Basic Easy Marinara Sauce
Marinara sauce is one of easiest tomato sauces you can make.
How is marinara sauce compared to other tomato sauces? Marinara sauce is made in less than an hour compared to a longer simmering richer, thicker and more robust tomato sauce. A traditional marinara is a lighter, less thick sauce, with the diced tomatoes kept chunky, seasoned with garlic, basil and some chili flakes. A traditional tomato sauce has sauteed onions and garlic as well as carrots, celery, sometimes green pepper, a bay leaf, and more spices than a marinara. Marinara would never include meat where a tomato sauce for a Bolognese or lasagna would, if you are not making it a vegetarian dish. You would still simmer a tomato sauce without meat for a longer time.
My marinara takes less than a half hour to make and is a bit of a hybrid sauce in regards to flavour as I add onion, a bit of anchovy paste (easily omitted for a vegan or vegetarian marinara), both basil and oregano and I add parsley too. It is still lighter than a traditional tomato sauce and it is delicious! When a recipe calls for marinara, I make up more than I need to have some in the fridge and always find a use for it in a snack or meal in the coming days. A dollop on a sandwich is a fabulous condiment or use, a couple of spoonfuls when sautéing veggies or cook up some pasta and heat up some marinara for a delicious and nutritious and healthy lunch or dinner.
Onions are an antioxidant and contain VitC, VitB6 and manganese, and smaller amounts of iron, folate, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and sulphur. These compounds have been studied for their benefits to health and to reducing the risk of cancer. They also are a source of fiber and contain sugar, which makes them sweet when cooked for a longer time.
Fresh garlic contains an amino acid protein called ‘alliin’. When the garlic clove is chopped, minced or crushed, a heat sensitive enzyme, ‘alliinase’, is released. Cooking cut garlic before alliinase is released stops the nutritional magic from happening. Together alliin + alliinase form allicin, which is an antioxidant, an antibiotic and has been found to reduce inflammation. Studies have shown that allicin can help promote a healthy heart by lowering bad cholesterol and the antioxidants in garlic may help protect against dementia.
Tomatoes are a superfood for us. They are an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant and support the immune system. They contain lycopene, which gives the tomato its red colour and protects the fruit from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. Lycopene acts the same in our bodies – it protects our cells from free radicals and damage, including our skin. Tomatoes are a source of potassium, VitC, VitB and VitE, the latter two support heart health. Tomatoes also contain lutein and zeaxanthin that support eye health, protect blue light of digital devices like smartphones and computers, help alleviate eye strain, and some US studies have shown promising results that tomatoes may reduce the onset of age-related macular degeneration.
As always, when you make this recipe, I would love to see your creation so please post a photo of your Basic Easy Marinara Sauce goodness and tag my IG account #RenataCollective or leave a comment with your thoughts!
Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 20 minutes / Makes 5+ cups
Ingredients
3 Cloves Garlic – minced and set aside to work its nutritional magic
Tablespoons Ghee or Olive Oil or Butter (if no dairy sensitivities)
½ Medium Cooking Onion – diced
1 teaspoon Anchovy Paste (or 2 anchovy fillets – minced) - optional
1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Dried Basil
¼ teaspoon Chili Flakes
28 oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
14 oz Can Diced Tomatoes (used half the can in the photo)
½ teaspoon coconut sugar – optional
A Pinch of Herbed Seasoned Sea Salt, or plain sea salt
A Few Grinds of Fresh Black Pepper
How It’s Made
In a medium pot, over medium-high heat, melt the ghee (or olive oil or butter) and when hot, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic, anchovy paste (if using), parsley, oregano, basil and chili flakes. Sauté, stirring for 5 minutes until the onion is soft, watching to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
Add the crushed tomatoes and the diced tomatoes, the bit of sugar (if using) and season to taste with the herbed seasoned sea salt and fresh black pepper. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients.
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and allow to simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. Remove from the heat.
You can use the sauce immediately, as in the Back Pocket Baked Pasta recipe, or allow to cool and store in the fridge. It will last for 5 days.
Enjoy!
