A simple recipe for a tomato marinara sauce flavoured with oregano and red wine. The red wine is optional but gives a wonderful rich flavour.

WHAT IS A MARINARA SAUCE?

Marinara sauce is said to have originated in Naples or Sicily in the 16th Century.

This was the time when sailors where exploring the new world and tomatoes were brought to Europe for the first time.

It is said the sailors (mariners) made the sauce on their ships. It was easy to make, nutritious and didn't spoil quickly.

SIMPLE MARINARA SAUCE

This is a basic sauce with added herbs and red wine for flavour.

Many people use basil or parsley in a marinara sauce, but I like to use oregano.

I add basil to my basic tomato sauce, which is a chunkier sauce. 

For a good marinara, take the time to blend it into a thick, smooth sauce.

ONIONS

As with many dishes, a good marinara starts with onion. 

The onion adds a lot of flavour to a sauce and should not be skipped unless you have dietary problem with them.

You will see many quick tomato sauces skip the onion. I say skip those recipes.

White or brown onions are the best base for a marinara sauce.

GARLIC

Onion is the base of a good sauce, but garlic brings a lot of flavour to the sauce.

I use fresh garlic, but you could use jarred lazy garlic (yes it's called that), garlic paste or frozen garlic.

I use two fat cloves of garlic in this sauce, but if you love garlic, you can add another clove or two.

My husband would definitely detect extra garlic and complain, so just two cloves for us.

TINNED TOMATOES

Tinned tomatoes, also known as canned tomatoes, are a must-have store cupboard staple.

I use them in so many dishes including this marinara sauce and with a blog named tinned tomatoes, as you can imagine I'm always well stocked up.

You can use tinned chopped or plum tomatoes for this sauce.

You will often find the quality of plum tomatoes is better, but honestly, when making a sauce, the chopped tomatoes are fine and saves you breaking them down as you cook them.

OREGANO

As I have already mentioned, I flavour the sauce with oregano or dried oregano to be precise.

If you have fresh oregano in your garden you could add that instead.

Don't like the flavour of oregano? Use basil or parsley instead.

RED WINE

I add red wine to marinara sauce.

It really makes the sauce rich and takes it to another level.

You don't have to worry about adding wine to a sauce, as most of the alcohol will burn off as the sauce bubbles away.

There's not a lot in it either. Just 150ml which equates to half a cup and that's for 4 portions.

If you really don't want to add it, leave it out, but I do recommend it for flavour.

10 USES FOR MARINARA SAUCE

Marinara sauce is a good basic, smooth tomato sauce and can be used in many dishes. Here are a few ideas.

1. SPAGHETTI - Marinara sauce coats spaghetti beautifully. They are definitely best friends.
2. VEGAN 'MEATBALLS' - Vegan meatballs and marinara sauce is a marriage made in heaven. Serve the tomato coated 'meatballs' with spaghetti for a classic meal or with mashed potatoes and veg for a tasty family meal. Try vegan aubergine meatballs.
3. PIZZA - A thick blended marinara sauce makes a delicious pizza sauce. Make this foolproof perfect pizza dough and top with the sauce, before adding vegan mozzarella and baking.
4. NUT LOAF - A nut loaf is a thing of beauty, but it does need a sauce and marinara sauce is the perfect option. Try vegan haggis & red lentil nut loaf.
5. SAUSAGES - Cook your favourite vegan sausages and serve them with mashed potatoes and broccoli, pouring a generous amount of marinara sauce over the sausages.
6. MUSHROOM WELLINGTON - If you're making a mushroom wellington for Sunday dinner or even Christmas dinner, try serving it with marinara sauce. Super tasty! Try Mushroom, Lentil & Nut Wellington.
7. RATATOUILLE - Roast vegetables in the oven and mix with marinara sauce for an easy but very yummy ratatouille.
8. TEAR & SHARE - Serve it with garlic bread or garlic tear and share bread for dunking.
9. LASAGNE - Make a simple lasagne using marinara as the sauce. Layer sauce with roast vegetables and sheets of lasagne then top with a vegan white sauce or a vegan cheese sauce and finish with grated vegan mozzarella before baking.
10. STUFFED PEPPERS - Fill stuffed peppers or mushrooms with a mixture of marinara sauce, cooked rice, corn and black beans, herbs and top with grated vegan cheese, then bake.

Try Vegan 'Meatball Subs (chickpea 'meatballs')

HOW LONG WILL MARINARA SAUCE KEEP?

You can store your freshly made and cooled marinara sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

To cool it quickly, remove from the pan and spoon into the airtight container. Once cool you can store it in the fridge.

CAN MARINARA SAUCE BE FROZEN?

Yes, you can freeze marinara sauce.

Cool quickly and freeze in freezer-proof bags or tubs for 3-4 months.

To defrost, place in the fridge overnight then reheat to serve.

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HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE MARINARA SAUCE

Scroll down for step-by-step photos followed by a full printable recipe. If you don't have a printer, hit the print button, then choose save as PDF.

STEP 1

In a large pan, saute finely chopped onion and garlic in olive oil.

STEP 2

Keep cooking the onions until they are soft. 

Don't worry if you catch on the bottom of the pan, they are just caramelising. Add a splash of water and all that flavour will transfer to your onions.

STEP 3

Add chopped tomatoes and tomato puree to the pan now.

STEP 4

Next add the dried oregano and red wine.

If you don't like or have oregano, you can add parsley or basil.

The red wine adds richness to the sauce and the alcohol burns off during cooking. You can skip it but it adds a lot of flavour.

STEP 5

Cook on a low to medium heat for 20 minutes until the sauce is thick and rich.

Season it with salt and pepper.

You can add 2 teaspoons of sugar if your tomatoes are bitter, but usually, the sauce doesn't need it.

STEP 6

Once the sauce is cooked, blend it until smooth, in a blender or food processer or use an electric stick blender in your pot.

Use straight away or cool quickly and chill or freeze the sauce for later.

Scroll down for the full recipe.

marinara sauce, tomato sauce, meatball sauce, vegan pasta sauce, vegetarian pasta sauce, spaghetti sauce, vegan meatball sauce, pizza sauce

dinner

Italian

Yield: 4

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Print

Simple Marinara Sauce

A simple recipe for a tomato marinara sauce flavoured with oregano and red wine. The red wine is optional but gives a wonderful rich flavour.

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed or finely chopped
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 150ml/1/2 cup red wine
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. If the onion catches on the bottom of the pan while cooking, add a splash of water.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano and red wine.
3. Cook on a low to medium heat for 20 minutes until the sauce is thick and rich.
4. Season with salt and pepper,  then blend until smooth.
5. Enjoy!

Notes:

If you don't have or like oregano, you cam use parsley or basil instead.

The alcohol will burn off while the sauce cooks. If you really don't want to add it you can leave it out, but I recommend adding it as it gives a rich flavour to the sauce.

You can store your freshly made and cooled marinara sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To cool it quickly, remove from the pan and spoon into the airtight container. Once cool you can store it in the fridge.

You can freeze marinara sauce. Cool quickly and freeze in freezer-proof bags or tubs for 3-4 months. To defrost, place in the fridge overnight then reheat to serve..

Calories

182.45

Fat (grams)

3.86

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.54

Carbs (grams)

14.72

Fiber (grams)

3.08

Net carbs

11.64

Sugar (grams)

7.51

Protein (grams)

2.43

Sodium (milligrams)

91.88

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00

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