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Homemade Marinara Sauce

ByBrandie @ The Country Cook August 19, 2021April 3, 2023

Seasoned to perfection, this Homemade Marinara Sauce is a great recipe to use in all your favorite pasta dishes!

A DELICIOUS VERSATILE HOMEMADE SAUCE

Not many people can resist a good pasta dish. But what good is pasta if you don’t have a great sauce to go with it? I whipped up this Homemade Marinara Sauce to eat with my Homemade Turkey Meatballs. But there really is no stopping how you can serve this marinara sauce. Put it over spaghetti, in pasta casseroles and as a dipping sauce. There is no wrong way to use this at all! If you want to try a little something special for dinner tonight then ditch the canned sauce and try my Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe!

Homemade Marinara Sauce over a bed of spaghetti on platter.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I make this into a meat sauce?

Yes! Brown the meat with the onions and then proceed with the recipe as written. The recipe will support about 1-1 ½ pounds of ground meat. Or try my Meatball Parmesan Skillet using this marinara sauce recipe for a fun, meaty recipe!

Can I use fresh herbs instead of dried?

Fresh herbs are great to add to a Marinara Sauce. Dried herbs are more potent so you’ll use about 2-3 times the amount of fresh herbs. You may also need to simmer longer for the flavors to permeate the sauce.

How long do I need to simmer this for best flavor?

Simmer the sauce for at least 30 minutes. But it can be simmered for up to an hour or two. Keep the heat low and stir occasionally to make sure the sauce isn’t sticking/burning on the bottom of the pan. Add ½ cup of red wine just after sautéing the garlic/herbs. Red wine provides depth and richness to the sauce.

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely! If you want to double this to serve more people or to save for later, you can absolutely do that.

How do I store leftovers?

Cool the marinara sauce to room temperature. Store in an airtight container or a ziptop bag. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost in refrigerator before reheating on stovetop.

Overhead photo of finished Homemade Marinara Sauce in pan with wooden spoon in pan.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

olive oil
onion
garlic
dried basil
dried oregano
crushed red pepper flakes
tomato paste
tomato sauce
crushed tomatoes
granulated sugar

Ingredients needed: olive oil, yellow onion, garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, granulated sugar, and parmesan cheese.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE MARINARA SAUCE:

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent (4-5 minutes).

Add minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes; saute 1 minute longer.

Sauteed onions in pan with minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.

Add tomato paste, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes (juice included).

Tomato paste, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes added to pan.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste the sauce and add granulated sugar as needed to balance the acidity in the sauce.

Granulated sugar being added to sauce in pan.

Stir to combine.

Serve over pasta, as a dipping sauce for garlic bread, etc.

Large spoon holding up spaghetti off plate with Homemade Marinara Sauce on it.

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