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    Home » Vegan Sauces

    Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce

    Published: May 3, 2021 | 10:26 pm, Modified: May 19, 2023 by Connie Edwards McGaughy This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce 🌱 How to make a simply delicious & versatile marinara to enjoy with pasta, pizza, breadsticks, veggie meatballs, veggie burgers or anything else you love with tomatoes. GF & oil-free option.

    A bowl of gnocchi pasta topped with homemade marinara sauce, parmesan, and fresh basil.

    Are you in search of a delicious vegan marinara recipe that will elevate your pasta dishes without the fuss of preparing a complicated sauce that takes hours to cook on the stove? Look no further!

    This zesty, thick & rich sauce is so easy to make with just a few basic ingredients! In about 30 minutes or less, you'll have a perfect pot of marinara ready to spoon onto a bowl of gnocchi, a pan full of spinach and vegan cheese stuffed pasta shells, or as the ideal pizza sauce for a classic vegan Margherita!

    A homemade vegan Margherita pizza, topped with marinara sauce, plant-based mozzarella and fresh basil.

    See our complete recipe for making this delicious vegan Margherita pizza here.

    Jump to:
    • What is marinara sauce?
    • 🍅 Why you'll love this recipe
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • 🍅 Serving Suggestions
    • 🍅 FAQ's
    • Recipe
    • Food Safety
    • Comments

    What is marinara sauce?

    I like to think of marinara as the foundation for almost any tomato-based pasta sauce. Made with the basic essential ingredients found in most red sauces, such as tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs, this marinara is an ideal vegan sauce for any dish that requires a rich Italian-style sauce. It's perfect on pasta, pizza, casseroles, meatballs, as a dip for breadsticks or with veggies.

    🍅 Why you'll love this recipe

    • It's quick & easy to prepare
    • Simply delicious!
    • Just a few basic ingredients
    • So versatile! Make it your own!
    • Freeze extra sauce for later
    A stainless steel pot filled with homemade marinara sauce.

    Equipment

    Here are the few kitchen tools you'll need:

    • 4 qt sauce pan with lid
    • Kitchen knife
    • Cutting board
    • Measuring spoons
    • Long handled spoon for stirring

    Ingredients

    🥕 See the printable recipe below for quantities and details.

    • Tomatoes - whole or crushed tomatoes (we use canned tomatoes)
    • Tomato paste
    • Onion - fresh (brown or yellow)
    • Garlic - fresh
    • Balsamic vinegar
    • Salt
    • Olive oil - See instructions below to prepare this recipe without oil.
    • Brown sugar - Adding a bit of sugar helps offset the acidity of the tomatoes. Other options you could use are granulated white or raw sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar, date paste or vegan honey.

    🥕Note: See the FAQ's below for tips on using dried seasonings.

    I love this sauce just as it is, but if you want to bump up the flavor, you could add:

    • Basil - fresh or dried
    • Oregano - fresh or dried
    • Italian seasoning
    • Bay leaves
    • Red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    Pour olive oil into saucepan and place on stove over medium-high heat.

    🥕Oil-free option: If you prefer not to use oil, begin cooking onions and garlic in 2 tablespoon of water. Add more if needed.

    Garlic, onions, and crushed tomatoes in a pot.

    Add onions and garlic, stir frequently, be careful not to let them burn. Reduce heat to medium. Add tomatoes. If using whole tomatoes, crush apart with a spoon or fork before cooking.

    Tomato paste about to be stirred into a pot of marinara sauce.

    Stir in tomato paste.

    Balsamic vinegar poured into a pot of marinara sauce.

    Add balsamic vinegar.

    Salt poured into a pot of marinara sauce.

    Stir in salt.

    Brown sugar being stirred into a pot of marinara sauce.

    Stir in half the sugar. Taste. Add more if needed.

    A pot of thick homemade marinara sauce.

    Cover pot. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    🍅 Serving Suggestions

    A plate of vegan zucchini ravioli topped with homemade marinara sauce and vegan parmesan.

    Enjoy this delicious marinara with our fabulous vegan zucchini ravioli.

    A baking dish filled with vegan spinach ricotta stuffed pasta shells topped with homemade marinara sauce.

    This simple marinara is perfect with my vegan spinach ricotta shells.

    Vegan meatballs on a platter with a bowl of marinara sauce.

    Zesty rich marinara served with homemade vegan meatless meatballs.

