I know what you’re thinking. Why make marinara sauce when you can buy so many different varieties in a jar at the store? Here’s my simple answer in the form of a question: wouldn’t you rather have homemade chocolate chip cookies than store-bought ones? There’s something magical about controlling exactly what goes into your food, no matter if it’s sweet or savory. You can use this sauce on spaghetti, in homemade Turkey Spinach Lasagna, on homemade personal pizzas… Yeah. This stuff is as versatile as it is delicious. The best part is that it doesn’t take too long, and it gets you the bragging rights that every cook is after – you made every bit of this meal from scratch.
Let’s get this party started with your shopping list. Once you’ve made this stuff, you’ll make sure to always have these ingredients in your pantry just in case you get a craving.
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (Keep the vampires away!)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (You know… Those packets that come with delivery pizza.)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
Ready to make your house smell amazing? Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, until soft and not-quite-brown, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, then season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cook this mixture until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and water and stir consistently until the paste coats the onion and begins to darken. This will take about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and push them against the side of the pot to crush them before you bring everything to a boil. Cover the pot unless you’d like little red speckles flying across your stove. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. If you’re cooking for the whole crew, you can double this recipe, but make sure to use the tallest pot you’ve got! This will definitely reduce the mess concerns.
If you manage to be patient enough to not eat all the marinara sauce straight from the pot, then you’ll have a delicious homemade marinara that you can boast about – and never buy from the store again.
Happy cooking!
