Homemade Marinara Sauce

Making Homemade Marinara Sauce is easier than you might expect! This sauce is made with simple, wholesome ingredients with no preservatives or additives like in store-bought options. With the rich flavor of crushed tomatoes, fresh garlic, and a touch of red pepper flakes, it’s a versatile and budget-friendly sauce you’ll love using on everything from pasta to pizza!

In This Post

If you love making homemade sauces, try my Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, Honey Mustard Sauce, and this Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce.

I’m always trying to make store-bought basics at home to save money and enjoy a more flavorful recipe. This homemade marinara sauce is a prime example of that. I’ve been making it for years and thought it was time to share it with you.

What Is Marinara Sauce?

Marinara sauce is a simple, tomato-based Italian sauce made with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. It’s light and flavorful, perfect for everything from spaghetti and meatballs to stuffed pizza bread.

Simple, Fresh Ingredients for the Perfect Marinara

Ingredients for homemade marinara sauce in glass containers on a wooden cutting board.

Crushed tomatoes, I use San Marzaon, are the base of this sauce. I like to use plain, but if you have seasoned tomatoes, those will work great, too.
Onions and garlic are sautéed in extra virgin olive oil to add a depth of flavor.
To give the sauce a perfect balance of flavor, you’ll need salt, red pepper flakes, a pinch of sugar, and Italian seasoning.

Delicious Ways to Customize Your Sauce

Cream Sauce: Try adding a splash of cream and parmesan to the pasta sauce for a tomato cream sauce.
Fresh Basil: You can always finish the dish with fresh herbs for an extra flavor pop.
Whole Tomatoes: You can use whole canned tomatoes; just pulse them in a food processor first. You’ll need two cans of whole tomatoes.

Easy Instructions for Homemade Marinara

Photo 1 - onions sauteeing in a metal pot with olive oil, Photo 2 - tomato sauce with red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning in a metal pot being stirred with a spoon.

Make the Flavor Base: Heat olive oil in a large stockpot. Add onion and cook on medium-low heat until translucent. Add garlic and cook for approximately 2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
Make it a Sauce: Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Taste, adjust, stir, and simmer. If the sauce is too chunky for your preference, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out.

Can Marinara Sauce Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze homemade marinara sauce. Transfer the cooled sauce to a Ziplock bag, lay it flat on a tray, and freeze it, then store it. Or, freeze in a silicon mold or ice cube trays. It’ll last for about 3 months sealed in the freezer.

Homemade marinara sauce cooked in a metal sauce pan.

Ways To Use This Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe

This is one of my favorite easy recipes. It’s super versatile and can be used whenever a dish calls for tomato sauce or pizza sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store leftover marinara sauce?

You can keep this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to store it in a glass jar.

What are the best tomatoes to use?

Any kind will work, but San Marzano tomatoes are the best. They are slightly sweeter, so if the store has those on sale, I’ll opt for them. I don’t recommend fresh tomatoes due to the hight water content.

Homemade marinara sauce served over cooked pasta on a white plate.

Pin This Recipe

More Italian Recipes You’ll Love

If you tried this Marinara Sauce Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!