Description
Absolutely delicious tomato, garlic and basil flavor in a quick and easy one-pot, 30 minute marinara sauce. You control the ingredients, so your family not only gets the best taste, but the highest quality and nutrition. Use as an ingredient in your favorite recipes, as a stand-alone sauce for pasta dishes and a dip for pizza rolls and grilled cheese! You control the consistency, hearty or thin, just by how much liquid you cook out. And the flavor is unmatched!
Ingredients
For the Original Recipe:
- 2 (28 oz) cans of whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes, with their liquid
- 1/3 cup avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil, if you prefer)
- 4 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon dried basil
- crushed red pepper, (chili flakes) to taste
- salt, to taste
- optional: 1/4 to 1 teaspoon sugar
For a More Economical and Equally Delicious Version
- 2 (28 oz) cans of whole, peeled tomatoes, store brand
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 4 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon dried basil
- crushed red pepper, (chili flakes) to taste
- salt, to taste
- optional: 1/4 to 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, oil over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook (still over medium heat) until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and their liquid. Crush the whole tomatoes with your hands or a fork as you add them.
- Bring the sauce to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Continue cooking 20 – 25 minutes or so. You can break up the tomatoes even further as the sauce cooks down.
- Stir in the basil and cook for an additional 5 minutes. If you crush the basil between your hands as you add it, you release all the oils which carry more flavor. It will definitely enhance your finished sauce.
- Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Add red pepper flakes if you are using them and cook for an additional five minutes.
- Do a final taste test. If the sauce seems too acidic, add sugar 1/4 teaspoon of sugarat a time to balance the sweetness and acid of your sauce. Cook for at least one minute between each addition and taste, again. Never use more than 1 teaspoon, total.
Notes
Homemade marinara sauce freezes well. To freeze it, cool the marinara sauce completely before beginning to prep it for storage. Label zip-top freezer bags with the name and date. I measure two cups into each bag. Remove as much air as possible as you seal the bag. Lay the bags flat in the freezer until they are solid. Then, you will be able to stand them on end, like files in a file cabinet, to save storage space.
You can also freeze marinara sauce in pint or quart jars. You MUST be sure the marinara sauce is completely cooled. Fill the jars, leaving a 1-inch head space. Freeze the jars without their lids at first. This will allow for any expansion of the sauce while freezing and keep the jars from bursting. Once the sauce is frozen, screw the lids on.
Marinara sauce should last 3-6 months in the freezer if stored properly.
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Sauce, Vegetable, Dip
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian-American