This Hearty Marinara Sauce is made with simple ingredients: crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, and spices. With this easy recipe, you get all the luscious flavor of traditional marinara sauce in a fraction of the time!
This sauce costs around $3.82 to make. The recipe makes six servings for approximately $0.64 per serving.
I prefer making homemade sauce over store-bought any day! Some of my favorite homemade sauces to make in addition to this Marina Sauce are this Texas BBQ Sauce, Alabama White Sauce, and Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce.
Skip the store and make this homemade Marinara Sauce instead. The sauce is bursting with flavor, tastes way better than anything you buy at that store, and is simple to make.
This Hearty Marinara Sauce is perfect for pouring over your Meatballs, Spaghetti, Lasagna, or any of your other favorite Italian dishes. Plus, you can make this and freeze it for later!
Ingredients and Estimated Cost
Per Serving Cost: $0.64
Recipe Cost: $3.82
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil – $0.43
- ⅓ cup yellow onion – $0.21
- 2 Tablespoons garlic – $0.16
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes – $1.98
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano – $0.03
- 1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
- ½ teaspoon black pepper – $0.02
- 7 basil leaves – $0.98
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in December 2022.
How To Make Hearty Marinara Sauce
- First, heat the oil in a large saute pan and cook the onions until translucent.
- Then, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- If you want the sauce super smooth, pour the onions, tomatoes, and seasonings into a blender. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture into the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes.
- OR, if you like it chunkier, add the remaining ingredients to the onions and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Finally, serve over pasta.
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- There are lots of ways to customize this recipe. For a herbier variation, add a sprig of fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme.
- For a cheesy variation, add some freshly grated Parmesan.
- For a creamier version, add ½ cup heavy cream.
- If you like it chunky, don’t blend the sauce. Alternatively, for a smooth sauce, blend the sauce.
Storage Tips
SERVE: Serve over spaghetti, with meatballs, on subs, a dipping sauce for breadsticks, on pizza, or on Chicken Parmesan. You can keep the sauce out for about 2 hours before it needs to be covered and refrigerated.
STORE: Cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
FREEZE: This can be frozen in ice cube trays, then stored in freezer-safe storage bags for up to 3 months. You can also pour the sauce into a freezer-safe storage bag and place it on a cookie. Then, make one inch wide impressions on the bag in lines with a spoon handle or ruler. When the sauce is frozen, break it into pieces and use as needed.
DEFROST: Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 4-5 hours.
Recipe FAQs
Hearty Marinara Sauce does not have meat in it. Instead, the sauce is hearty from the robust flavors blended in the sauce. Domino’s Pizza has made this sauce popular with their pasta dishes, and while it has chicken juices and fat in the sauce, there is no other meat.
You can make this sauce chunky or smooth. Blend the ingredients in the blender before letting it simmer on the stovetop to have a smooth sauce. Otherwise, skip the blender and leave it on the stovetop to simmer, resulting in a chunky marinara sauce.
My quick and easy sauce is made with simple ingredients: olive oil, a yellow onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and basil.
More Italian Recipes
- Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- Skinny Lasagna Rolls with Spinach and Mushrooms
- Best Homemade Pizza Recipe
- Stuffed Shells Without Ricotta
- Baked Italian Meatballs
- Baked Three Cheese Manicotti
- Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
- French Bread Pizza
- Caprese Pasta Bake
- Italian Zucchini Boats
Hearty Marinara Sauce
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- blender
- large saute pan
- wooden mixing spoon
- cutting board
- chef's knife
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes I used and recommend San Mariano
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 7 basil leaves chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and cook the onions over medium-high until translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- If you want the sauce super smooth, pour the onions, tomatoes, and seasonings into a blender. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture into the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes.
- OR, if you like it chunkier, add the remaining ingredients to the onions and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Serve immediately over pasta.
Nutrition
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Great recipe. I appreciated the suggestion to freeze it in ice cube trays. Also, I think you meant to say freeze the bag on a cookie SHEET.
Love how simple and tasty this recipe is to make and eat. A great base for some noodles and meatballs.
This marinara sauce was so easy to make and tasted so much better than the store bought kind!! I’m never going back to store bought sauce again!
This is such a fantastic sauce! I love that it’s made in cast iron. Thank you for sharing!