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San Marzano Sauce (Classic Marinara)

This easy San Marzano sauce is a classic Italian marinara sauce made with fresh or canned Roma tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. It's ready in 30 minutes and can be frozen for later!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 people (½ cup servings)
Calories: 168 kcal
Course: Others
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh San Marzano tomatoes or 28oz canned whole San Marzano tomatoes or swap other varieties of Roma tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 7 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1 sprig fresh basil, still on stem Or sub ¼ tsp dried oregano, plus more to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For Fresh Tomatoes:Roughly dice tomatoes. Add to a large bowl with 1 cup water and set aside.For Canned Tomatoes:Add tomatoes to a large bowl, and crush with your hands. Add 1 cup water and set aside.
  2. Add the oil and garlic to a large, shallow pan. (Use a 12" pan or larger, see recipe notes.)Heat the garlic over medium-low heat, until it begins to sizzle.
  3. When the garlic is sizzling, but before it begins to toast, add the tomatoes and water. Some small pieces of garlic will likely begin to toast before you add the tomatoes, and that's okay.Increase the heat to medium.
  4. Add the salt and chili flakes. Set the sprig of basil on top of the tomatoes, but do not submerge it.If you don't have access to fresh basil, sprinkle oregano in the tomato mixture instead.
  5. When the tomatoes begin to simmer, the basil will wilt. When it is completely wilted, gently push it down into the sauce.
  6. Simmer the tomatoes for 15-20 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.Taste the sauce, and add more chili flakes or salt if desired. If you swapped oregano for basil, add more oregano if desired. Simmer 1-2 more minutes if you added more seasoning.Remove the sprig of basil from the sauce.Serve immediately along with fresh pasta or on pizza, or refrigerate and use within 4-6 days, or freeze and use within a year. 

Notes

  • Yields: ~2 cups marinara sauce.
  • Pan Size: Some readers have reported that their 12″ pans were too small for the volume of sauce. You may find a heavy Dutch oven works best for you, although I’ve always had success with my 12″ carbon steel pan.
  • Smoother Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes are peeled, and will yield a smoother sauce with less texture.  If you're using fresh tomatoes and want an extra-smooth marinara, you have two options.
  •   Peel the tomatoes first.  Use a knife to mark an X on each tomato, and then blanch them in boiling water until the tomato peel loosens (~15-30 seconds).  Peel, and then proceed with the recipe.  Crush tomatoes with your hands instead of dicing.
  • Blend the sauce.  After cooking, add the sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend the peels into the sauce.
  • Varieties of tomatoes: San Marzano (as well as other Roma or paste-style) tomatoes are less juicy, and result in a thicker sauce.  If using juicy tomatoes instead of Roma, core and seed the tomatoes.  You may want to omit the added water (or add less water), depending on how juicy the tomatoes are.

Nutrition Information

Calories 168kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 11g (4%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Sodium 599mg (25%) Potassium 559mg (16%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 1926IU (39%) Vitamin C 33mg (37%) Calcium 32mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people (½ cup servings)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 168

% Daily Value*

Calories 168kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 599mg 25%
Potassium 559mg 12%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 1926IU 39%
Vitamin C 33mg 37%
Calcium 32mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

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