    🍅 FAQ's

    Is marinara sauce vegan?

    Yes, marinara sauce is traditionally vegan.

    Can I make marinara sauce without garlic and onions?

    While garlic and onions contribute to the traditional flavor profile of marinara sauce, you can still create a tasty sauce without them. You can experiment with substitutes like shallots, leeks, or using garlic and onion powders for a milder flavor.

    If I want to add herbs, can I use dried herbs?

    Yes, you can use dried herbs instead of fresh ones. However, keep in mind that dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor, so you'll need to adjust the quantity accordingly. As a general rule, use one-third of the amount of dried herbs compared to fresh herbs.

    How do I thicken marinara sauce?

    If you find your marinara sauce too thin, you can simmer it uncovered for a longer time to allow the excess liquid to evaporate and thicken the sauce. Alternatively, you can add extra tomato paste, which will add thickness and intensify the flavor.

    How long does homemade marinara sauce last?

    Homemade marinara sauce can typically be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days. If properly stored in an airtight container, it can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

    If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience let's me know that you enjoyed it and helps other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕

    Recipe

    simple homemade marinara sauce on top of vegan gnocchi

    Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce

    by Connie🥕
    How to make an easy and delicious simple homemade marinara sauce
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Sauce
    Cuisine Gluten-free, Italian, Mediterranean, Vegan, WFPB
    Servings 8
    Calories 55 kcal

    Equipment

    • 4 qt sauce pan
    • kitchen knife
    • Cutting board
    • Measuring spoons
    • Long handled spoon (for stirring)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ½ yellow onion medium - diced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 28 oz whole or crushed tomatoes canned
    • 3 oz tomato paste about 5 tablespoon or ½ 6 oz can
    • 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Pour olive oil into saucepan and place on stove over medium-high heat.
    • Add onions and garlic, stir frequently, be careful not to let them burn. Reduce heat to medium.
    • Add tomatoes. If using whole tomatoes, crush apart with a spoon or fork before cooking.
    • Stir in tomato paste.
    • Stir in balsamic vinegar.
    • Stir in salt.
    • Stir in half the sugar. Taste. Add more if needed.
    • Cover pot with lid. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • That's it! Your marinara is ready to use.

    Notes

    🥕I love this sauce just as it is, but if you want to bump up the flavor, you could add:
    • Fresh or dried basil
    • Fresh or dried oregano
    • Dried Italian seasoning
    • Bay leaves
    • Red pepper flakes
    I suggest adding dried seasonings while the onions and garlic are cooking. Fresh ingredients should be added at the end. Remove bay leaves before serving.
    🥕Marinara sauce is delicious served on pizza, pasta, breadsticks, vegan meatballs, veggie burgers, as a dip for fried potatoes, zucchini or other veggies.
    🥕Oil-free option If you prefer not to use oil, begin cooking onions and garlic in 2 tablespoon of water. Add more if needed.
    🥕 We like to add a bit of sugar to offset the acidity of the tomatoes. Other options you could use are maple syrup, agave nectar or date paste.
    🥕Store extra sauce refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 55kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 300mgPotassium: 315mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 278IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg

    These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Food Safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Mansueta Crowell

      June 02, 2021 at 10:45 am

      5 stars
      Just discovered your recipes, and started to make the Marinara Sauce. And very thankful and appreciate for posting this recipes. I am sure it will be fantastic when making the pizza. next. Can't wait to try others recipes.

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        June 02, 2021 at 11:13 am

        Hi Mansueta, I'm so happy you found us! That marinara sauce is a constant fixture in our kitchen, we make it all the time. I do hope you enjoy it and would love to hear how your pizza turns out.💚 Thanks a bunch!🥕

        Reply
    2. Christine Rhoads

      March 05, 2021 at 8:46 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe ... very authentic Italian! One other trick to bumping up the sugar that my (Italian) family used to do was to sauté some large chunks of carrots (let them carmelize a bit in the pan along with the onions). You cook  them along with the sauce and them remove them when the sauce is done. The sauce picks up some sugar from the carrots that seems to cut the acidity.

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        March 06, 2021 at 12:04 am

        Christine - I love the idea of including carrots to add just the right amount of sweet to offset the acidity of the tomatoes! What a simply brilliant idea. Carrots rule!🥕

        Reply
    3. Connie Edwards McGaughy

      March 03, 2021 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      One simple sauce that you'll love using with so many dishes!

      Reply

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