Easy Marinara Sauce
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
150 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Easy Marinara Sauce
Description
The recipe starts by heating olive oil and softening diced onion, carrot, and celery, which provide sweetness and depth. Garlic is added and cooked briefly before the sauce is seasoned with fennel seed, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Crushed canned tomatoes create the body of the sauce, which simmers for about 30 minutes uncovered to concentrate flavors while maintaining acidity.
Chopped fresh basil and dried oregano add herbaceous notes with a little optional sugar to balance acidity further. After simmering, the bay leaf is removed, and the sauce is seasoned to taste with salt and black pepper. This marinara offers a hearty and slightly spicy tomato flavor with soft vegetable undertones.
This sauce can be made in larger batches, frozen for future use, or canned according to preference, making it practical for meal prep. It pairs well with a variety of pasta, meat, or vegetable dishes and can be customized by adjusting seasonings or adding additional herbs as desired.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 celery diced, stalk
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- Pinch fennel seed
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (28 oz) crushed tomato canned
- 1/3 cup basil freshly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano dried
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in the fennel seed, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf.
- Stir in the tomatoes. Add the basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar, If using. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 4 cups of marinara sauce.
- You can double the recipe to make larger batches for freezing or canning.
- Freezing or canning the sauce preserves it well for later use.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 150 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 150kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 276mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 682mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 2993IU | 60% |
| Vitamin C | 22mg | 24% |
| Calcium | 84mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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