Name: Homemade Marinara Sauce with Fresh Basil
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium onion, chopped, about 3/4 cup; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes; 1 – 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; pinch of red pepper flakes; 8 – 10 basil leaves, either chopped or left on the stalk

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This Homemade Marinara Sauce with Fresh Basil is quick to make and delicious. It’s perfect tossed with pasta or in your favorite Italian recipes.

>>Scroll down for my step by step video<<

I am finally getting around to sharing my homemade marinara sauce. It’s been on my pile of recipes to add to my blog for longer than I can remember. Homemade marinara sauce is one of those recipes that everyone should have in their cooking repertoire. It makes preparing Italian recipes a breeze.

Homemade Marinara Sauce with Fresh Basil is my #1, all-time easy Italian tomato sauce. I always have a quart or 2 in the fridge or freezer. Toss it with pasta. Layer with noodles and ricotta for a simple lasagna. Tuck it between crispy breaded eggplant along with mozzarella for eggplant Parmesan. Even cook mussels in marinara sauce for a unforgettable dinner.

sauteing onions and a can of crushed tomatoes

the ingredients in homemade marinara sauce

Marinara sauce is a simple Italian tomato sauce with just a few ingredients. Most of them are already in your pantry. Don’t skip the fresh basil. It gives the sauce a light, bright flavor.

extra virgin olive oil
onion
garlic
canned crushed tomatoes
fresh basil
red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

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chef cooking tips for making marinara from scratch

There are only a few steps to making a delicious homemade marinara sauce.

Chop the onions in small dice. The small pieces will melt into the sauce as it simmers.
Garlic cooks quickly. After the onions saute for about 4 to 5 minutes, add the garlic. Give it a quick saute ~ just for a minute. If the garlic overcooks, it tastes bitter and unpleasant.
Add the fresh basil either chopped or as the whole stalk. It is a matter of personal preference. If you like marinara sauce with flecks of basil, add it thinly sliced. If you like just the taste of basil without the leaves, pull out the stalk before serving.
In a pinch, substitute 1 teaspoon of dried basil for the fresh basil.
Make a double batch. Homemade marinara sauce with basil freezes beautifully.

If you make this easy and delicious marinara sauce recipe, I’d love hearing from you all. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.

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