This easy, homemade marinara sauce is definitely better than that jar of store-bought sauce. It’s bright, tangy with rich tomato flavor, and best of all it’s super simple to make!
There’s just something about making fresh, marinara sauce that makes it taste way better than store-bought. Not only do you get the satisfaction of crafting and simmering your own sauce, but it’s also easy to freeze and store your homemade sauce.
This gives you a long lasting sauce that you can use for a wide variety of meals (from Spaghetti Bolognese, to Chicken Parmesan, to Classic Italian Meatballs, etc), for a fraction of the cost of buying a jar at the store.
So next time you think of reaching for that jar of Rao’s Marinara or Victoria White Linen at your local grocery store – just remember, you can make that same authentic red sauce, in your own kitchen, with this homemade marinara recipe.
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Crushed Tomatoes: When buying canned crushed tomatoes, I’ve found that the Cento brand has the richest tomato taste
- Fresh Basil: When you add fresh basil at the end of the simmering process, the scent and flavor really shines through
- Lemon Juice: Add this at the end to brighten up your sauce
The Ingredients for Homemade Marinara Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
- 4 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 3 oz Tomato Paste
- 6 oz Tomato Puree
- 6 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 teaspoons Black Pepper
- 5 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 Lemon (juiced)
- 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
The Equipment Needed
- Sauce Pan
How To Make Marinara Sauce
Start by heating up your olive oil and then sauteing your minced garlic.
Let the garlic sizzle for a few minutes, then add in your tomato puree, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano and bay leaves. Give it a good stir and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
Afterwards, add in your lemon juice and heavy cream. Stir again and let it come back to a low simmer – then let it stew for another 10 minutes.
Lastly, add in your fresh basil leaves and stir & simmer for another few minutes.
When ready to serve, remove the bay & basil leaves and pour onto pasta or into a bowl and enjoy!
How long does marinara sauce last in the fridge?
You can typically store pasta sauce for up to 4 days in the fridge, if properly contained in a glass jar.
Pasta noodles also typically keep for up to 4 days in the fridge, so it’s best to consume both the noodles and the sauce within that 4 day window.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic, (minced)
- 4 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 3 oz Tomato Paste
- 6 oz Tomato Puree
- 6 oz Crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 teaspoons Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 5 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 Lemon, (juiced)
Instructions
How To Make Marinara Sauce
- Start by heating up your olive oil and then sauteing your minced garlic.
- Let the garlic sizzle for a few minutes, then add in your tomato puree, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano and bay leaves. Give it a good stir and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Afterwards, add in your lemon juice and heavy cream. Stir again and let it come back to a low simmer – let it stew for another 10 minutes.
- Lastly, add in your fresh basil leaves and stir & simmer for another few minutes.
- When ready to serve, remove the bay & basil leaves and pour onto pasta or into a bowl and enjoy!
Notes
How long does marinara sauce last in the fridge?
You can typically store pasta sauce for up to 4 days in the fridge, if properly contained in a glass jar. Pasta noodles also typically keep for up to 4 days in the fridge, so it’s best to consume both the noodles and the sauce within that 4 day window.Nutrition
*Nutritional information is just an estimate derived by an online calculation tool.
FAQ
What is classic marinara sauce made of?
It’s typically made from canned tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and herbs like basil and oregano.
Is marinara sauce just tomato paste?
No – Marinara sauce is a very simple and bright tomato sauce with just a handful of ingredients that really highlight the tomato essence of the sauce.
What is the difference between marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce?
Marinara sauce is a type of spaghetti sauce. Spaghetti (or pasta) sauces can vary widely depending on the type of pasta you are making. For example, Spaghetti Bolognese uses a meat infused pasta sauce. Marinara sauce is a very simple and bright tomato sauce with just a handful of ingredients that really highlight the tomato essence of the sauce.
How long does marinara sauce last in the fridge?
You can typically store pasta sauce for up to 4 days in the fridge, if properly contained in a glass jar.
DJ
I love the robust tomato taste of this sauce! And the lemon juice – it adds such a bright and crisp flavor to the sauce!
Umamiology
Yes, the lemon juice really brightens up this marinara sauce!
