Easy Marinara Sauce (in 20 Minutes)
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Skip buying jars of prepared sauce — this is the only marinara sauce recipe you need! This easy marinara sauce comes together in about 20 minutes using pantry ingredients and good canned tomatoes. This an essential pantry sauce to stash in the fridge or freezer.
As a trained chef and longtime recipe developer, I’ve tested dozens of marinara variations. This version focuses on the essentials: Great canned tomatoes, minimal cooking time, and balanced seasoning.
Authentic marinara sauce isn’t meant to simmer all afternoon. Unlike slow-cooked tomato sauces or meat ragù, marinara is a quick one — traditionally made with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and herbs, cooked just long enough for the flavors to come together. The short cooking time keeps the tomatoes bright, rather than intense and jammy. Obviously, you can pair the sauce with a batch of my juicy Italian meatballs, but I also use it as a base for a punchy puttanesca sauce or this baked chicken with mozzarella.
Why this marinara tastes better than others
- Crushed whole tomatoes create a sauce with a rich texture.
- A short simmer keeps the tomato flavor fresh and sweet-tasting.
- Briefly cooking fresh garlic prevents bitterness (and you don’t need a ton of it).
- Instead of using Italian seasoning, which I think can taste stale and disappointing, I add fresh basil at the end of cooking.
Karen’s ingredient tips
- Good canned tomatoes for marinara: I grew up in an Italian family and have been testing canned tomatoes forever. Any grandma worth her sea salt will tell you good canned tomatoes are the secret to marinara. Since they’re packed at peak ripeness, they make a rich sauce without long simmering. I usually use whole peeled tomatoes (packed in thick puree) and crush them by hand so the sauce has a little texture. Do yourself a favor and skip the diced ones — they’re watery and bland. Note that I don’t use tomato paste in my marinara because it’s best in sauces that simmer for a longer time, and I prefer the fresher taste of the tomato rather than a concentrate.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic rather than garlic powder — it really makes a huge difference in flavor. While it’s tempting to add tons of garlic to marinara sauce, you really only need 3-4 cloves. Grating the garlic on rasp grater or chopping it finely releases the most juice. And never brown the garlic, which will add an acrid taste to the sauce.
- Sugar: A pinch of sugar can do wonders to bring out the natural sweetness of canned tomatoes. Taste your tomatoes before cooking to gauge their acidity level, because different brands will have varying levels of acidity.
Cooking steps
This sauce is so quick to make it can be simmering away in a pot while the water boils for cooking the pasta.
1. Cook the onions in a large pot on medium heat until until they’re very soft. Pro Tip: Covering the pot over medium-low heat steams and softens them quickly, without browning. 2. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. If using canned whole tomatoes, you can crush them roughly with your hands, with a potato masher or food mill. 4. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to the pot and stir. Simmer about 15 minutes. The sauce will bubble and splash, so partially cover the pot to keep your stovetop clean.
5. Stir in fresh sliced basil, if using. The sauce is ready to serve with cooked pasta, or transfer to a jar or leakproof container and refrigerate or freeze.
Easy Marinara Sauce (in 20 Minutes)
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Yield: 5 cups sauce, enough for 2-3 pounds pasta
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onion, about ½ of a medium-large onion
- Kosher salt
- 2-3 finely chopped or grated garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes
- ½-1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
- ¼ cup sliced fresh basil
Instructions
- Put 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and ½ cup finely chopped onion in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and place over medium-low heat. Stir in a pinch of salt to encourage the onion to release liquid.
- Cover the pan and cook gently until softened, 5-7 minutes — the steam created in the covered pot helps this process go a bit quicker. Stir in 2-3 finely chopped or grated garlic clovesand cook a few seconds, until fragrant. If using crushed red pepper, stir it in.
- Stir in 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, 1-½ teaspoons salt, pepper and sugar (if using) to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Cook 15-20 minutes. The sauce will bubble up as it simmers. Partially cover the pot to keep it from splashing on your cooktop.
- Taste the sauce for seasoning (I usually add about another ½ teaspoon of salt) and stir in the basil.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- The sauce keeps refrigerated up to one week and frozen up to 2 months in leakproof containers.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, swap out the tomatoes for finely chopped tomatoes or tomato puree. You can also use a handheld stick blender to create your desired consistency.
- Optional seasonings: Add about 1 teaspoon dried oregano and crushed red pepper to taste for that classic Italian restaurant aroma and zest. Butter isn’t traditional, but it adds a rich flavor. Stir in a tablespoon or two into the hot sauce until it melts.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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So basically I follow this same recipe, but my grandmother said to take the onions and garlic out after that is done. I asked why and she said is to flavor the pot. So then I add all of the same things plus one bay leaf and a pinch of pickling spice. It was my grandmother‘s neighbor’s recipe from where she was from in Sicily.
I love this. Especially how our Italian immigrant ancestors used their instincts to cook simple food, their way. Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m going to try your meatball recipe (my grandsons love meatballs) and your quick marinara. My question is: Can I add mushrooms to your recipe? I like sauces with mushrooms, peppers, and random available veggies but the kids don’t like all that. Also my son in law really likes mushrooms. Any suggestion to have both a simple sauce with the meatballs but also lots of mushrooms?
I really liked your step by step instruction with photos above.Excellent. I can’t rate yet till i try it though.
Hi Susan – Try my recipe for mushroom bolognese sauce! I think it would be great with the meatballs. Come back and let me know 🙂
do you have Salmon recipes?
Hi Kate – Yes! You can find my favorite baked salmon recipe here and salmon with maple Dijon glaze
This is a perfect go-to thanks. Ngl though it lasts more like 2 weeks in the fridge if covered tightly! Lol don’t judge it was a great soup base when I needed it. 🫣
My Mom always added a couple of meaty pork ribs to her basic marinara. IS that something you agree with?
Delicious and so easy to make. I made half the recipe and used whole tinned tomatoes. Used my stick blender to puree. It turned out great on our spaghetti squash dinner.
Looks like an awesome recipe definitely going to make it today thank you Karen for sharing!! 😉👌💯