Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce

Elevate your pasta, pizza, and more with this flavorful Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce created with plump tomatoes, aromatic garlic, and fragrant herbs with just a touch of red wine. This pasta sauce is easy to make and freezes exceptionally well, making it great for batch cooking. Your Italian recipes will benefit from this garlic herb marinara’s robust, savory sauce. You’ll love how simple the prep is and how versatile it is once made.

What Is Marinara Sauce?

There are five mother sauces in the culinary world. Of those five, tomato sauce is often the simplest regarding ingredients and preparations. Marinara sauce is a “small sauce,” or a derivative, of the mother tomato sauce. A well-made marinara sauce will be thick, slightly grainy, bold in flavor, and vibrant red in appearance. Above all else, the sauce shouldn’t be too bitter or sweet, but instead, have pure tomato flavor, subtly infused with herbs and aromatics.

The word marinara means “seafaring” in Italian. Marinara sauce most likely originated along the Italian coasts, where sailors docked and enjoyed it with pasta. A nonna (Italian for “grandmother”) told me, through a translator, that marinara originated in Sicily, but many of my Italian friends from other states beg to differ. Who knows where it really comes from? And more importantly, who cares now that we have it?

Marinara sauce is a pasta sauce, so the terms are often interchangeable. Some pasta sauces often have more flavor than basic marinara sauces, however, no recipe of mine comes out bland, so that doesn’t apply here. 

What Do I Need To Make Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce?

Garlic herb marinara sauce is made with whole, peeled tomatoes, olive oil, yellow onion, green bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, red wine, vegetable stock, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaves, fresh basil, oregano, and thyme. A pinch of sugar is optional and may be needed depending on your tomatoes’ acidity level. 

This is a one-pot marinara sauce, so you need a 6 or 8-quart non-reactive metal pot or Dutch oven. I recommend using an immersion blender to blend the sauce, but you can also use a conventional blender, with my added safety tips. 

Are Fresh Or Canned Tomatoes Better For Marinara?

A big debate is whether to use fresh or canned tomatoes to make marinara sauce. In my professional opinion, the answer is: it depends. 

Tomatoes are tastiest during the summer months– June to August—but their season runs from May to October. If you can find fresh summer tomatoes, I recommend using them and making a big batch of this sauce. If tomatoes aren’t in season, canned tomatoes are a perfectly suitable option for marinara sauce. I always make my marinara sauce with canned tomatoes because even in season, sometimes fresh tomatoes don’t have that über-tomato-y flavor. 

Why Do I Need To Cook The Tomato Paste?

Using a heavy, non-reactive dutch oven or stockpot to cook your marinara sauce is important to avoid imparting a metallic flavor. Tomatoes are very acidic; cooking this sauce in a reactive pot will cause it to taste like you’re licking tin foil. A heavy-gauged pot is also essential because tomatoes’ high sugar content makes them easy to burn. Stainless steel, anodized aluminum, or an enamel-lined dutch oven are perfect for making tomato sauces. 

Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the oil once it begins to shimmer in the pot. Sauté the aromatics for 7 minutes, stirring once every minute. The goal here is to begin caramelizing the aromatics without burning them. This caramelization not only adds another layer of flavor, but adds sweetness which means we don’t have to add extra sugar to the marinara sauce. 

Clear out the middle of the pot by pushing the aromatics out of the way. Add the tomato paste to the space you made and cook while stirring it for 1 minute. Cooking that tomato paste browns it, bringing out more flavor and adding a deeper red color to our finished marinara sauce. 

Can I Omit The Red Wine From My Marinara?

Deglaze the pan with a good-quality Merlot, cabernet sauvignon, or Chianti. By “good quality,” I mean, if you wouldn’t drink it from a glass, don’t cook with it. Red wine’s tannins help enhance the flavors in marinara sauce by tempering fats. While we’re not adding a ton of fat to the marinara sauce now, you’ll often use it in a meat-based sauce later. I prefer a Merlot because it contains fewer tannins than a cabernet sauvignon. Chianti sits in the middle of the two as far as tannic content. 

If you abstain from alcohol, you can replace it with vegetable, beef, or chicken stock.

Pour the wine into the pot and use your spoon to scrape up any bits of browned food, also called the fond, stuck to the bottom of the pot. Heat the wine for 2 minutes to evaporate some of the alcohol. 

Next, add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to the pot. I like to crush the whole tomatoes by squeezing them in my hand before adding them to the pot, but this isn’t necessary. You can also use crushed or diced tomatoes instead of whole. I always have whole on hand, so I prefer to use them.

How Do I Make The Sauce Smooth?

Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and allow the marinara sauce to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching the sauce. 

