Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce

This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using our links. Please see my privacy policy for more details.

Easy Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce is a fresh, delicious homemade marinara sauce that takes minutes to put together with minimal ingredients!

A good pasta sauce is worth it’s weight in gold….liquid gold.   Maybe that’s why I have gaggles of pesto and tomato-based sauces here on the blog.

It’s so important to have the ingredients to make a good pasta sauce in minutes, because we all know pasta is one of the quickest meals to get on the table fast.  

Before today, I didn’t have a go-to marinara sauce recipe and it was high time that I changed that.  Tomato Basil Marinara is made with quality San Marzano crushed tomatoes — the best tasting canned tomatoes ever.

It’s also got lots of fresh basil, which is a complete game changer.  Fresh basil just makes me happy…the smell, the color, and the flavor.   If you don’t happen to have fresh basil, by all means use dried.

How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce

The only prep this marinara sauce recipe requires is chopping one onion and mincing a few garlic cloves.  

• Cook the onion and garlic, dump in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, and fresh basil, and let it simmer it uncovered for about 30 minutes.
• I added 2 tablespoons of olive oil to this sauce, but if you’d like your sauce to have a silkier mouthfeel, add 1-2 tablespoons more.

Recipe notes

• Use this marinara sauce in your pasta dishes, pizza, baked meatballs, sub sandwiches, you name it!
• 1 tablespoon dried basil may be substituted for the fresh basil.
• Sauce is freezer friendly.

Additional sauce recipes you’ll love:

Meat Sauce

Pasta Sauce with Turkey Sausage and Mushrooms

Spinach Pesto

Use this homemade marinara sauce in the following recipes:

Baked ravioli

Grilled eggplant parmesan

Margherita pizza by the Kitchn

Continue to Content

Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce

Yield: About 3 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Easy Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce is a fresh, delicious homemade marinara sauce that takes minutes to put together with minimal ingredients!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided*
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil**
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine and simmer uncovered over low heat for 20-30 minutes. The longer the sauce simmers, the more flavorful it will be.

Notes

• *Use 1-2 tablespoons more olive oil for a smoother texture.
• **1 tablespoon dried basil may be substituted for the fresh basil.
• Use this sauce in your pasta dishes, pizza, baked meatballs, sub sandwiches, you name it!
• This sauce is very freezer friendly!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 98Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 209mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information is mean to be an estimate only. The numbers will vary based on the quantity consumed, brands used and substitutions that are made.

Sharing is caring!