Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce That’s Cheaper Than the Jarred Stuff

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Alright, it is time to talk about one of my favorite foods: pasta, specifically the sauce. I am not going to tell you how to make your own spaghetti. You know what plenty of chefs use? Dried pasta. What I will tell you is how to make a good, simple, homemade marinara sauce without paying a small fortune for a jar.

Homemade Vs. Jarred Marinara Sauce

Let me be clear: jarred pasta sauces have gotten much better over the years. There are several store-bought options that are genuinely good, and Rao’s is one of my favorites. The problem is that the price of high-quality jarred sauce has gotten a little ridiculous.

Marinara is a simple sauce, and it is one of the easiest things to make at home. You can make a flavorful, reliable marinara for a fraction of the cost of the premium jars at the store.

The Basics of Homemade Marinara Sauce

A basic marinara is made from crushed tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, and basil. From there, you can customize it however you want. This version is meant to be simple, affordable, and easy to pull together with ingredients you can actually find.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Crushed Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the star of this recipe, and I am going to tell you to buy a can of crushed tomatoes. Use whatever brand fits your budget. If you can get San Marzano tomatoes, great. If your budget says Great Value, that is fine too. Just make sure they are crushed.

If you want to go through the trouble of starting with fresh tomatoes, that can absolutely be done, but canned tomatoes are easier, more consistent, and always in season. I am personally too lazy for the extra work most of the time.

Onions

The onions should be finely chopped. White or yellow onions are usually recommended, but if all you have are red onions, use them. The goal here is to make a good sauce without turning it into a special shopping trip.

Garlic

Garlic is one of the main flavors in marinara, so fresh is preferred. However you use it, it needs to be finely chopped, grated, or pressed so it blends into the sauce well.

Personally, I am probably going to use jarred fresh garlic, also known as jarklic, because I do not want to smell like garlic for the rest of the day. Squeeze-tube garlic also works. And if you are using what you already have on hand, garlic powder is completely fine too. Just remember that 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder is roughly equal to 1 clove of fresh garlic, so use a little caution unless you are actively trying to ward off vampires.

Olive Oil

You need some kind of oil to saute the onions and garlic, and olive oil is the right choice here. I know some people insist on extra virgin olive oil for everything, but I personally prefer to use that as more of a finishing oil than a cooking oil.

It is more expensive, and once the sauce cooks down, a lot of that fruity extra virgin flavor gets lost anyway. I would not use vegetable oil unless it is truly all you have, because it is a little too neutral for this sauce.

Basil

Basil is the last main ingredient in a basic marinara. Fresh basil is preferred. Roll the leaves up, slice them thinly, and stir them in after the sauce comes off the heat.

If dried basil is what you have, use it. You will need much less, about one-third to one-half the amount you would use if it were fresh. Add dried basil earlier in the cooking process, along with the garlic, so the flavor has time to mellow.

Other Ingredients

This recipe also calls for oregano, salt, and pepper. Dried oregano is usually preferred here. Beyond that, you can absolutely customize the sauce to suit your taste.

Cook Time

I have seen plenty of recipes online claiming to be “15-minute marinara” or “ready in 10 minutes,” and while that may technically make a sauce, it is just not long enough. To really let the flavors come together, you want to simmer it for at least 30 minutes.

There are also recipes that call for simmering marinara for hours, usually someone’s grandma’s recipe. I do not know about you, but I do not have the guts to disagree with anyone’s Italian grandma. If that is you, listen to her. My point is this: give it at least 30 minutes, and if you have longer, even better. If the sauce starts to get too thick, add a little water.

Versatility

Marinara sauce is the perfect jumping-off point for all kinds of dishes: spaghetti, meat sauce, lasagna, and chicken or beef parmigiana. It can even be used as the base for ratatouille, the dish, not the Disney movie, or swapped in for pizza sauce on your favorite homemade pizza.

I also use marinara as a dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks or garlic bread. In the past, I have even put it on an Italian omelet in my restaurant. My naming skills have no equal, I know. Basically, you can add it to just about anything you want.

Storage

Marinara sauce is one of those things that freezes beautifully, so when I make a batch, I usually make a double or triple batch. No matter how much you make, it will keep well in the fridge for about 7 days.

You can freeze it in Ziploc-style bags in meal-sized portions for future use. Just pull one out and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. You can absolutely thaw it in a pan on the stove, but I am going to assume most of you are not savages, unlike myself.

There you have it: a marinara sauce that can rival the pricey store-bought brands while being cost-effective and giving you bragging rights.