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In my hometown, there’s not an authentic “mom and pop” Italian restaurant. However, the local Olive Garden gets hit hard by many. For me, I like to take a crack at making my own versions of Italian cuisine in the comfort of my own kitchen. One of the main things I keep on hand and make every week during my batch cooking session is a standard marinara. I’ll call it standard but stop there. This is anything but basic marinara sauce.
I use it for spaghetti, stuffed manicotti, baked tofu lasagna, and as aa base for stuffed peppers. The options are endless, and you can probably add a few more I haven’t mentioned. Just use this simple base recipe and make it your own by adding whatever else tickles your fancy!
Ideas to transform and elevate your marinara:
- Add shredded carrots, bell peppers, or other veggies to the sauce if you want to get your vegetable servings in a bit easier.
- Pour in a cup of your favorite red wine and reduce along with the sauce to add more depth and flavor.
- Add a bit of vodka and let it reduce with the sauce. Right before serving, add a cup of prepared cashew cream and roughly chopped spinach to the pot and you will have a creamy vodka sauce version!
Anything but Basic Marinara Sauce
This red sauce is the most perfect base recipe for you to always have on hand. Its simplicity allows you to add other ingredients to curate a completely different red sauce without ruining its existing flavors. Also, if you taste a bit of cinnamon, you are correct and should give your palate a round of applause! Cooking the sauce low and slow will reduce and thicken it . . . leaving so much flavorful goodness behind!
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: About 2 cups 1x
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1–5.5 oz can tomato paste
3–28 oz. cans of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
Instructions
Prepare your mise en place and set aside. Pour tomatoes into a blender/processor and process for a few seconds until a thick sauce is formed.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and about half of the parsley. Sauté for about 6-8 minutes or until onion becomes slightly translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for a few minutes longer being careful not to burn the garlic. Then add tomato paste and cook for a few more seconds.
Add pureed tomatoes to pot along with the remainder of ingredients. Stir to combine, cover halfway with lid and simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring frequently throughout the cooking process as it thickens. The sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to four months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Italian
