After one bite of this sauce you won't be buying the jarred stuff anymore! This is the BEST recipe for marinara sauce I've ever had...and it's SO easy to make! You can make a big batch of it at once and then freeze the rest for later. I originally made this a couple months ago and had a small batch left that's been in the freezer. I popped it out of the freezer tonight and defrosted it for 2 minutes and it came right out of the container. Then I just reheated it up in a sauce pot for about 5-10 minutes. I actually got the recipe for this sauce from Gina over at
Skinny Taste blog...that girl knows how to make some GOOD FOOD. And she adapts it to be "figure friendly" and healthier. But the taste is still there! This sauce is so versatile. You can top it on chicken parmigiana, spaghetti, dip it for cheese sticks, etc. I just wanted a quick dinner so I put it on top of some Bertolli stuffed tortellini I picked up at the store while grocery shopping for some pretty fantastic crock-pot recipes for the next 2 weeks! I seriously am sold on this sauce. It just uses canned crushed tomatoes, so it's really just as easy as using the jarred stuff...but you know what you're putting in it...and it's a lot lower on sodium! And the smell while it's simmering is unbelievable! I could smell it all the way upstairs! Mmmm.... The original recipe can be found
here, or you can scroll below to see the adaptations I made to it (there weren't many!). Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cloves (fresh) garlic, smashed- (I just used jarred minced garlic for the equivalence of 2 cloves. I always have that on hand and it worked just as well!)
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (Tuttorosso brand is good...it's very smooth, no blending needed)
- 1 small bay leaf (I used 2)
- 1 teaspoon oregano (dried)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (I just used dried...it still tasted great!)
- salt and pepper to taste
In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn. (Note: I used the jarred minced garlic, so I just barely let it saute since it was already "golden" in color. Approximately 1 minute...maybe less.) Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, and bay leaf. (Also add basil if using dried). Stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and add fresh basil (if using).
That's it!
Bon Appetit!
