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A rich, flavorful tomato sauce simmered with garlic, onions, and fresh basil. This versatile Italian-American classic is perfect for pasta, pizza, or as a dipping sauce, and comes together in under an hour.
Sauté Aromatics
Build the Sauce Base
Simmer to Perfection
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A rich, flavorful tomato sauce simmered with garlic, onions, and fresh basil. This versatile Italian-American classic is perfect for pasta, pizza, or as a dipping sauce, and comes together in under an hour.
This italian_american recipe takes 55 minutes to prepare and yields 8 servings. At 58.73 calories per serving with 0.43g of protein, it's a beginner-friendly recipe perfect for lunch or dinner or supper or side.
Finish and Serve
Increase the red pepper flakes to 1-2 teaspoons, or add a finely chopped red chili along with the garlic for a fiery kick.
During the last 15 minutes of simmering, stir in 1/2 cup of pitted and chopped Kalamata olives, 2 tablespoons of capers, and 4-5 chopped anchovy fillets.
After the sauce has finished simmering and you've removed it from the heat, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk for a richer, creamier texture.
Sauté finely chopped carrots, celery, and bell peppers along with the onion to add more vegetables and nutrients to the sauce.
Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that becomes more bioavailable when cooked. Lycopene helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.
The combination of lycopene from tomatoes, healthy monounsaturated fats from olive oil, and allicin from garlic can help lower bad cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and support overall cardiovascular health.
Garlic has well-known antimicrobial and antiviral properties, while tomatoes are a good source of Vitamin C. Together, they can help strengthen the immune system.
A half-cup serving of this homemade marinara sauce contains approximately 70-90 calories, depending on the exact amount of olive oil used.
Yes, this homemade marinara sauce is very healthy. It's packed with lycopene from cooked tomatoes, healthy fats from olive oil, and allicin from garlic. It's naturally low in calories, fat, and sugar, and free from the preservatives often found in store-bought versions.
Absolutely. Whole peeled tomatoes are often preferred for their superior flavor and texture, but crushed or diced tomatoes will also work well. If using diced, you may not need to break them up as much. If using crushed, your sauce will be smoother from the start.
You can store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, it freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
A small amount of sugar is not for sweetness, but to balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes. It helps to round out the flavors and create a more mellow, less sharp-tasting sauce. It is optional and can be omitted if you prefer.
If your sauce tastes too acidic after simmering, you can add a pinch more sugar. Another trick is to add a very small amount (about 1/4 teaspoon) of baking soda, which will neutralize some of the acid. Stir it in and watch for it to foam slightly, then taste again.