Name: Homemade Marinara Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 5 pounds tomatoes, (Roma's, plum, vine-ripe, cherry tomatoes, San Marzano) (stem removed and cut into rough chunks); 4 cloves garlic (peeled); 1 Tablespoon coarse or kosher salt; 10 fresh basil leaves ((or 1 Tbsp dried basil)); 2 sprigs fresh oregano ((or 1/2 tsp dried oregano)); 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar ((optional, to add richer flavor)); 1 Tablespoon sugar or honey ((optional, to sweeten))

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This flavorful Homemade Marinara Sauce made from fresh tomatoes is ready in just 30 minutes and bursting with fresh flavors

It’s an easy one-pan staple with just a few basic ingredients

Our version is quick because there’s no need to peel the tomatoes. Just do some quick chopping and you’re ready to get cooking!

This sauce is a basic version and there are plenty of ways to personalize it to suit your tastes. Marinara sauce works perfectly as a base for most Italian recipes such as pasta or pizza sauce, in lasagna, cannelloni, or manicotti, or with eggplant and chicken parmesan.

Ready to get started? Just click on our “JUMP TO RECIPE” button just below. For tips, processes, and substitutions keep reading. This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our affiliate disclosure for details. We only recommend products to you that we love ♥️ and use.

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MARINARA SAUCE ON SPAGHETTI

Ingredients for Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes:

What is classic Marinara made of?

This simple and rustic one-pan Marinara Sauce recipe uses 5 basic healthy ingredients (plus salt and pepper). See our printable recipe card at the bottom for the exact quantities.

Tomatoes – Use fresh vine ripe tomatoes if possible. Choose a variety, if desired, which can include plum, Roma, vine-ripened, and cherry tomatoes. (If you prefer to use canned tomatoes use three 28-ounce cans of whole or crushed San Marzano tomatoes for best results). Read here for more about tomato varieties.
Olive Oil – Use your best olive oil
Basil – Fresh basil is so flavorful in this sauce and our first choice
Oregano – Fresh is best, but dried works fine too
Garlic – Use fresh cloves (garlic powder can be used in a pinch)
Salt and Pepper – Taste the sauce at the end and add more if needed

How to make 30-Minute Marinara:

Remove stems and hard cores and chop tomatoes into chunks. If using cherry tomatoes in addition to large tomatoes just leave them whole because they will soften and burst while cooking
Pluck oregano and basil leaves from their stems
Peel the garlic cloves. We cook ours whole but you can also roughly chop them before adding them to the pan to get a little bigger garlic flavor
Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven or sauté pan
Heat oil over medium heat until shimmery, add salt and garlic cloves, and cook for 1 minute
Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, and pepper to the pan and stir to combine everything

Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently and pressing gently on tomatoes with a large heat-proof spoon to help them release their juices.
The sauce should be lightly bubbly while the tomatoes and garlic begin to soften.
After cooking for about 30 minutes, remove the pan from the heat.

Blending the sauce:

The sauce is now ready to be blended. We prefer using an immersion blender but you can also blend the sauce in a regular blender.
IMMERSION BLENDER: If using a Dutch oven you can blend directly in the pan. If using a skillet move the sauce into a deep bowl before using an immersion blender.
COUNTER TOP BLENDER: If using a regular blender be very careful because hot liquids expand. We recommend blending in two batches and always placing a kitchen towel over the lid for extra safety.
The time spent blending depends on how smooth or textured you’d like the sauce. (We like ours more textured)
Optional Step: Strain the sauce if you want it smooth or if you’ve chosen not to blend it. If you don’t blend it there will be a substantial amount of tomato skins to strain and discard. (see more below about straining the sauce).
Test for seasonings and add more if desired.
Cool the sauce completely if not using it right away and before storing.
We like to store ours in glass jars which makes thawing and reheating easy.

Immersion blender in a pot with marinara sauce

Straining the sauce:

If you want a super smooth marinara sauce then strain the sauce through a mesh strainer into a large bowl. From there you can decide if you want to add more seasonings and then let the sauce cool.

What is the difference between Marinara Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce (or pasta sauce)?

They are very similar but here are a few key differences:

Marinara sauce is thinner and simpler with just a few key ingredients (like ours) and a relatively short cooking time (30 minutes).
Homemade tomato pasta sauce (spaghetti sauce) is thicker with a longer cooking time, to give it a heartier end result, and often includes tomato paste.
Pasta sauce often includes the addition of lots of Italian spices, giving it a more complex flavor, and cooked ground meats like turkey, beef, or Italian sausage. Marinara sauce does not typically include meat.

Substitutions and additional ingredient ideas:

If fresh tomatoes are out of season substitute canned whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. One 28-ounce can equals about 6-7 tomatoes. Use the same process as above (cut whole tomatoes in chunks before adding them to the pan)
Add thyme instead of oregano – or use all dried herbs. Remember that dried herbs are stronger than fresh. A good ratio is: 1 Tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried herbs
Add onions or shallots (finely diced) along with the garlic
If the tomatoes are too tart add 1 Tablespoon of sugar or honey during cooking
Add a splash of balsamic vinegar for a richer flavor
Want it a little spicy? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic

How to store and reheat Marinara Sauce:

REFRIGERATOR – Allow sauce to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
FREEZER – Store the sauce in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container or in glass jars (our first choice). When you are ready to use it, remove it from the freezer and allow it to thaw completely. Once thawed out, stir well.
REHEATING – Place sauce in a pan and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes before serving.

Ideas for serving with Marinara Sauce

We love to use this marinara sauce recipe as a pasta sauce, on top of spaghetti, along with an easy light salad and warm bread. Here are some of our favorite pairings:

Fresh Citrus Salad
Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples and Pomegranate Seeds
4 Ingredient Beer Bread (or rolls)
No yeast Irish Soda Bread with Flavored Butters
Light and Fluffy Baking Powder Biscuits

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5 from 6 votes