Homemade Marinara Sauce is a rich tomato sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, red wine, olive oil, and herbs simmered together until thick and flavorful. It’s an easy sauce to make at home for pasta, pizza, and your favorite Italian dishes.
I like making a big batch of this sauce because homemade marinara has so much more flavor than opening a jar. It also freezes well, so I can keep some on hand for an easy dinner later.
Why I Love Homemade Marinara Sauce
About the Ingredients ⭐
- Tomatoes: Use 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes for the base of the sauce.
- Garlic & Olive Oil: Chopped fresh garlic and olive oil start the sauce with plenty of flavor.
- Red Wine: Dry red wine adds richness to the marinara.
- Fresh Herbs: Basil, thyme, and rosemary add fresh Italian flavor.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce
Sauté the garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute, being careful not to let it burn.
Add the tomatoes: Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Crush the whole tomatoes with your hands and add them to the pot.
Add the herbs and wine: Add the basil, thyme, and rosemary. Bring the sauce to a low boil, then stir in the red wine.
Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1–2 hours, stirring every 10–15 minutes to prevent the sauce from sticking.
Storage
Let the marinara sauce cool completely before storing. Pour the sauce into clean jars or freezer-safe containers, leaving enough room at the top for the sauce to expand as it freezes.
Store in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen marinara overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Important: Jars used for freezing are simply storage containers and are not shelf-stable canned jars. This recipe is not intended for home canning. For home canning, always use a tested USDA-approved recipe and processing method.
Homemade Marinara Sauce
Learn how to make Marinara Sauce for Canning. This is my favorite marinara sauce I use, and I know have shared all the steps to canning this beautiful sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 4 sprigs fresh basil
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute, being careful not to let it burn.
- Add the crushed tomatoes.
- Crush the whole tomatoes with your hands and add them to the pot.
- Add the basil, thyme, and rosemary.
- Bring the sauce to a low boil, then stir in the red wine.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1–2 hours.
- Stir every 10–15 minutes to prevent the sauce from sticking.
Notes
For a thicker sauce, simmer it a little longer uncovered until it reaches the consistency you like.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 86Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 31mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g
Do you ever add meat to the marinara before canning?
No it’s a different canning method
@Adventures of a Nurse,
Great recipe thank you for sharing! Can you can already cooled sauce or should it be hot ?
If using fresh tomatoes how many pounds would this recipe use? It sounds yummy!