Simple Marinara Sauce

Growing up in Central New York, dad always planted a huge garden and our Simple Marinara Sauce with our homegrown fresh tomatoes was plentiful.


Grandma would even pour this over her freshly made Polenta or use it during the week poured over Zucchini Rollatini or in her Eggplant Casserole.


There was never any meat added to the sauce, it was just a basic simple all tomato sauce that smelled fabulous while simmering however occasionally she would use it to top Chicken Parmesano.


The fresh garlic and basil made it heavenly as you walked through the door.


If you want a simple homemade sauce made with the freshest plum tomatoes from the farmer's market or homegrown tomatoes, this is the best recipe to use them up with.


We literally had bushels of them and back then and used a handheld stainless steel mill to crush the tomatoes.


Now with modern technology, we can save some time using a food processor (I still use the old-fashioned mill).


Seriously one of my favorite Italian sauces as it's perfect for stews, soups, topping, Homemade Pasta Noodles, making Italian Merlot Chili, or even Italian Ricotta Spinach Dumplings.


Marinara is rich in plum tomatoes and made much quicker than Traditional  Sunday Meat Sauce.


Dad made this sauce often and the smell was so fragrant with that fresh garlic sizzling in oil when you walked into the kitchen.


Scroll to the bottom for this simple marinara printable recipe.

Quick Sauce

Several folk stories about the origin of this quick sauce.


One version states that cooks aboard Neapolitan ships returning from the Americas invented marinara sauce in the mid-16th century after Spaniards introduced the tomato (to central Mexican " New World " fruit) to Europe.


Another theory was prepared by the wives of the Neapolitan sailors upon their return from the sea.


A sauce similar to the Italian-American marinara sauce is known in some zones of Central Italy as "fake sauce".


Our family loves this quick marinara-style sauce, give it a try, you will love the fresh taste of these tomatoes.


In Italy, the marinara is properly referred to as tomato, and basil, and is used for spaghetti, angel hair,vermicelli,and Grandma made her own Homemade Pasta Noddles with fresh tomato marinara sauce.


Even though traditionally thin pasta was used with this sauce any kind of pasta you prefer will taste great!

Best Pasta to Use

• Vermicelli
• Angel Hair
• Linguine
• Thin Spaghetti
• Fresh egg noodles homemade
• Other Options:
• penne, rigatoni,mostaccioli, ziti (whatever you like)

Ingredients You Will Need To Make Marinara Sauce

• plum ripe tomatoes
• extra-virgin olive oil
• fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• cloves thinly sliced garlic
• pecorino romano grated cheese
• dried oregano
• fresh parsley sprigs 3 or 4
• olive oil
• Optional additions: dry red wine and red pepper flakes for heat
• pasta of your choice cooked to package instructions

Try Our Other Favorite Sauce Recipes

Traditional Sunday Sauce


White Clam Sauce


Red Clam Sauce


Meat Sauce


Christmas Eve Baccala Salted Cod

Tips for best results:

• Use very ripe plum tomatoes
• If plum fresh ripe tomatoes are not available use peeled whole tomatoes
• Always use the best olive oil
• Do not over saute the garlic
• Use only fresh basil
• Do not add meat to the sauce
• The sauce freezes up to 6 months 
• Any pasta you prefer is fine traditionally it's a thin or fine spaghetti
• Freshly grate the cheese
• Remove skins or leave them on using the boil and cold water method
• Do not rinse pasta
• although oregano is normally not in tomato sauce we like it so it's your preference
• Use for stews, soups, on pasta, over rice, a topping for chicken parmesan, pasta fazool, chili
• San Marzano is the best option for using canned

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Basic Tools You Will Need

• Food Processor or Stainless Steel Food Hand Mill
• Big 5 to 8 quart Saucepot
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Containers for storing or freezer bags

Great On Everything

Marinara can be used as a dipping sauce for Mozzarella or Fried Provolone Sticks, and perfect for dipping Garlic Knots,  or on any pasta you choose.



