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Marinara sauce

Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Keyword freezer sauce, marinara, pasta sauce, tomato sauce
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
A simple marinara of olive oil, onion, garlic, crushed and fire-roasted tomatoes and tomato paste, simmered until rich.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 carrot finely diced (optional)
  • 1 stalk celery finely diced (optional)
  • 3-4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes with liquid pureed
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (granulated or base)
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or more if you like it tangier
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil (or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh)
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sugar more or less to taste
  • 1/4 tsp EACH dried thyme salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
  • 1 whole bay leaf

Directions

  • Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot, and celery until soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds longer.
  • Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered over the lowest heat for 15 minutes, stirring now and then (cook longer for a thicker sauce; add water to thin it).
  • Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, sugar, or balsamic. Remove the bay leaf.
  • For a smoother sauce, blend it in batches, leaving one corner of the lid open for steam to escape and laying a paper towel loosely over it.

Notes

Prep 10 minutes, cook 20 minutes. Refrigerate airtight up to 5 days. To freeze: cool completely, put in freezer-safe containers or bags, squeeze out air, seal, label; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and heat gently on the stove.