Homemade Marinara Sauce

Homemade Marinara Sauce

For many years I bought marinara sauce in the jar. I think I've tried every one on the market; Ragu, Prego, Barilla, Classico. I never felt satisfied with the taste of any of these sauces but, I tolerated them because I thought that I could not make homemade sauce on my own. I figured it was too hard, and too long of a process. I assumed you had to buy tons of fresh tomatoes, process them, roast them, then cook them all day long to have a tasty sauce. Boy, was I wrong! I realized that I could combine canned tomatoes, with herbs and have a far superior flavor than any store bought jar of sauce. 

This recipe is super easy, requires few ingredients, and takes less than an hour to make! Yes, it tastes better the next day, but it is still divine after just 45 min of simmering. No peeling tomatoes, no slaving over a hot stove with a tomato stained apron for 10 hours, just a simple, fresh sauce with no preservatives! 

You can buy canned tomatoes, preferably San Marzano ones, that are very good quality. San Marzano tomatoes are similar to Roma tomatoes, but with a slightly stronger, less acidic flavor. They are the best to use to make homemade tomato sauce. The canned tomatoes are typically high quality, and taste perfect. The addition of balsamic makes this sauce take on a dark hue and gives the sauce a rich flavor. If you don't have balsamic, use red wine. 

Homemade Marinara Sauce 

Yield: About 6 cups

Adapted from RecipeGirl

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

5 fresh basil leaves, julienned then roughly chopped

Two 28oz cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes with their juices

2 teaspoons of kosher salt

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions: 

In a large saucepan warm olive oil on low heat, add garlic and cook until slightly browned. Add the basil, cook until wilted slightly. 

Pour tomatoes in, raise the heat to medium, once it bubbles, lower to simmer, add salt and crushed red pepper.

Simmer for about 45 minutes, add balsamic and simmer another 5 minutes. 

*I simmered the sauce uncovered which makes it nice and thick, if you like it looser place a lid on the pan to keep in moisture. 

*To add onion, bell pepper, and/or ground beef to sauce; brown veggies in olive oil, add ground beef or ground turkey, brown, then add the garlic and follow directions after that step. 

*Serve with meatballs, over pasta or spread across pizza dough. 

*I have a killer meatball recipe I will share later, but the combo of this sauce, my meatballs, and french bread makes a mean meatball sandwich! 

*This sauce will store in the refrigerator for several weeks or freeze for several months! Make ahead and use as needed. You will NEVER buy bottled sauce again, I promise.