Garlic Herb Marinara Sauce

Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch, sauces

Cuisine: European, Italian

Keyword: marinara sauce, pasta, sauce, tomato

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

Servings: cups (about 3 litres or 3 quarts)

Calories: 30kcal

Author: Marta Rivera

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.

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Equipment

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

Ingredients

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:

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.
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.
Place the lids on top of each jar and screw on the bands until they are just slightly tight, but don't over-tighten.
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.
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.
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:

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

Nutrition