Homemade Marinara Sauce

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Make the perfect Homemade Marinara Sauce for pasta and dipping using simple ingredients in about 30 minutes. Never need to buy jarred again with this easy recipe.

marinara sauce over spaghetti

Having a good Marinara Sauce recipe in the catalog is a must for home cooks. It’s one of the most versatile recipes to have on-hand being used as the base of countless others. This recipe uses a combination of fresh and pantry ingredients and is easily adaptable to substitutes. I make this sauce for my favorite Air Fryer Mozzarella Bites recipe and Garlic Butter Crouton Chicken Marinara.

Marinara sauce ingredients

grated celery, onion, carrot, and garlic on a cutting board

Crushed tomatoes
White onion
Carrot
Celery
Garlic
Beef bouillon cube
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Fennel seeds
Oregano
Basil
Sugar
Bay leaf
Red pepper flakes

All pantry ingredients option

dried spices on top of marinara sauce

This marinara sauce can be a 100% pantry ingredient recipe if you choose not to include the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery. It already uses dried herbs and canned tomatoes so you can substitute those fresh ingredients for dried as well.

Substitutions:

Garlic cloves– 2 teaspoons garlic powder
White onion– 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
Celery– 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Carrot– 1/4 cup carrot flakes (affl link)

How to make marinara sauce

sautéed vegetables in a pan

Start by heating the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the carrot and celery to soften for 2-3 minutes. Once the carrot and celery have slightly softened add the onion and garlic; lower the heat to avoid burning.

pouring crushed tomatoes in to a saucepan

Sprinkle in the beef bouillon cube and sauté for another 2-4 minutes over low heat. Next, stir in the crushed tomato and water.

stirring homemade marinara sauce

Season with sugar, salt, peppers, and dried herbs. Stir well and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.

homemade marinara sauce on a spoon

Be sure to stir the sauce about halfway through and check the temperature to avoid scorching. The sauce will be slightly thicker and glossy when it’s done.

Recipes to try using homemade marinara

pasta topped with marinara and spices

Serve the sauce right way over pasta or in any desired dish. Try this delicious marinara with one of these recipes from friends.

Garlic Butter Crouton Chicken Marinara 
Instant Pot Penne Bolognese

Pepperoni Pizza Baked Gnocchi
One-Pot Mostaccioli Pasta
Eggplant Meatballs Marinara

Use and storage

This recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups of sauce which is equivalent to a single jar of store-bought sauce. Store leftovers in the fridges for 3-4 days. To store longer, spoon the marinara sauce into a freezer-safe storage bag. Release all of the air and lay flat on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid then remove the baking sheet. It will keep for up to 6 months.

pasta topped with marinara and spices
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Homemade Marinara Sauce

Print Recipe
Make the perfect Homemade Marinara Sauce for pasta and dipping using simple ingredients in about 30 minutes. Never need to buy jarred again with this easy recipe.
Prep Time:10 mins
Cook Time:30 mins
Total Time:40 mins

Ingredients

  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes canned with juiced
  • 3/4 c water
  • 1/2 white onion grated
  • 1 small carrot finely grated
  • 1 celery rib finely diced
  • 5 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 1 beef bouillon cube crushed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

  • Start by heating the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the carrot and celery to soften for 2-3 minutes. Once the carrot and celery has slightly softened add the onion and garlic; lower the heat to avoid burning. Sprinkle in the beef bouillon cube and sauté for another 2-4 minutes over low heat.
  • Next, stir in the crushed tomato and water. Season with the sugar, salt, peppers, and dried herbs. Stir well and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes. Be sure to stir the sauce about half way through and check the temperature to avoid scorching. The sauce will be slightly thicker and glossy when it’s done.

Nutrition

Calories: 597kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 2659mg | Potassium: 2749mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 43g | Iron: 12mg
Course: Dinner, Sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: marinara, sauce, tomato
Servings: 1 recipe
Calories: 597kcal
Author: Ty

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