Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce

This is a basic but very tasty tomato sauce. It’s great as is, over some penne or chicken parmesan, in a lasagna, or as the base of a meat sauce or a cream sauce. *See Cook’s Notes for variations. 

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Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 cups of sauce

Ingredients

  

• 5 TBSP olive oil
• ¼ cup grated carrot
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup diced onion
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomato sauce

Instructions

 

• In a heavy-bottom, 4-quart saucepot or dutch oven, add 5 TBSP of olive oil and heat on medium-high heat.
• Add grated carrot, minced garlic, and diced onion and stir. Lower heat to medium (you don’t want the veggies to burn so adjust the heat as needed and stir). Sauté carrots, garlic, and onion until soft and tender (about 5 minutes).
• Add ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and stir. Add 2 quarts of tomato sauce and stir. Raise the heat until the sauce comes to a gentle boil and then lower heat to simmer. At this point, you can add dried basil if that’s what you are using.
• Let the sauce simmer for 45 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Tear fresh basil with your hands and add it to the sauce. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.

Notes

This sauce is great on its own, however, here's a couple of ways to add to this already flavorful sauce:

 

Sunday Gravy: My grandfather always added meatballs, thin pork chops to his Sunday sauce. He would add some oil to the bottom of a dutch oven and brown the pork on both sides. Once browned, he removed the meat and set it aside.

At this point, you can start your marinara sauce in the same pot or add your already-made marinara sauce. Add the meat back into the sauce and add some meatballs. I add pork, meatballs, and about a cup of thickly-sliced pepperoni (it gives the sauce a little kick and tang). Simmer for two to three hours (or longer) and serve over your favorite pasta.

Tomato-Cream Sauce: To one recipe of marinara sauce and 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup grated parmesan or grated Romano cheese, a pinch of pepper, and stir. Add it to your favorite pasta and serve.

This is a basic but very tasty tomato sauce. It’s great as is, over some penne or chicken parmesan, or as the base of a meat sauce or a cream sauce. See the Cook’s Notes for some variations. 
Ingredients:

• 5 TBSP Olive Oil
• ¼ cup grated carrot
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced onion
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ pepper
• 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomato sauce
• ½ cup fresh basil (or teaspoon dried)
• More salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a heavy-bottom sauce pot or dutch oven, add 5 TBSP of olive oil and heat on medium-high heat.
• Add grated carrot, minced garlic, and diced onion and stir.
• Lower heat to medium (you don’t want the veggies to burn so adjust the heat as needed and stir).
• Sauté carrots, garlic, and onion until soft and tender (about 5 minutes).
• Add ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and stir.
• Add 2 quarts of tomato sauce and stir.
• Raise the heat until the sauce comes to a gentle boil and then lower heat to simmer.
• At this point you can add dried basil if that’s what you are using.
• Let the sauce simmer for 45 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
• Tear fresh basil with your hands and add it to the sauce.
• Taste and add more seasoning if needed.

Cook’s Notes:This sauce is great on it's own, however here's a couple ways to add to this already flavorful sauce:
Sunday Gravy: we Southern Italian-Americans refer to tomato sauce - with meat - that you eat on Sunday as Sunday Gravy and here’s how you do it: In the bottom of your big heavy pot, brown whatever meat you want in some olive oil (pork chops, sausage…). Once browned, remove meat and set aside. At this point you can start your marinara sauce in this pot or add your already-made marinara sauce. Add the meat back into the sauce and add the meatballs. I'm assuming you made meatballs (always a must in Sunday Gravy). Cook for two to three hours and serve over your favorite pasta.
Tomato-Cream Sauce: To one recipe of marinara sauce and 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup grated parmesan or grated romano cheese, a pinch of pepper, and stir. Add it to your favorite pasta and serve.