The Best Marinara Sauce
A classic Italian marinara sauce in under 30 minutes. This sauce should be a staple in every household, because it makes for an easy meal whether it be meatballs, pasta, or polenta!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 130kcal
Cost: $5
Equipment
- 1 large sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 5 basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to the pan on medium heat. Once hot, stir in the garlic for 1 minute. Then add the crushed red pepper and continue stirring for 1 more minute.
- Pour in the whole plum tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to lightly break them apart. Add the salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and using the wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes as they break down from the heat.
- Add the basil leaves in the last 5 minutes of simmering. Remove from the heat and serve with pasta, eggplant, meatballs, or any of your favorite Italian classics.
Video
Notes
- Slice garlic evenly so that it cooks at the same rate and doesn't burn.
- Use the back of the wooden spoon to break apart the tomatoes. The heat will help break them down, so don't worry too much about this in the beginning. Let the heat do its job.
- Basil goes in at the end. Basil flavor can disappear quickly when cooked so it's best to add right before serving.
- Salt throughout the process by tasting occasionally to see if the sauce needs more salt. ½ teaspoon usually is plenty, but always taste to be certain.
Nutrition
Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 597mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 527IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg
