Spaghetti marinara is a simple, yet impressive, dish to make at home. Your favorite al dente pasta is tossed in a homemade marinara sauce made with high quality tomatoes, oregano, and garlic.
Making your own marinara sauce from scratch is easier than you think and incredibly satisfying. You'll never go back to the store bought stuff after this!
This marinara sauce is made with high quality San Marzano tomatoes that are known for their superior flavor and quality. The sauce turns out chunky and rich with hints of garlic and oregano. Add your favorite pasta (I prefer De Cecco spaghetti) and you're all set.
Serve spaghetti marinara for a quick, meatless dinner any day of the week. Add some cheesy garlic bread and a garden salad for a well-rounded meal.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Pasta - Any pasta shape or brand works in this recipe. I prefer De Cecco when it comes to dried pasta.
- San Marzano tomatoes - The most important ingredient in this recipe is the tomatoes. I only recommend San Marzano tomatoes, which are whole tomatoes in tomato juice. They're most commonly found in 28 ounce cans. Look for a can that says "DOP" or "DOP certified" - this roughly translates to "protected designation of origin" and ensures you're getting the real deal. Try looking for Cento brand San Marzano Tomatoes - the can has a bright yellow label.
- Olive oil - Can be substituted with butter. Keep in mind the recipe will no longer be vegan if using butter.
- Garlic - Adds a significant amount of flavor to the sauce. I don't recommend omitting it or substituting with garlic powder in this recipe. Fresh garlic cloves are best.
- Seasoning - Salt, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano add savory flavor to the sauce. Dried oregano can be substituted with fresh oregano at a 1:3 ratio. 1 teaspoon of dried oregano would be substituted with 1 tablespoon (or 3 teaspoons) of fresh chopped oregano.
Tips and tricks
Lightly brown garlic - Add garlic to the pan with the olive oil and cook for up to a minute, or just until it begins to lightly brown around the edges.
Cook sauce at a low simmer - Reduce the heat and cook your sauce at the lowest simmer possible, usually around medium-low heat. At a lower heat, your tomatoes have time to cook and break down without the sauce sticking to the pan or burning.
Smash tomatoes while they cook - Use the back of your spoon to gently smash the tomatoes as they cook. They'll slowly break down into a lovely, chunky sauce.
Optionally, blend - Prefer a smooth tomato sauce? Your homemade marinara sauce can be blended using an immersion blender or traditional blender once it's done cooking.
Storage
Spaghetti marinara leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Marinara sauce can also be frozen in a tightly sealed, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. If storing in a freezer-safe glass jar, leave about ½ inch of space at the top of your jar to account for sauce expanding as it freezes.
Transfer frozen sauce to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Sauce can be reheated in a saucepan over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
I do not recommend freezing cooked pasta because it doesn't thaw well and tends to have a mushy texture.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, marinara sauce will keep for up to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and reheats well. Sauce can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Transfer to the refrigerator overnight to thaw.
San Marzano tomatoes are arguably the best canned tomatoes one can buy. They are a variety of plum tomato and grown in Italy, similar to the Roma tomato in the US. They're slightly sweet with an intense tomato flavor and low acidity. If you're going to make a sauce with very few ingredients (like a marinara sauce), your main ingredient should be of the highest quality.
I can't stress this enough - using cheap or inferior tomatoes in this recipe will give you an inferior-tasting sauce. Spring for the San Marzano tomatoes. You won't be disappointed!
Yes. After cooking, carefully transfer your tomato sauce to a blender or use a immersion blender to blend smooth. If using a traditional blender, remove the center cap and loosely cover with a kitchen towel to prevent splattering.
You may have cooked your sauce down too long or at too high a temperature. Only cook for the time directed in the recipe card at a very low heat (barely a simmer). This recipe makes about 3 cups or 24 ounces of marinara sauce, which is enough to lightly coat 1 pound of spaghetti (dry weight). Once tossed, there won't be extra sauce sitting at the bottom of the pan. If you like a very saucy pasta (or want extra sauce for dipping garlic bread) you may want to double the recipe.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Spaghetti Marinara
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti, dry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a pot of salted, boiling water, cook spaghetti to al dente according to package directions. Drain, cover, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, In a sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until barely beginning to brown around the edges. Add canned tomatoes to the pan, then add about ½ cup of water to tomato can, swirl around to catch extra tomato juices, and add to the pan. Season with salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano.
- Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low (or as low as you can go without losing your simmer), and cook for about 20 minutes. As your sauce cooks, continually smash the whole tomatoes with your spoon, slowly breaking them apart, until no large chunks remain.
- Remove from heat. Add cooked spaghetti and toss gently until coated. Serve warm topped with optional parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Quantity: This recipe makes about 3 cups, or 24 ounces, of sauce. If you prefer a very saucy pasta (or want extra for dipping garlic bread), you may want to double the sauce portion of the recipe.
- For a smooth sauce: use an immersion blender, or carefully transfer cooked sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. Make sure to remove the feeder cap of your blender lid and cover lid with a towel to allow steam to vent safely. For your safety, never fill a blender more than half full with hot food.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Sauce (without pasta) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!