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5.0 from 144 votes

Easy Marinara Sauce

This easy marinara is so simple and can be made in the time it takes to boil pasta. All you need are quality tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 498 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
  • 3 ounces (85g) tomato paste
  • 6 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil about 10 leaves, hand torn
  • 1/4 cup (60g) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound (454g) pasta of your choice
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
  2. Heat a large pan to medium heat with the olive oil and garlic. Once the garlic turns lightly golden (about 2 minutes), add the tomato paste and cook for ~5 minutes, stirring frequently. If using, add a 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes towards the end of cooking the paste.
  3. Add a touch of water (about 2 ounces) to loosen the paste and give it a stir. Add the plum tomatoes.
  4. Cook for 5-10 minutes, simmering. At this time, cook the pasta to 1 minute less than al dente.
  5. Taste teste and adjust salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper levels before tossing with the pasta.
  6. Remove half the sauce and add the pasta to the pan, cooking for 1 minute on medium- low heat or until al dente. If necessary, add a bit more sauce to get the sauce level just right. Add a couple ounces of pasta water to loosen if required.
  7. Hand tear basil leaves and add to the pasta right before serving. Serve with grated cheese and crusty Italian bread. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Be sure to either hand crush or lightly pulse your tomatoes to retain their bright red color.  Blending will add oxygen to the tomatoes and turn them orange.  Alternatively, you can use canned crushed tomatoes.
  • Watch your garlic closely to ensure it doesn't burn.  Cook on low to medium-low heat - you want the color to be lightly golden.
  • Cook your pasta a bit less than al dente and reserve some pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce a bit.

Nutrition Information

Calories 498kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 76.2g (25%) Protein 16.1g (32%) Fat 15.7g (24%) Saturated Fat 2.3g (12%) Cholesterol 83mg (28%) Sodium 367mg (15%) Potassium 823mg (24%) Fiber 3.1g (12%) Sugar 10.5g (21%) Calcium 51mg (5%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 498

% Daily Value*

Calories 498kcal 25%
Carbohydrates 76.2g 25%
Protein 16.1g 32%
Fat 15.7g 24%
Saturated Fat 2.3g 12%
Cholesterol 83mg 28%
Sodium 367mg 15%
Potassium 823mg 18%
Fiber 3.1g 12%
Sugar 10.5g 21%
Calcium 51mg 5%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.