Authentic Italian Marinara Sauce

An easy, authentic marinara sauce made with simple ingredients and just 10 minutes of prep. Bright tomatoes, garlic, and herbs simmer into a rich, flavor-packed sauce perfect for pasta, pizza, and more.

One of the very first dishes I ever learned to cook was an authentic marinara sauce, thanks to a treasured recipe from an Italian family friend. It’s beautifully simple, yet it delivers bold, true Italian flavor every single time.

Once you make this marinara sauce, you’ll wonder why you ever bought a jar. It’s simple at its core, but with a few smart techniques, the flavor deepens into something rich, balanced, and incredibly satisfying. Ten minutes of prep, a gentle simmer, and your kitchen smells like pure comfort.

What I love most is how clean and honest it is. Just tomatoes, garlic, onion, and herbs working together the way they’re meant to — no extras, no fillers, just bold, natural flavor. It’s the kind of sauce that proves simple really is best, and once you have it in your back pocket, you’ll use it for everything.

How to store homemade marinara sauce

Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer it to a jar and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months (don’t forget to label it with the date). Thaw it in the fridge overnight before using. I love keeping a container in the freezer for busy weeks — all I have to do is warm the sauce, boil some pasta, and dinner practically makes itself.

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Authentic Italian Marinara Sauce

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

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This is the marinara sauce recipe I learned from an Italian friend, and the one that I keep coming back to. It’s rich, vibrant, and deeply tomato-forward with just the right balance of garlic and herbs — the kind of sauce that makes your kitchen smell like you’ve been cooking all day (even though you haven’t).

4

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
• ▢ 1 small onion (finely minced)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons finely minced garlic
• ▢ 2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes (see notes)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sea salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon chili flakes
• ▢ 2 tablespoons EACH: minced fresh basil and parsley (see notes)

Instructions 

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan (see notes) over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it turns translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.
  ¼ cup olive oil, 1 small onion, 3 tablespoons finely minced garlic
  
• Crush the whole tomatoes with your hands or an immersion blender. See notes.
  2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
  
• Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pan with the onions. Stir in the salt, pepper, and chili flakes and let the sauce come to a simmer. Cover the pan halfway, turn the heat to medium-low, and gently simmer the sauce for 45 minutes, stirring several times.
  2 teaspoons sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon chili flakes
  
• When the sauce is as thick as you'd like it to be, stir in the minced basil and parsley.
  2 tablespoons EACH: minced fresh basil and parsley
  
• Serve on top of your favorite pasta with a little parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.
  

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Notes

San Marzano tomatoes are wonderful in marinara sauce, but they are pricey. If you don’t keep them stocked in your pantry, use regular whole tomatoes and add a teaspoon of sugar to help balance the acidity – San Marzano tomatoes are less acidic, so they don’t need sugar. 

I prefer to crush the whole tomatoes by hand, which gives the marinara sauce a rough texture. You can crush them as you add them to the pot. You can also use a blender if you don’t like getting your hands messy, but the sauce will have a smoother texture. 

If you’d rather use dried basil, use 1 teaspoon and add it with the tomatoes. 

Cooking pot: I like to cook this in a 5-qt braiser because the wide cooking surface lets steam escape easily. If you only have a large pot, it may take a few extra minutes to thicken. If possible, use a heavy-bottomed pot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cup, Calories: 137kcal (7%), Carbohydrates: 4g (1%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 14g (22%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 1168mg (51%), Potassium: 67mg (2%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 190IU (4%), Vitamin C: 6mg (7%), Calcium: 20mg (2%), Iron: 0.4mg (2%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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