With just 7 ingredients, this homemade marinara sauce is super simple to make. Just open a couple of cans of San Marzano tomatoes, simmer with garlic, onions, and a couple of seasonings, and you have a perfect homemade tomato sauce in less than an hour.
Being raised in an Italian family, I know how to appreciate a good, rich tomato sauce, but I don’t always have time to cook one that simmers away on the stove for hours. So I often find myself turning to a store bought sauce that I can doctor up with a few spices. It’s a great option when you are in a pinch, but most store bought tomato sauces are loaded with so much extra added sugar. So for this simple homemade marinara sauce recipe, I was looking for something that would be quick and simple enough to cook on a weeknight, and would give me that homemade sauce flavor without any added sugar or extra ingredients.
This homemade marinara sauce, definitely checks all the boxes!
How Do You Make Homemade Marinara Sauce in Under an Hour?
The secret to what makes this super simple marinara sauce so good is the ingredients. Using just a few, high quality ingredients, like San Marzano tomatoes and high quality olive oil, ensures your sauce is flavorful and delicious with limited time and effort.
I use a couple cans of whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes that I crush by hand when adding to the pot. Just add the tomatoes one by one, squeezing each tomato gently to break it up and release the juices. This is a little messy, but I am told it is the true Italian way, and it really does give your sauce a great rustic texture.
For the garlic, there is no need to chop it up, just smash each clove roughly on a cutting board using the side of your knife, then add them to your pot whole. After cooking, the garlic will be soft, so you can use a large wooden spoon to crush any big pieces on the side of the pot.
The sauce simmers for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how watery your tomatoes are and how thick you want the sauce. Once finished, you can serve as is for a rustic homemade marinara sauce or puree for a smoother texture.
Why Choose San Marzano Tomatoes?
For the tomatoes, it is important to use canned whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes packed in San Marzano puree. San Marzano tomatoes are a type of plum tomato, often imported from Italy. They are longer and thinner than most plum tomatoes you find sold fresh. Traditionally, San Marzano tomatoes are some of the best to cook with as they have a sweet, rich flavor, low acidity, firm pulp, and low seed count. All of these factors contribute to a sauce that cooks down sweet and rich without adding sugar.
I choose an imported variety, as pictured. You should be able to find several varieties of canned tomatoes at your grocery store, just be sure to read the label clearly to make sure they are San Marzano tomatoes, not just labeled “Italian tomatoes”.
A Couple of Tomato Sauce Variations
This is a great simple homemade marinara sauce recipe that can definitely take your pasta to the next level. But it is also extremely versatile tomato sauce base that you can customize to your liking.
Some options include:
- Want a smoother sauce? Blend or puree the sauce to your desired consistency once cooked using either an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender.
- Want a spicy tomato sauce? If you prefer your marinara sauce spicier, you can add in a pinch or two of crushed red pepper to your taste.
- Looking for a tomato basil sauce recipe? Just follow the recipe as written, and stir in chopped fresh basil after cooking.
- Don’t like chunks of onion? I love the rustic texture that onions add to tomato sauce, but if you don’t want pieces of onion in your finished sauce, just peel and slice the whole onion in half then add that to the pot. After cooking, remove and discard the onion. It will release some sweet, mild onion flavor, without overpowering or leaving onion bits and pieces. This would be great if you were serving kids or picky eaters.
- Making spaghetti and meatballs? Add cooked meatballs to the marinara sauce for the last 20 – 30 minutes of cooking.
- Looking for a make ahead tomato sauce? This simple, homemade marinara sauce recipe is great for making ahead. As written it makes a pretty big batch (about 7 cups), and it will keep 5-6 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 6 months.
When you make this simple homemade marinara sauce recipe, I also recommend that you cook up some of this Rosemary and Black Pepper Focaccia Bread so you have something to sop up any extra sauce left on your plate.
Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 28 oz cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 parmesan cheese rind (optional)
- pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, add oil and onions, sauté over medium heat about 5 minutes (until the onions begin to soften)
- Smash each clove roughly on a cutting board using the side of your knife, then add them to your pot whole. Add salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if desired).
- Add tomatoes one by one, squeezing each tomato gently to break it up and release the juices, and any liquid from the cans. Add parmesan rind (if desired).
- Bring to boil, and reduce heat to simmer uncovered 45 minutes to one hour until desired consistency is reached.
- When finished, remove cheese rind and discard, smash garlic cloves using a wooden spoon against the side of the pot. Leave as is for a rustic sauce or puree using a blender or immersion blender if desired.