Sonja
This is so much better than shop bought marinara sauce and so easy and quick. I added a hint of sugar, to balance the acidity. This will be my new go-to sauce.
Umamiology
Yes, sugar is a great add to this recipe!
Gloria
Homemade pasta sauces are so delicious. This looks rich and flavourful. The perfect sauce for any pasta dish. You can’t get his quality from a jarred store-bought sauce.
Umamiology
Yes, I love homemade marinara sauce!
Nicole
I never thought making my own sauce would be so delicious and easy! Thanks for the recipe!
Umamiology
Yes, it’s so much better making it homemade!
Tiffany
I love making things from scratch! This recipe is a hit with my family!
Umamiology
Glad your family liked it!
Claudia
Wow, this marinara sauce was amazing! I served it with pasta and it disappeared within minutes. Seriously, a must-try and one to save in my recipe collection.
Umamiology
Glad you loved it!
Charah
Easy and delicious, I’ll try this soon, thanks for sharing
Umamiology
Let me know how it turns out for you!
Tara
Such a rich and vibrant sauce! Definitely better than store bought and I love that I usually have all those ingredients on hand.
Umamiology
Thanks, glad you like it!
Paula
This was so flavorful. Will be hard to go back to any jarred sauce after trying this!
Umamiology
Same, I almost never buy store jarred marinara sauce anymore!
Cathleen
Marinara sauce is one of my favorite things to have in the house, I can’t believe I have never made this at home! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Umamiology
Let me know how you like it!
Justine
This is a good thick sauce, just the way I like it. Tons of flavor, super easy to make too!
Umamiology
Yes, I love thick marinara sauce too!
Swathi
Love this Homemade Marinara sauce, I made it delicious.
Umamiology
Glad you liked it!
veenaazmanov
Thanks for such a lovely and flavorful sauce recipe. Perfect to make some amazing dishes. Homemade is always the best. I love the bright color of this sauce too.
Umamiology
Yes, I think homemade marinara is best as well!
Bernice
I know people say Rao’s store bought sauce but IMHO there’s nothing like homemade marinara sauce. Yours has that perfect balance of salt, sweet, acid, and umami.
Umamiology
Thank you! Glad you like it!
Cathleen
This sauce looks amazing! Thank you so much for sharing, I am going to be making this tomorrow night!
Umamiology
Awesome – hope it turns out well!
Leslie
Homemade is always better than store-bought! This marinara was surprisingly easy and really didn’t take too much time either! Classic recipe here!
Umamiology
Yes, easy to make and super tasty!
Erin
I love how quick this is to put together! I’m making pizza tonight, so perfect timing. Thanks!
Umamiology
Yes! This marinara sauce goes perfectly on pizza!
Veronika
This sauce was delicious on spaghetti with sauteed shrimp. So much better than store bought 100%!
Umamiology
Glad you liked it!
Jamie
This is the best marinara sauce recipe I’ve made and I’ve tried many. Not only is it simple to make, it’s versatile and goes with so many dishes. Last night we had it with ravioli. So delicious and full of tomato flavor!
Umamiology
Nice! Glad you like it!
LaKita
This marinara sauce is so flavorful and easy to make! This sauce is such a great alternative to jar sauce, I will be making it again.
Umamiology
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Tammy
Nothing compares to homemade! Your sauce is perfect and so easy to make too! Great recipe to keep on hand.
Umamiology
Thanks for trying it out!
Ramona
Will be making this with my daughter! We were looking for a recipe and stumbled upon this one which looks perfect for the dishes we will be making over the next few weeks!
Umamiology
Glad you like this marinara recipe!
Libby
Hi!! The recipe says 6 oz tomato puree and 6 oz crushed tomatoes? I’ve never seen either in that size. Did you mean 28 oz? The picture of ingredients also shows tomato paste, but that’s not listed in the recipe. I want to try this with your meatballs, but would like to know correct sizes. Thanks so much!
Umamiologist
Thanks for calling that out! We seem to have forgotten about adding the tomato paste on the ingredients list. We used 3oz of tomato paste. For the tomato puree and crushed tomatoes, we used 6oz each from the bigger cans. Hope you enjoy!