The Easiest Homemade Marinara Sauce

After retesting this Homemade Marinara Sauce, I can confidently say it’s the BEST! You can make it in 15 minutes, but letting it simmer makes the flavors even better!

Top down shot of homemade marinara sauce in a saucepan with wooden serving spoon.

A Reader’s Review

“The sweetness to this marinara was perfect! Thank you for the recipe! I’ve been looking for a good, simple, quick pasta sauce for my kids and this was exactly what I needed. Others I’ve made have been too bitter or sour. I made your recipe exactly as is and we love it. Thanks!”

– Pam

How I Made This Marinara Even Better!

I love hearing your feedback, so when there’s a way to improve a recipe, I’ve got to retest it!

  • Less Sugar, More Control: The sauce naturally sweetens over time, so I cut the sugar from 1 tablespoon to 2 teaspoons. Adjust to taste!
  • Stewed Tomatoes = More Depth: They add richness but also extra sodium and sometimes sugar, which can affect flavor.
  • San Marzano Tomatoes for the Best Flavor: Fewer additives, lower sodium, and a super smooth blend. They’re pricier but give you full control over seasoning. I still like a pinch of salt and sugar for balance.

This marinara just got even better, and I can’t wait for you to try it!

Ingredients Needed

Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.

Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe

Forget the store bought stuff and make this sauce in less than 15 minutes. If any of your favorite Italian recipes call for red sauce, this is seriously the way to go.

  1. Sauté: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil and onions, then saute until tender.
  2. Add: In a food processor or blender, add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar.
  3. Blend: Pulse until smooth.
  4. Cook On the Stove: Add pureed sauce to the onions in the saucepan, then stir in the chicken broth. Sauté for 10 minutes to let the flavors blend.
Onions sautéing in olive oil in a skillet on the stovetop.
Marinara sauce ingredients added to a blender.
All of the ingredients blended up in a blender.
Blended up ingredients being added to the onions in the saucepan.

Ways to Use Homemade Marinara

There are so many recipes that call for marinara sauce. This marinara recipe can be used in all of them!

A glass jar filled with homemade marinara sauce.

Storing Leftovers

This is a great sauce to make a double or triple batch and save some for later. Here are the instructions for how to safely store it.

  • Fridge: Store your homemade marinara in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
  • Freezer: This sauce freezes beautifully! Pour cooled sauce into freezer safe ziplock bags, lay them flat, and pop them in the freezer. It’ll keep for up to 6 months and saves so much space! Just thaw and reheat it when you’re ready!

***Don’t try canning it: Since this recipe doesn’t have enough acidity to be safely water-bath canned, freezing is your best bet!

Plate of spaghetti noodles smothered in homemade marinara sauce garnished with a sprig of fresh basil.

More Homemade Sauce Recipes to Try

All the best Italian sauces are made from scratch. But that doesn’t mean they have to be difficult to make! Try this easy homemade alfredo sauce, or this creamy Tuscan garlic sauce next!

Print

Easiest Homemade Marinara Sauce

After re-testing this Homemade Marinara Sauce, I can confidently say it’s the best! You can make it in 15 minutes, but letting it simmer makes the flavors even better!
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian, Italian American
Keyword classic marinara sauce, easy homemade marinara, easy marinara sauce, homemade marinara, homemade marinara sauce, marinara, marinara receipe, Marinara sauce, marinara sauce recipe, simple marinara recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 16 ounces
Calories 22kcal
Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 small diced yellow onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender.
  • In a food processor or blender, add 2 (15-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 2 teaspoons granulated sugar.
  • Pulse until smooth.
  • Add the blended mixture to the onions in the saucepan and add ½ cup chicken broth or water. Sauté for 10 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Video

Notes

Originally posted April 20, 2020
Updated on March 11, 2025

Nutrition

Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg


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