Our Mom’s Quick Marinara Sauce is an authentic recipe from Naples, Italy. It is a sweet-tasting homemade tomato sauce that is made with garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and San Marzano tomatoes. The secret to her marinara sauce is with two essential ingredients, and it’s like no other marinara sauce you have ever tasted! It’s the best!
Our Mom’s Marinara Sauce…
Her marinara sauce can be used in many of our classic Italian dishes, like our Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli, Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce, and our Best Rice Ball Casserole Stuffed with Meat & Peas, and Easy Baked Long Fusilli Casserole, just to name a few.
But it is the perfect sauce to make and serve it over cooked spaghetti for a quick and easy dish for dinner. My family’s loves it!
Best of all, her tomato sauce is quick and easy to make, and fresh-tasting – every time!
We’ll show you how to make our mom’s quick marinara sauce in your own kitchen. In fact, the first time you make her recipe for simple tomato sauce, you may never go back to buying the jarred sauce ever again. (well, maybe?!)
This is one tomato sauce, after you’ve made it once, you will enjoy making over and over again.
As a busy mom with a large family, I always have it on hand.
It’s essential for me to have a fresh-tasting marinara sauce in my fridge. I prefer using it for so many dishes, making my life so much easier when whipping up meals for my family.
At times, I’ll use our mom’s quick marinara sauce for so many recipes: pasta dishes, quick pizzas, and even add a few tablespoons to soups and stews to enhance their flavor.
What To Look For When Buying Canned Tomatoes…
- When shopping for a brand of tomatoes, look for imported tomatoes from Italy.
- Always look to buy a brand of tomatoes that says “Product of Italy” somewhere on the label.
- Or it is says “San Marzano” tomatoes on the can, which is the region in Italy where these particular tomatoes come from.
- These tomatoes are very pulpy and juicy natually, without adding any other ingredients, like sugar or additives. They contain natural flavors and they give a hearty taste to the sauce.
Most supermarkets will sell imported brands of tomatoes. Luckily, I can find a brand here in the South and it happens to be the brand we prefer; it is called Cento.
Make It Ahead…
As always, we make a batch of her marinara sauce and store it in a sealed container, and keep it chilled in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
This way, it’s ready to use for simple and even quick meals during those busy weeknights.
Plus, it freezes well too!
Our Mom’s BEST Secret Tip:
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When making the sauce, be sure to use a pot with a matching lid to it, and keep it nearby.
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And here’s why: the secret to the flavor of mom’s marinara sauce is allowing the basil and crushed red pepper to infuse into the hot oil before you add the tomatoes!
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When you toss in the fresh basil, you will have to immediately cover the pot for a one minute to prevent hot oil from splashing. Then, add in the tomatoes and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. This will flavor the sauce immensely, and everyone will notice the difference after they take their first spoonful taste.
Try our mom’s delicious and fresh-tasting tomato sauce! You’ll love eating it alone with some crusty bread or over your favorite pasta.
It’s SO GOOD, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.
Enjoy!
*See the full recipe card below!
Ingredients for Mom’s Quick Marinara Sauce:
For Mom’s Quick Marinara Sauce, you will need:
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1 can (28 ounces) Cento crushed tomatoes
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1 can (28 ounces) Cento peeled tomatoes
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fresh garlic cloves
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good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
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lots of large fresh basil leaves
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crushed red pepper
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optional: about 1/4 cup of water
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salt and black pepper, to taste
To Make Mom’s Quick Marinara Sauce…
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Open cans of tomatoes, pour them into a blender and puree them. Place them aside.
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In a large saucepot and on low-medium heat, heat olive oil. Add whole garlic cloves and sauté the garlic until they turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
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Next, turn off the heat, or remove the pot from the heat. and have the cover to the pot nearby.
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Toss in the red pepper flakes. Then drop all the basil leaves at once and COVER immediately! This will prevent the oil to splash all over the kitchen and onto yourself. After a minute or so, slowly stir the basil. This will infuse the flavors of the basil and red pepper into the oil giving it a strong punch of flavor to the sauce.
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Turn the heat back on. NEXT, add the tomatoes. Cover with a lid and bring the sauce to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
As the sauce thickens, depending on the brand of imported tomatoes, you may need to add some water if it’s getting too thick. -
Finally, taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, fish out the garlic cloves and discard them. Allow the sauce to completely cool before storing it in containers. It freezes well, for up to 3 weeks.
