Easy Marinara Sauce (in 20 Minutes)
Serves 5
5 mins prep
15 mins cook
20 mins total
This is the only marinara sauce you need! My recipe makes a batch of basic, fresh-tasting homemade marinara sauce any time of year using canned tomatoes, garlic, onion and basil, and it doesn't need to cook for hours. This an essential pasta sauce, and will keep refrigerated or frozen.
Yield: 5 cups sauce, enough for 2-3 pounds pasta
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 cloves and 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.