How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce

Making homemade marinara sauce has never been easier. With simple ingredients like tomatoes, aromatics, and a robust red wine to elevate your classic marinara sauce to the next level.

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Finally a marinara sauce that does it for me! No more suspicious ingredients, added thickeners, or just way too much salt and sugar.

This sauce is absolutely perfect and one worth adding to your recipe box (If you still do that like I do because, traditions die hard).

The marinara is super easy to make and takes less than 45 minutes. If you’re in a pinch for time, this homemade marinara sauce can really be ready in 35 minutes.

While still AMAZING, I recommend you spend that extra 10 minutes. You’ll taste what I’m talking about. And as an added bonus, the flavors are even better the next day.

How long will the homemade marinara sauce last?

• In the fridge
  • the marinara sauce will last about 3 to 5 days in an airtight container or mason jar.
• In the freezer
  • the marinara sauce will last about 3 months in an airtight container or a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible.
  • to reheat the sauce
    • thaw in the refrigerator
    • heat on the stove over medium-low heat and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes

Tools for success:

• dutch oven
• wooden spoon
• measuring spoons
• cutting board
• garlic press

Ingredients:

• tomato puree: I use tomato puree or crushed tomatoes for this recipe. Vine ripened san marzano tomato are the best tomatoes to use for marinara sauce but use what you have on hand!
• diced tomatoes: I added diced tomatoes to give the marinara sauce a little bulk.
• garlic: I used a garlic press to get finely minced garlic. I think It further opens up the buttery and nutty characteristic of the garlic when it’s cooked.
• onion: I used a medium yellow sweet onion just because I love them and the sort of sweetness they add to the sauce. They complement the tomatoes very well.
• red wine: This part is optional. I used pinot noir to enhance all the other flavors in the sauce.
• oil: Grape seed oil has a high smoking point and a neutral flavor profile that wouldn’t overwhelm the other components. You can also use avocado oil as well.
• basil and parsley: You can use fresh or dried basil and parsley, both are great choices.
• onion and garlic powder: You can never go wrong with a little extra of either of these two.
• white pepper: The white pepper add a complex and earthy taste.
• black pepper: I ground black peppercorns to give the marinara sauce a hint of spice.
• kosher salt: Brings out the other flavors in the sauce.

How to make homemade marinara sauce:

Heat grape seed oil over medium heat and add in onions. Sautee for 3-5 minutes until softened.

Now, add in the finely minced garlic and sautee 30 seconds until aromatic.

Then.. add in the tomato puree and diced tomatoes as well as the kosher salt, white pepper, black pepper, basil, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and red wine. Stir to combine.

Bring the heat to medium low and simmer for 40 minutes covered and stirring occasionally.

Finally, serve the homemade marinara sauce on some of your faves and enjoy!

What can you put this homemade marinara sauce on:

• Pizza, pizza, and more pizza!
• Chicken Parmigiana
• Spaghetti marinara
• Bread Sticks
• The Perfect Pizza Dough Recipe

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Check out my other post:

• Chicken Parmagiana
• Simple Pasta e Fagioli Recipe (pasta and beans)

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