Canned tomatoes simmer with garlic, onions and seasonings in this quick savory sauce that comes together in thirty minutes or less. Great for pasta, pizza and so much more.
Everyone needs a quick and easy marinara sauce recipe in their collection–something that can be thrown together with pantry staples–and this Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce is my go-to recipe when I need to whip up a red sauce in a hurry.
This recipe uses two kinds of canned tomatoes–crushed tomatoes and whole San Marzano tomatoes. If you’re wondering what is so special about San Marzano tomatoes, it’s volcanic soil.
San Marzano is a region in Italy, near Mt. Vesuvius, with a nutrient rich soil that results in tomatoes that are sweet and less acidic than most tomatoes. And yes, you really do notice the difference in a recipe like this, where there are so few ingredients.
Besides canned tomatoes, all you need are onions, garlic, some olive oil, and a few basic herbs and spices. You might also want to throw in a pinch of sugar if the sauce is too acidic for you.
Many marinara sauces call for a long cook time, but this sauce is ready to go in about 30 minutes. It tastes fresh and delicious, but also tastes like you simmered it for hours.
I don’t know about you, but we go through a lot of marinara sauce around here. This sauce is great for pizza, pasta, and so many of our favorite casseroles. It even makes a great soup base.
I’m not opposed to opening a jar of store-bought pasta sauce. I do it all the time. But this stuff is so much better!
Luckily, this recipe makes enough for a crowd, so I use what I need and freeze the rest. That way I’ve always got some homemade pasta sauce ready for a quick and easy week night meal.
Feel free to adapt this recipe to suit your tastes. I usually blend the tomatoes so there aren’t many chunks left because that’s the way my family likes it. But you can certainly make a chunky sauce, or add red pepper flakes to spice things up.
Be sure and add this recipe for Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce to our collection. It’s something you’ll find yourself making again and again.
What should I serve with Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce?
This sauce is great for pasta and pizza, but we really love serving it as a dipping sauce for some of our favorite appetizers and snacks.
Tips for Making Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Use kitchen sheers to snip the San Marzano tomatoes while they’re still in the can.
- If you have more time, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook the sauce on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
- The sauce will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the sauce cool completely, then pour into freezer safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Don’t forget to add a label to let you know what’s inside.
Be sure to save this Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Olive oil
- Produce: onion, garlic, fresh parsley
- Canned tomatoes
- Spices: Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
- Sugar
Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 28 oz. cans San Marzano tomatoes, undrained
- 2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
- Snip the San Marzano tomatoes into bite size chunks and add them to the pot, along with the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and sugar.
- Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Continue cooking, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Re-season with salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and stir in fresh chopped parsley.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