After 20 minutes, turn the stove off and remove (and discard) the bay leaves from the pot. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it’s smooth. You can also use a conventional blender to do this, but you will need to blend the sauce in batches and ensure you’re venting the blender lid to avoid an explosion. I don’t recommend leaving the sauce as is because it’s super chunky.

Can I Omit Any Of The Herbs?

Once smooth, stir in the fresh herbs. You want to add the herbs after cooking to retain their flavors. Fresh herbs lose flavor much quicker than dried herbs, which you’d add with the other spices. 

You can omit any of the herbs, but I encourage you to at least use the basil. You can also replace the thyme or oregano with rosemary or marjoram. If you’re using dried herbs, you can skip these and use 1 1/2 tablespoons of my Italian Herb Blend instead. Just add it with the rest of the spices. 

What’s The Best Way To Store Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce?

If you’re not planning to use the marinara sauce right away, allow it to cool for 20 minutes. Once cool, ladle the sauce into glass jars using a funnel to make things less messy. Seal the jars and store them in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

If you are planning to use it immediately, you can leave it in the pot. This recipe makes 3 quarts of garlic herb marinara sauce, though. You’re cooking for an army if you’re using it all up right away.

How Do I Use Garlic Herb Marinara?

Use garlic herb marinara sauce as you would store-bought pasta sauce. I toss boiled pasta in it or fold in browned meat to make a meat sauce for lasagna or baked ziti. You can also use it to make eggplant or chicken parmigiana, as a dip for mozzarella sticks or bread. 

Can I Can It For Pantry Storage?

To can garlic herb marinara sauce:

1. Wash and sanitize your canning jars, lids, and bands using your preferred method (I just run them through a dishwasher cycle). Once sterilized, add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of fresh lemon juice to each jar. This is essential as it provides the needed acidity to make it safe for canning. 
2. Use a funnel to carefully ladle the hot garlic herb marinara sauce into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp towel to remove any sauce residue, which could prevent proper sealing.
3. Place the lids on top of each jar and screw on the bands until they are just slightly tight, but don’t over-tighten.
4. Use a water bath or pressure canner, depending on your altitude. Use a water bath canner if you’re below 1,000ft (305 meters). You need to use pressure canning for altitudes above 1,000ft. Process the quart jars for about 40 minutes in a boiling water bath canner (adjust for altitude as needed). Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific model and altitude if using a pressure canner.
5. Carefully remove the jars from the water using canning tongs and place them on towels. The lids will make a “pop” sound as the jars cool and the lids seal. Check the seals by pressing down on the center of each lid to ensure they don’t flex. This ensures the jar is properly sealed. If the lids flex or pop, refrigerate the marinara sauce and use it within 2 weeks.
6. Label each sealed jar with the recipe name and date and store them in the pantry or cabinet. Properly canned garlic herb marinara sauce lasts for 1 year or longer.

Can I Freeze Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce?

You can freeze marinara sauce for up to 6 months. Allow the sauce to cool completely, then fill and seal your freezer storage bags. I freeze the sauce while the bag is lying flat; that way, when it’s frozen, I can stand it up in the freezer and save space.

You can thaw frozen marinara sauce in the fridge for 4-6 hours or under cold running water for 30 minutes. 

What Recipes Go Well With This Sauce?

If you like making pizza at home, you can reduce this garlic herb marinara sauce by simmering it over low heat for an additional 15 minutes. This thickens the sauce making it great for using on your pizzas. Use this sauce instead of pizza sauce to fill these Pizza Empanadas with more homemade flavor.

You can also skip making the sauce for this Italian Ratatouille and use this marinara sauce as the base instead. I also like to make a pizza grilled cheese sandwich with it. 

You’ll turn to this Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce again and again. Its bold flavors of sweet tomatoes, heady garlic, and bright herbs make it a luscious sauce for all of your Italian-inspired dishes. The quantity it makes will provide you with enough sauce for two or three recipes, so be sure to make the full recipe. Save this recipe to your sauces board, and don’t forget to share it with your friends and family.

Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 10 votes

This Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce has bold flavors of sweet tomatoes, heady garlic, and bright herbs making it a luscious sauce for all of your Italian-inspired dishes.

This recipe makes about 3 quarts of garlic herb marinara sauce.

