Ingredients
Marinara Sauce Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 large cloves)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (no spices or salt added)
- 2 Tablespoons finely shredded fresh basil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoons dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoons finely ground sea salt
- ½ teaspoon finely cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium/high heat until it shimmers, indicating it’s hot enough to sauté the onions properly.
- Sauté onions: Add the finely chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring frequently, until they become softened and translucent, which should take about 3 minutes. This step develops the savory base flavor of the sauce.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant—about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn the garlic as it can turn bitter.
- Add tomatoes and seasonings: Pour in the crushed tomatoes along with fresh basil, sugar, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything well to evenly distribute the flavors.
- Simmer the sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Serve: Use the marinara sauce immediately as a pasta sauce, pizza topping, or base for other dishes, or let it cool and store for later use.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce after simmering.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- Fresh herbs like basil can be substituted with dried herbs if fresh are not available, but adjust quantity accordingly.
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Adding sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes but can be omitted or reduced based on preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
