Plus, it doesn’t taste as good as fresh off the wedge.
The rind is great in soups or in this marinara sauce. Let is simmer with the sauce or soup, then discard (if there is anything left). It adds some much flavor.
How to Make Marinara
There’s a reason why Italians always have a pot of “sugo” on the stove top every Sunday. You get it started and let it simmer for a few hours. An occasional stir and voila, a tasty sauce is created.
The amount of time you cook the sauce varies in Italian recipes. In some it’s done in 45 minutes, others they let simmer for up to 4 hours. I like a mid-way point for my sauce. But when it’s thicker and tastes good to you, it’s done.
- Start with cooking your onions in olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.
- Once translucent, add garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Add whole tomatoes and break up with wooden spoon. Let Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, water, basil, salt and spices.
- Let simmer for 2 hours.
If you are sneaking in some extra veggies, you can put them in at any time since this sauce cooks for a few hours. I like to add grated carrots a few minutes after starting to sauté the onions.
Powdered super greens can also be added to this sauce beefing up the health benefits.
What to Serve with Marinara Sauce
Pasta: All the pasta. Whole wheat, gluten free, or regular in all shapes and sizes.
Meatballs: Make meatballs, bake them, and throw them in the sauce for the last 30 minutes of simmering.
Chicken Parm: Pound out chicken breasts or tenders so they are even, dip in egg, then in a mixture of panko, parmesan, and spices. Bake on wire rack with baking sheet under until they temp at 165 degrees. Follow the instruction in our Schnitzel recipe for this cooking technique.
Eggplant Stackers: Air-fried eggplant stacked on top of each other with marinara and goat cheese in between.
Lasagna: Whether it’s classic or zucchini noodle, this marinara is delicious in lasagna.
Pizza: Make your own dough or buy ready to go flat breads. Marinara goes great with so many toppings.
Italian Baked Eggs: Heat up marinara in saucepan over medium heat, make a well in sauce and crack an egg directly into well. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until eggs are cooked to your liking. Sprinkle with parm or mozzarella and serve with Italian bread.
How to Store Big Batch Leftover Marinara
This marinara can be canned or frozen for later use. I’m not a canning expert, so I go with freezing. Here are some options for ways to freeze once sauce is cooled. Remember to leave a little room at the top, as the sauce will expand slightly when freezing.
- Mason jars
- Glass containers with snap on lids
- Plastic Tupperware
- Zip top bags laid flat in freezer
When ready to use the marinara from the freezer, simply put it in the sink with cold water for a few hours to thaw. This works best with the mason jars or glass containers as the seal typically won’t let in water. Another option is putting it in the fridge the day before using.
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Hearty Marinara Sauce
Equipment
- 1 6 qt Stock Pot or 6-3/4 qt Enamel Coated Cast Iron Pot
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil extra virgin
- 1-1/2 cups Onion chopped
- 5-8 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 28 oz San Marzano Tomatoes whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 12 oz Tomato Paste
- 1 qt Water
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil chopped
- 1 Parmesan Rind optional
- 1 cup Red Wine optional
- 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flake optional
- 2 tsp Honey optional
Instructions
- Over medium heat, sauté onions in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds (don't burn the garlic or it will taste bitter).
- Add 2 cans of San Marzano Tomatoes (see notes). Using a wooden spoon or spatula, break up the whole tomatoes so there aren't any large chunks. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and 1 quart of water. Gently stir into sauce until combined. Add fresh basil, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. If using a parmesan rind (see note), red wine, honey or red pepper flake add those in now.
- Simmer for up to 2 hours with lid partially open to let out the steam. Sauce will reduce making it thicker. Taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper.
- Enjoy with pasta, or any of the suggestions in the post above.
- This is a double batch of sauce. To store leftovers, let cool and place in zip top freezable bags or glass jars. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in a sink full of cool water or place in refrigerator the day before use.