Servings: 12 cups (about 3 litres or 3 quarts)

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Equipment

• 6 or 8-quart dutch oven or stock pot
• immersion blender optional, but strongly recommended
• 3 quart-sized jars for storage

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 large (2 1/2 cups or 305 grams) yellow onion peeled and chopped
• 1 large (1 1/2 cups or 170 grams) green bell pepper deseeded and chopped
• 1 head (1/2 cup or 60 grams) garlic peeled and chopped
• 3 tablespoons (40 grams) tomato paste
• 3/4 cup (175 milliliters) dry red wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Chianti)
• 1 1/2 cups (355 milliliters) vegetable stock or tomato juice
• 2 28-ounce cans (1.5 kilograms) whole peeled tomatoes with juice, crushed in your hands
• 2 1/2 teaspoons (15 grams) kosher salt or to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon (1 gram) black pepper or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
• 2 medium bay leaves
• 3 bunches (30 grams) basil leaves finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried basil)
• 4 stems (5 grams) oregano leaves finely chopped (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano)
• 2 bunches (3 grams) thyme leaves stems removed (or 3/4 teaspoons dried thyme)
• sugar as needed

Instructions 

Caramelize the Aromatics

• Heat the olive oil in an 6 or 8-quart pot over medium heat.

  Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the oil once it begins to shimmer in the pot.
• Sauté the aromatics for 7 minutes, stirring once every minute with a wooden spoon to begin caramelizing the aromatics without burning them.

Brown the Tomato Paste Slightly

• Push the aromatics out of the way to create an open space in the center of the pot.

  Add the tomato paste to the space you made and cook while stirring it for 1 minute to brown it slightly and bring out more of its flavor. 

Deglaze the Pot and Add the Tomatoes

• Pour the wine into the pot and use your spoon to scrape up any bits of browned food stuck to the bottom of the pot.

  Heat the wine for 2 minutes to evaporate some of the alcohol. 
• Next, add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to the pot.

  Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Simmer the Marinara Sauce, Then Puree Until Smooth

• Cover the pot and allow the marinara sauce to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching the sauce. 
• After 20 minutes, turn the stove off and remove (and discard) the bay leaves from the pot.

  Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it's smooth.

  Once smooth, stir in the basil, oregano, and thyme leaves.

Use or Store For Later

• If you are planning to use the garlic herb marinara sauce immediately, you can leave it in the pot.

  For later use, refer to instructions located in the notes section.

  Use garlic herb marinara sauce as you would store-bought pasta sauce.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• Replace the red wine with vegetable, beef, or chicken stock if you abstain from alcohol.
• Use canned crushed or diced tomatoes instead of whole.
• You can also replace the thyme or oregano with rosemary or marjoram.
• Omit the fresh herbs and use 1 1/2 tablespoons (5g) of my Italian Herb Blend instead; adding it with the rest of the spices. 

Tips and Techniques:

• You can use fresh or canned tomatoes for this recipe. No need to peel fresh tomatoes since you're going to puree it.
• A good-quality Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Chianti (that you would drink it from a glass) is recommended.
• You can use a conventional blender to do puree the sauce smooth, but do so in batches and ensure you're venting the blender lid to avoid an explosion.
• I don't recommend leaving the sauce as is because it's so chunky.
• Add the herbs after cooking to retain their flavors. Dried herbs should be added with the other spices to coax out their flavors. 

Canning for Storage:

1. Wash and sanitize your canning jars, lids, and bands using your preferred method, then add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of fresh lemon juice to each jar. This is essential as it provides the needed acidity to make it safe for canning.
2. Use a funnel to ladle the hot sauce into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top. Clean the jars' rims well with a damp towel to ensure proper sealing.
3. Place the lids on top of each jar and screw on the bands until they are just slightly tight, but don't over-tighten.
4. Use a water bath or pressure canner, depending on your altitude. Use a water bath canner if you're below 1,000ft (305 meters). You need to use pressure canning for altitudes above 1,000ft.
5. Process the quart jars for about 40 minutes in a boiling water bath canner (adjust for altitude as needed). Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific model and altitude if using a pressure canner.
6. Carefully remove the jars from the water using canning tongs and place them on towels. The lids will make a "pop" sound as the jars cool and the lids seal.
   Check the seals by pressing down on the center of each lid to ensure they don't flex. This ensures the jar is properly sealed. If the lids flex or pop, refrigerate the marinara sauce and use it within 2 weeks.
7. Label each sealed jar with the recipe name and date and store them in the pantry or cabinet.
   Properly canned garlic herb marinara sauce lasts for 1 year or longer.

Storage Instructions:

• If you're not planning to use the marinara sauce right away, allow it to cool for 20 minutes, then ladle the sauce into glass jars using a funnel.
  Seal the jars and store them in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

Freezer Instructions:

1. Allow the sauce to cool completely, then fill and seal your freezer storage bags and freeze the sauce for up to 6 months.
2. Thaw frozen marinara sauce in the fridge for 4-6 hours or under cold running water for 30-45 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 30kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 0.3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 547mgPotassium: 50mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 174IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.3mg

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch, sauces

Cuisine European, Italian

Keyword marinara sauce, pasta, sauce, tomato

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