The Best Italian Homemade Marinara Sauce
Being married to an Italian, who was taught how to cook by his Grandma, who was born and raised in Italy, is the best when it comes to getting to eat classic, homemade Italian food from their region. This is The Best Italian Homemade Marinara Sauce. There is so much flavor and my husband has fine-tuned the quantities of the ingredients to provide the perfect balance. Besides using just the right ingredients, the most important ingredient is LOVE. When cooking, put the love into the sauce, in order to make it sensational and be transported to that rustic Italian villa with every bite.
Finding the right brands of tomato paste and canned tomatoes is also important. We tried a bunch of different brands that either left the sauce too sweet or too acidic. The sauce just didn’t taste the same as when his Grandma made it. There was something off about the flavor. Finally, after many trials and tribulations and major brand testing, we finally found the 2 brands of canned tomatoes and tomato paste that made the pasta sauce shine and gave true homage to his Grandma’s original recipe, making this The Best Italian Homemade Marinara Sauce ever. Neither of these brands paid, sponsored, or gave me any free products. *But if either of these brands wants to, I’m in! .
The tomato paste has to be: Contadina Tomato Paste
The crushed tomatoes have to be: S&W Crushed Tomatoes with Oregano and Basil
*There is seriously a difference in flavor when using different brands.
What to eat with The Best Italian Homemade Marinara Sauce:
*Enjoy served over pasta like this recipe for:
Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
*Add the marinara to spaghetti squash like this recipe for:
Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Bake with Marinara and Cheese
*Use the marinara in a pizza like this recipe for:
Bell Pepper and Cheese Pizza
I use a Garlic Peeler to easily peel the garlic and a Garlic Press to easily mince the garlic. These are 2 kitchen staples I use almost every time I cook with garlic and they’re both very affordable.
For the blender, I use a Vitamix Black A2300 Blender. It’s powerful, efficient, and very easy to clean. Which I love.
Watch the video on how to easily make The Best Italian Homemade Marinara Sauce:
- 1 28-ounce can of S&W crushed tomatoes with oregano and basil
- 1 6-ounce can Contadina tomato paste
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 4 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup onion, finely diced
- ½ cup red wine
- 2-3 bay leaves
- In a blender, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, ketchup, parsley, garlic, sugar, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper, and blend until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce from the blender, the red wine, and bay leaves to the skillet.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
- Serve.
- *Recipe makes 40 ounces of sauce
By: Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN, NBC-HWC
For more delicious recipes using a marinara sauce, check out:
Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Bake with Marinara and Cheese
Spooky Spaghetti (Halloween themed)
Spooky Pizza (Halloween themed)
Spooky Halloween Pasta Bake (Halloween themed)
Bell Pepper and Cheese Pizza
**There are affiliate links in this post and I will be compensated if you buy the products using these links BUT there is no extra charge to you!
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