Hearty Homemade Marinara Sauce

This Hearty Homemade Marinara Sauce is perfect for all your favorite Italian dishes! Serve it over pasta and meatballs, layer it into your favorite lasagna stuffed peppers, or alongside some yummy baked chicken strips or Parmesan Crusted Chicken. This marinara sauce recipe only requires a handful of ingredients and is ready in 35 minutes.

Jump to:

• What is Marinara Sauce?
• Marinara vs. Pasta Sauce
• Why You’ll Love This Marinara Sauce Recipe
• Is Homemade Marinara Healthier than Store-Bought Marinara?
• Ingredients Needed
• The Secret Ingredient your Pasta Sauce might be Missing
• How to Make Marinara Sauce
• Storing, Freezing and Reheating Homemade Marinara Sauce
• What to Serve with Marinara Sauce
• Hearty Homemade Marinara Sauce

As you know there are a variety of tomato-based Italian sauces available. And even though they may seem similar they all serve a different purpose and offer unique flavors and consistencies.

Let's start with Marinara Sauce.

What is Marinara Sauce?

Marinara sauce is a tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs. It's a thinner, brighter sauce that requires less time to cook than homemade pasta sauce. It originated in Italy and is used in Italian-American dishes like Chicken Parmesan or Spaghetti and Meatballs.

Marinara vs. Pasta Sauce

These two sauces are made with many of the same ingredients, pasta sauce is simmered longer and has a thicker, richer, and robust flavor. And it's often referred to as "gravy" in many Italian homes.

This homemade marinara sauce requires only a few ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge.

One of the benefits of making it yourself allows you to have complete control over the ingredients you use. By making your own sauce, you can avoid preservatives, and additives, and tailor it to your taste preferences and dietary needs.

Why You’ll Love This Marinara Sauce Recipe

Healthier Option – Free from preservatives and additives found in store-bought sauces.

Simple Ingredients – Uses pantry staples you already have on hand.

Quick Preparation – Ready in just 35 minutes.

Versatile Use – Perfect for pasta, pizza, a dipping sauce, and more.

Is Homemade Marinara Healthier than Store-Bought Marinara?

Unlike many store-bought versions, this homemade marinara contains no preservatives, or artificial flavors. Plus, using fresh herbs and quality tomatoes enhances both the flavor and nutritional value.

Control over ingredients: You can choose fresh, high-quality ingredients and avoid unwanted additives like preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. 

Flavor complexity: Slow simmering and incorporating fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme can create a richer, more complex flavor. 

Texture control: You can achieve a chunky or smooth texture by adjusting the amount of tomato puree or blending the sauce.

Customization: You can tailor the sauce to your specific taste preferences by adding different herbs, spices (like red pepper flakes), or even vegetables like carrots or or celery.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious homemade marinara sauce—and why each one matters:

• Olive Oil – Adds richness and helps bring all the flavors together. It's the base for sautéing and brings that classic Italian depth.
• Onion – Adds natural sweetness and body to the sauce. Grating or puréeing it makes the texture extra smooth.
• Garlic – The flavor star! It gives the sauce that bold, aromatic kick you expect in every good marinara.
• Fresh Parsley – Adds a touch of brightness and herbaceous balance the tomatoes.
• Crushed Tomatoes – These form the heart of the sauce so they need to be good quality. They’re chunky, flavorful, and give it that hearty texture.
• Tomato Sauce – Helps smooth out the base and rounds out the tomato flavor.
• Tomato Paste – Concentrated tomato flavor! It thickens the sauce and adds a rich, sweet, deep taste.
• Water – Thins out the sauce just enough so it isn't too thick while it simmers.
• Salt and Black Pepper – Brings out all the flavors and gives the sauce balance.
• Sugar (optional) – Just a touch, if needed, to cut through the acidity of the tomatoes.

The last ingredient on the list is a bit controversial. Some say the secret ingredient to sauce is a pinch of sugar. And other purists disagree. I'll let you decide.

The Secret Ingredient your Pasta Sauce might be Missing

Great sauce is really dependent on the tomato's inherent sweetness that is released when they're cooked down and concentrated. And sometimes fresh or canned tomatoes are acidic and just not sweet enough.

This is because If the tomatoes are canned out of season it could result in them being underripe and they might be more acidic than sweet.

To figure out if sugar is necessary for your marinara recipe, cook the sauce down, then taste it and make your decision.

It's best to add just a pinch and taste, then add more if needed.

Now let's go over how these ingredients come together to make this marinara sauce recipe.

How to Make Marinara Sauce

• Place a saucepan on the stove over medium heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil.
• Add the grated onion, sprinkle with half a teaspoon of the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes. Be sure to stir the onions a few times while it cooks.
• Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Next, mix in the tomato paste and allow the mixture to cook for 3 minutes. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to loosen the paste and keep it from browning/burning on the bottom of the pan.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, parsley, and ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
• Turn down the heat for a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook the sauce for 20 minutes.
• If needed, add ¼ teaspoon sugar to taste. And more if the sauce is too tart.

BEST TIP 1: Be sure to stir the sauce occasionally. That will prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and help it cook evenly.

BEST TIP 2: For a smoother texture use an emersion blender or food processor and puree the sauce.

Now that you've worked so hard to create this delicious Italian sauce, let's go over some tips for storing and freezing it.

Storing, Freezing and Reheating Homemade Marinara Sauce

It's important to let your sauce cool completely to room temperature before storing or freezing it. This helps the flavors fully develop and ensures the sauce retains its bright taste.

How to Store Marina Sauce?

You can store your marinara sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

How to Freeze Marinara Sauce?

Once the sauce has reached room temperature, transfer it to an air-tight container. I've used mason jars in the past, but any freezer-safe bag or container with a tight-fitting lid will work.

If using a container, leave some space between the sauce and the lid. About an inch of space is what you need. This will give room for the sauce to expand as it freezes.

And of course, it's always a good idea to label the container or bag with the date you made the sauce. Then you'll know exactly when it needs to be used.

Frozen homemade marinara sauce can stay fresh for up to three months. Just remember to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or defrost it on low heat.

How to Reheat Marinara?

Stovetop: Place the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.

Microwave: Transfer to a microwave-safe container, cover loosely, and heat in intervals, stirring in between, until warm.

What to Serve with Marinara Sauce

• Spaghetti and meatballs are, of course, a classic recipe.
• Chicken Parmesan is another traditional way to use red sauce.
• It makes an excellent dipping sauce for breadsticks or Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders.
• Any lasagna or layered Italian casserole, like my Million Dollar Spaghetti - is a total no-brainer.
• Meatball Subs coated with Marinara Sauce are always delicious.
• And I love the combination of Italian Sausage, peppers, and pasta sauce over zoodles for a tasty low-carb meal.
• Baked Lasagna Stuffed Peppers – full of traditional hearty Italian flavors like ground beef sautéed with marinara, ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese… all packed in sweet bell peppers.
• This marinara sauce is perfect for meal prep. Make a double batch and freeze in portion-sized containers. Use it throughout the week for quick meals like pasta, pizza, or as a dipping sauce.

Whip up a batch of this homemade marinara and use it now for your favorite Italian recipes or freeze it for later.

With just a handful of ingredients and about 30 minutes, you'll have a hearty homemade marinara sauce recipe that's easy to make and better than any canned version you can buy!

Bon appétit!

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