As I said before, fresh tomatoes make the best sauce, it's easy and there is tradition but no right and wrong.



Enjoy the authentic flavor of this tomato sauce on anything you like.



It even makes a great pizza sauce!

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Italian

Yield: 25

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Simple Marinara

This is the perfect sauce for many uses. Topping pasta, rice, making chili, and so much more. We use all fresh ingredients for this simple marinara sauce.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Ingredients

• 4 pounds plum ripe tomatoes place whole tomatoes with stems removed crushed using a handheld tomato press or into a food processor and pulse till fine chunks, (yes skins and all) you can remove skins if you like by submerging them into hot boiling water then into cold then peels skins.
• If you can't get all fresh plum tomatoes then you can substitute 4- 28-ounce cans of high-quality whole tomatoes like San Marzano, ( they are the closest to fresh)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 to 6 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 4 large cloves of thinly sliced garlic
• pecorino romano grated cheese
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley saving some for garnishing
• optional to taste: dried oregano (not normally in fresh tomato sauce but if you like it adds around 1 teaspoon) red pepper flakes for heat
• Wine Marinara: add an additional 1/2 cup dry red wine around 15 minutes before the sauce is completed cooking
• 1 lb pasta of your choice cooked to package instructions
• Flavor Ingredient Additions for making Stews, Chili, and Pasta with Beans dishes. To a food processor add the fresh garlic, 1 small onion, 2 peeled carrots, and 1 stalk of celery. Pulse until it is pureed. Add this to heated olive oil and saute for 2 minutes then add the tomatoes. This is like a vegetable bolognese starter and is perfect for many meals.
• The sauce freezes perfectly for up to 6 months.

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan of around 5 to 6 quarts, saute sliced garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil over very low heat for about 2 minutes do not brown or scorch the garlic,
2. Note: garlic becomes bitter when over-sauteed and will ruin the sauce.
3. Add tomatoes spice, salt, pepper to taste, and herbs, and stir over medium heat for around 35 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes add the wine if using and pepper flakes if using.
5. Cook any kind of pasta to package instructions, drain does not rinse.
6. Pour the fresh tomato marinara over the pasta and top with freshly grated cheese and torn pieces of fresh basil.
7. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top of the sauce.
8. Freeze in a sealed container or use in other recipe suggestions.

Notes

Tips for best results:

• Use very ripe plum tomatoes
• If plum fresh ripe tomatoes are not available use peeled whole tomatoes
• Always use the best olive oil
• Do not over saute the garlic
• Use only fresh basil
• Do not add meat to the sauce
• The sauce freezes up to 6 months 
• Any pasta you prefer is fine traditionally it's a thin or fine spaghetti
• Freshly grate the cheese
• Remove skins or leave them on using the boil and cold water method
• Do not rinse pasta
• although oregano is normally not in tomato sauce we like it so it's your preference
• Use for stews, soups, on pasta, over rice, a topping for chicken parmesan, pasta fazool, chili
• San Marzano is the best option for using canned

Suggestions for Pasta to Use

• Vermicelli
• Angel Hair
• Linguine
• Thin Spaghetti
• Fresh egg noodles homemade

Nutrition Facts

Calories

133.95

Fat (grams)

3.68

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.72

Carbs (grams)

22.68

Fiber (grams)

3.96

Net carbs

18.73

Sugar (grams)

4.77

Protein (grams)

4.88

Sodium (milligrams)

218.98

Cholesterol (grams)

1.25

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Traditional Italian Sunday Sauce Recipe

Boscaiola Pork Sauce

Mom's East End Sausage Pasta Sauce

Vodka Sauce Recipe

Easy Bolognese Sauce

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2012/01/fresh-plum-marinara-sauce-recipe.html

These are all copyright protected images and content. Do not reprint/reuse this recipe or its images without my written permission.

Simple Marinara Sauce Pin for Later

Sauce Recipes to Try

Calamari Sauce
Traditional Sunday Sauce
Bolognese Sauce
Puttanesca Sauce
Marinara Sauce

Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2020