Our easy marinara sauce with crushed tomatoes tastes like something from a corner cafe in Italy –and that’s because this is an Italian grandmother’s recipe! As a fourth-generation Southern cook, I’ve been making this marinara sauce recipe for more than 20 years. It’s better than any jarred sauce, and it’s so easy that you won’t miss the jar at all!
With our secret recipe, you’ll have a simple marinara sauce that you can store in the freezer or just make from scratch in less than one hour.
Since I tried this recipe, I have not used any other, and certainly not jarred sauce. This is so delicious. Thank you!
myra
Easy marinara sauce
I clipped this recipe from a newspaper (remember print newspapers?!) about 20 years ago from an article titled “An Italian Grandma’s Kitchen.” Now, I’m sharing her secrets with you to help you make an amazing marinara sauce that your family will ask for every week.
Testing notes
We’ve tested this recipe with fresh tomatoes rather than the crushed tomatoes in the original recipe. We stuck with the crushed tomatoes for a couple of reasons.
The canned crushed tomatoes are delicious, and when paired with fresh herbs, fresh onion, and garlic, crushed tomatoes give the recipe that classic marinara texture and flavor. You won’t have a lot of chopping to do, and once you get the pot going, you’ll have time to get the rest of your dinner ready.
While fresh tomatoes have the best flavor when they’re in season, using canned tomatoes in this recipe makes the recipe more versatile and great all year round.
Don’t you love simple, one-pot recipes like that?
This recipe is also totally adaptable:
- Add sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey to make it a meaty spaghetti sauce.
- Use fresh tomatoes in season instead of canned crushed tomatoes.
- Use dried herbs instead of fresh ones.
Serving suggestions
We love this marinara sauce over pasta or our favorite big meatballs. We use it as the sauce in our no-ricotta lasagna and baked ziti. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for mozzarella cheese sticks or breadsticks.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
How to make marinara sauce
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Step 1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and stir for about a minute then add garlic. Turn heat to low and stir just until garlic and onion turn translucent but not brown.
Step 2. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add crushed tomatoes, red wine, and all the seasonings. Stir well and cook until heated through. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve.
Join Southern Food and Fun Community group
and Southern Potluck group!
And please follow us on social media:
Marinara Sauce with Crushed Tomatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and stir for about a minute then add garlic and stir just until garlic and onion turn translucent but not brown.
- Turn heat down to medium-low and add crushed tomatoes, red wine, sugar (if using), basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Stir well and cook until heated through. Then simmer on low until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
You can freeze the marinara sauce for several months. Use freezer-safe containers like these, or store them in large gallon freezer bags.
To freeze in bags, fill the bag and then place it on a baking sheet in the freezer overnight. Once the sauce is frozen, you can store the bag upright or stack it.
Your sauce should naturally thicken as it simmers, but if you think it’s too thin, you can try the following techniques:
1. Use a thickening agent like cornstarch and make a slurry. Stir this into the sauce and bring to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Use about one tablespoon of the slurry per two cups of sauce.
2. Add a small amount (1/4 cup to 1/3 cup) of the pasta water to the sauce. The starch from the pasta will help thicken the sauce slightly.
3. Add a little tomato paste — a good way to turn the marinara sauce into a perfect pizza sauce!
4. Stir in a little grated Parmesan cheese.
Update Notes: This post was originally published March 8, 2011, and on April 8, 2025, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.
A very tasty traditional sauce to start a red sauce. Addition of cayenne pepper flaks and fresh red bell peppers makes it even tastier!
Thanks
Made this a good few times now and just making it again for Cheesy Mozzarella Chicken Bake. This is a really tasty and easy sauce to make. My go to marinara sauce recipe. We love it x
Since I tried this recipe, I have not used any other, and certainly not jarred sauce. This is so delicious. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I just love how easy this sauce is, and how you can add whatever you want.
Could you make this in a crockpot?
Absolutely!
Have you canned this and if so, did you double, triple the recipe?
I have never canned it but I just about always double or triple the recipe anyway! I like to keep some in the freezer.
I’m putting this recipe on the inside of my cabinet door to join all my other favorite recipes!! It’s quick to make, I always have these items in my pantry and it’s delicious!! I left out the sugar and only had one can crushed tomatoes so I used some stewed tomatoes I had in the freezer.
Thank you!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I think pretty much any tomatoes will work, I just like the texture of the crushed tomatoes.
This is a keeper. An excellent pantry staple meal. I did blend the sauce and added bay leaf with the tomatoes and about 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Very nice weeknight meal.
is there something i could subsitute for the wine -i have everything else i need to make this except the wine and no way to get to the store
Just use a little tomato sauce and it will be fine.
@Lucy Brewer, chicken broth works as well
Try substituting half of the olive oil with unsalted butter.
I agree I can’t stand store-bought!
That looks awesome. I will probably make it and try to sub a tiny drop of local honey for the sugar.
Thanks, I’m sure honey would work fine. It just adds a little balance to the acid of the tomatoes to avoid bitterness. And you should taste before you add either — you may find that you don’t need to add anything. Enjoy!
That looks awesome. I will probably make it and try to sub a tiny drop of local honey for the sugar.