More Recipes To Use Marinara Sauce…
There are endless possibilities to using our mom’s delicious tomato sauce. From pasta to casseroles to favorites, like chicken-parm… and more!
… Thanks for PINNING!
Finally, additional Italian Tomato Sauce Recipes…
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Mom’s Classic Bolognese Sauce
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Rigatoni All’Amatriciana
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Spaghetti with Shrimp Marinara
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Spaghetti with Lobster Tails Sauce
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Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce
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Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta
- Best Pork Ragu Recipe
Yield: 2 quarts
Mom's Quick Marinara Sauce
Mom's Quick Marinara Sauce ~ is our mom's traditional recipe from Naples, Italy. It is a sweet-tasting homemade sauce that is made with garlic, red pepper, fresh basil, and San Marzano tomatoes. Her tomato sauce can be used in many of our classic Italian dishes and one you will enjoy making over and over again. I always make a batch of sauce, keep some in the fridge ready to use for the week, and freeze the rest!
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 can (28 ounces) Cento crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (28 ounces) Cento peeled tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 to 8 large basil leaves- rinsed
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
- optional: 1/4 cup of water
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Open cans of tomatoes, pour them into a blender, and puree them. Place them aside.
- In a large saucepot and on low-medium heat, heat olive oil. Add whole garlic cloves and sauté the garlic until they turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Next, turn off the heat, or remove the pot from the heat, and have the cover to the pot nearby.
- Add the red pepper flakes. Then drop all the basil leaves at once and COVER immediately! This will prevent the oil to splash all over the kitchen and onto yourself. After a minute or so, slowly stir the basil. This will infuse the flavors of the basil and red pepper into the oil giving it a strong punch of flavor to the sauce.
- Turn the heat back on. NEXT, add the tomatoes. Cover with a lid and bring the sauce to a low boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
- As the sauce thickens, depending on the brand of imported tomatoes, you may need to add some water if it's getting too thick.
- Finally, taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, fish out the garlic cloves and discard them. Allow the sauce to completely cool before storing it in containers and refrigerate. Can freeze up to 3 weeks.
- Yields: about 2 quarts
14 Comments
Best Rice Ball Casserole Stuffed with Meat and Peas – 2 Sisters Recipes by Anna and Liz
August 4, 2017 at 9:21 am[…] used our mom’s marinara sauce, which I had on hand. But you can use store bought sauce if you […]
by Anna and Liz
August 10, 2017 at 7:52 pmYes! absolutely you can use store bought sauce…. Enjoy!
SavoringTime in the Kitchen
February 2, 2017 at 7:35 pmPinning this to my pasta board! I've been craving pasta with red sauce 🙂
annaliz
February 2, 2017 at 8:23 pmYou are so sweet! Thank you for pinning this one!
Xo
Cali @ Cali's Cuisine
May 7, 2015 at 3:37 amThere is something very satisfying about making your own marinara sauce. The fact that this is quick is an added bonus!
annaliz
February 2, 2017 at 5:26 pmThank you Cali! Enjoy the sauce!! Stay tune to more recipes using our moms quick tomato sauce!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
May 5, 2015 at 11:52 amThanks Anna – especially for the tip about imported tomatoes – I've always wanted a good recommendation! Hope you are both well and hope you have a lovely Mother's Day!
annaliz
May 6, 2015 at 2:44 amThank you Tricia! Hope you can find the brand tomatoes CENTO, you will definitely notice the difference in flavor in your sauce. Have a great week!
Tricia Buice
February 2, 2017 at 1:27 pmWe have CENTO in our stores and I've been using it ever since – thanks again – this sounds great!
annaliz
February 2, 2017 at 5:24 pmWe are so lucky to able to find these brands where we live. So glad you have been using these tomoates.
Have have a great day!
Malli
January 23, 2012 at 10:51 pmThe rich color and texture on that luscious marinara sauce is incredible !! Mom is always right:)
Kitchen Belleicious
January 23, 2012 at 3:45 pmits always more enjoyable and delicious to have a homemade sauce than storebought- this looks delicious
annaliz
January 21, 2012 at 9:25 pmThanks Jessica! We hope you like our Mom's sauce. Tell us what you think?
Kitchen Belleicious
October 5, 2011 at 1:13 pmI love quick sauces like this. I have my own go to recipe but I am always up for a new one! It looks great