Start with a Cold Pan
The first thing you’ll notice about this basic marinara recipe is that it does not call for the pan to be pre-heated. Heating the oil and garlic with the pan (instead of pre-heating the pan) produces a milder garlic flavor because the flavor is extracted from the garlic into the oil slowly. Three tablespoons of olive oil may seem like a lot and you can cut down on the olive oil, but it adds a ton of flavor as well as a smooth texture to the finished sauce. If flavor is at the forefront of my mind, I always use the full 3 tablespoons. If I’m thinking of my waistline, however, I tend to cut back.
Crushed or Diced Tomatoes for Marinara
Whether to use crushed or diced tomatoes is often just a matter of personal preference. I personally use crushed tomatoes in a basic marinara. On those occasions when I want some chunks of tomato in my sauce, I will dice whole canned tomatoes by hand. Many brands of canned diced tomatoes are actually treated so that the chunks of tomatoes can stand up to simmering without breaking down too much. That’s not a problem if you want those chunks of tomatoes, but using canned whole tomatoes and dicing them yourself is ideal if you want the tomatoes to break down as they cook.
Using fresh tomatoes is certainly an option, but be sure to use ripe tomatoes and peel them first. Making a marinara is a great way to use up tomatoes at the end of the season if you have a surplus on hand, and if you properly can or freeze the sauce, you will be able to enjoy them well into winter.
Simmer Marinara Gently
Pay attention to the heat under the pan while it simmers and watch that it doesn’t boil. If the heat is too high and the sauce boils, the sauce will lose too much liquid and become thick and bitter. If this happens by accident, a little water will loosen the sauce and a little sugar can counteract the bitterness.
How Long to Simmer Marinara
A marinara sauce doesn’t need a long simmering time. Just 20 to 30 minutes is absolutely enough. Any longer than that and you do run the risk of it becoming more bitter. So, start with a cold pan, use good quality canned or fresh tomatoes and a simmer gently for just 20 minutes and you’ll end up with a delicious marinara that you can enjoy alone over pasta or as an ingredient in another recipe.
During #quarantine2020 I was blessed to received two deliveries of grocery & produce by some very dear friends. It had a TON of Roma tomatoes (my fave food!) I had been wanting to make this marinara a long time, so this is grocery delivery made it possible. This recipe: The taste, the smell is amazing!!! Very simple ingredients; I used a very high end version of olive oil which added to the richness. I followed it explicitly and am so happy I did. The only downside is I wish I had MORE tomatoes to make a whole half gallon to freeze. Well done Meredith!
A simple and delicious recipe! I never knew about the size of garlic pieces affecting the sauce flavor until Meredith’s tip. Thank you Meredith! I love so many of your recipes. I grew tomatoes and herbs for the first time this summer and fell in love with homemade sauce. We plan on growing more next summer so we can freeze or can it. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
If you use fresh tomatoes, do you use whole tomatoes or do you peel them and remove the seeds and ribs. This can be frozen or canned; right? I plan on growing tomatoes this summer. Another question. Can you use yellow tomatoes?
Hi Cindy. Yes – I would peel and seed the tomatoes if I was making this with fresh – unless you don’t mind there being seeds in your marinara. I have an article on how to do this here: https://bluejeanchef.com/cooking-school/tomato-concasse/ And, yes, sure you can use yellow tomatoes. It will be a yellow tomato marinara.
Oh my! This sauce is simple, economical, and elegant. Parsley and basil are the perfect garnish. I’ll use it company dinners, and I’m proud to serve it as homemade. There will always have a supply in the freezer. Thanks Meredith!
Thank you for your marinara sauce it is perfect with the exception that I add 3 tablespoons
of sugar because I like my sauce to be sweet (I know you will think this is wrong) and since
I use marinara sauce on everything and I cook just for myself it is OK, Thank you sol much
for all of education in excellent cooking and for your super great personality. Jackie Green
Hi Jackie. Nothing is ever wrong in cooking if the result turns out to be what you want it to be. I’m happy to hear you’re adjusting the recipe to suit your tastes. You do you! 🙂
Thank you Blue Jean Chef for all recipies that are always the best of the best. You are number 1 on my list.
Can this be made in the instant pot
This particular recipe has not been tested in a pressure cooker but you could give it a try. Overall, it would probably take longer to make in a pressure cooker. You would still start by sautéing the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes in the pot. After adding the rest of the ingredients you could pressure cook for about 12 to 20 minutes and use the natural release method. Let us know how it works out!
My Marinara sauce if famous and everyone love it, the secret is lots of sugar, I use 4 tablespoons of white sugar and the result is exceptional. Also Oregano and basil..
Please don’t laugh at my two questions. 1-I’m used to using either crushed or chopped garlic,not sliced garlic. I’m curious why sliced garlic instead of chopped because crushed would be in every bite. 2-Recipe says 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or balsamic vinegar. Each of those would have different flavors. Again please don’t laugh. I love to cook;but this would be a new recipe for me with the homemade marinara sauce. I thought you had to cook it for hours.
Hi DeeDee. Slicing or crushing garlic depends on how much you like garlic. The more you cut it, the more flavor you get and the harsher/stronger that flavor is. For instance, I generally just smash a clove of garlic and pop it into whatever I’m cooking, removing it before serving. That’s because I don’t love garlic or want to be tasting garlic all night or the next day. If you love garlic, go ahead and mince it. Even sliced or smashed garlic flavor will permeate through the entire sauce. As for sugar or balsamic vinegar… because just a small amount is being used, we’re really using it to counter the acid in the tomatoes, seasoning them somewhat. You won’t really taste sugar or balsamic vinegar. Instead, it will just lend a sweeter note to the acidic tomatoes. Good questions!
ML
If using fresh local tomatoes what type should I buy?
I like using Roma tomatoes, but your best bet is the ripest tomatoes you can find.