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Here’s Why My Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe Is Better Than Store-Bought
Every time I used to grab a jar of marinara at the store, I’d flip it over and see the same thing: sugar and preservatives hiding in the ingredient list. And honestly, the flavor never impressed me. Plus, so many of my readers kept asking me for a homemade marinara sauce that was clean, simple, and actually delicious. It turned out so much fresher than any jar, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Here’s why my family (and so many of you!) have loved this marinara sauce recipe over the years:
- Real flavor from real ingredients – Sautéed onion and garlic with fresh basil give my marinara sauce recipe so much depth and cozy aroma, while my Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend adds just the right natural sweetness to make the tomatoes taste bright without any sugar.
- Quick and simple – Just 5 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of simmering give this easy marinara sauce a surprising all-day flavor.
- Make ahead friendly – This sauce stores beautifully, and the flavors get even better in the fridge, so I love making it ahead.
Beyond pasta and pizza, I spoon this homemade marinara sauce over chicken, layer it into casseroles, or even dunk mozzarella sticks in it. Make it with me, and you’ll never look at jarred sauce the same way again!
Reader Review
“We made 8 batches of this today!! Excellent and tasty. Super easy to make.” –Terry
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my easy marinara sauce recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Crushed Tomatoes – I prefer these for texture in my marinara sauce, but technically you can use diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato puree if you like. Your sauce will just have that same texture.
- Aromatics – I like white onion and fresh garlic best! Yellow onion, jarred garlic, or even 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder work in a pinch.
- Olive Oil – You can use regular or extra virgin, or even avocado oil. I add quite a bit to give this marinara sauce recipe plenty of flavor, but you can use less if you like.
- Herbs & Spices – I kept it classic with my 5-minute Italian seasoning (a blend of oregano, marjoram, basil, thyme, rosemary, and sage), plus sea salt, black pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and fresh basil leaves. If I’m out of the fresh herbs, I swap in about 2 teaspoons dried basil, or just more Italian seasoning.
- Sweetener – Most marinara sauce recipes as well as jarred sauces add sugar to balance acidity. You certainly can, but I use Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend instead. It tastes and measures like sugar, dissolves perfectly (no gritty texture), and has no calories or aftertaste. Powdered Besti or regular sugar also works, but most other sweeteners won’t dissolve or can crystallize after storing.
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VARIATION: Make a meat marinara sauce!
When I want a meat sauce, I just add a pound of ground beef after sauteing the onions and garlic. Then, cook for 8-10 minutes, until browned, before adding the other ingredients. You can also sneak in some extra sauteed veggies for more flavor and nutrition.
How To Make Marinara Sauce
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until they’re soft and fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (if you like a little heat), Besti, and fresh basil. I let the homemade marinara sauce gently simmer, until the flavors come together and the kitchen smells amazing.
- Season to taste. Adjust salt and pepper to your liking if needed. Enjoy it right away over pasta, pizza, or whatever you’re making, or let it cool and store in glass jars for later.
My Recipe Tips & FAQs
- For the best marinara sauce, I recommend a Dutch oven. You can definitely use a regular pot, but I find my Dutch oven heats more evenly and keeps the sauce at a gentle simmer without scorching on the bottom.
- I wait until the sauce has simmered before adjusting the salt and pepper. The flavors develop as it cooks, and it’s easier to get the balance right at the end.
- You can adjust the texture of this homemade marinara sauce to your liking. I like a chunky texture, but if you want it smooth, simply puree it with a regular blender or use an immersion blender right in the pot. I also have alternativs to the crushed tomatoes above that will get you different textures.
- How do I thin out marinara sauce? If it feels too thick, just stir in a splash of water until it’s right for you. Sometimes I use balsamic vinegar instead, which adds subtle sweetness and tang at the same time.
- Want it thicker? I usually keep mine on the thinner side, but if you want it heartier, simmer uncovered 5-10 minutes more — a wider pan reduces faster. To thicken it faster, stir in 1-3 tablespoons tomato paste until it’s as saucy as you like. Then, taste and tweak the seasoning.
- This sauce gets thicker when you reheat it, or if you simmer it too long. So, just thin it out like I described above if needed.
- How to can marinara sauce? Pour the hot sauce into sterilized jars (these are the ones I use), leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, seal with lids, and process in a boiling water bath for the time recommended for your jar size and altitude. For exact times and safety details, I recommend following the USDA canning guidelines.
- If you make this into a meat sauce, skip water bath canning. Meat makes the sauce low-acid, so it’s not safe to preserve this way. If you want to can a meat sauce, you’ll need a pressure canner instead.
Homemade Marinara Sauce (No Sugar Added)
By
My easy homemade marinara sauce recipe is garlicky, herby, tangy, and a little sweet, with no refined sugar. Make it in just 20 minutes!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
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Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), Besti, and chopped fresh basil. Stir until combined.
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Simmer the homemade marinara sauce over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
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Adjust salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
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Serve immediately, or let the sauce cool completely before storing it in glass jars in the refrigerator.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Tips & questions: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best flavor, the right texture, and safe ways to store or can your homemade marinara sauce.
- Storage: I keep my homemade marinara sauce in glass jars in the fridge, and it stays fresh for about a week.
- Meal prep: You can store it in the fridge for the week, freeze it for later, or check out my canning instructions above if you want to preserve a bigger batch.
- Reheat: Warm the sauce in a saucepan on the stove (my go-to for best flavor) or microwave until hot.
- Freeze: Homemade marinara sauce freezes beautifully! Just use an airtight container or freezer bag, and it will last up to 3-6 months in the freezer.
- Recipe yield: My marinara sauce recipe makes about 3 cups. The exact volume can vary depending on how much it reduces while simmering.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe
Ways To Use It
This marinara sauce recipe is probably the most versatile sauce I’ve ever made! I’m sure you already have favorite ways you use the jarred stuff, and yes, you can use this homemade version the same way. But just in case, here are some ideas:
- Noodles – This is the ultimate pasta sauce, so feel free to spoon it over or simmer it with your favorite pasta! I often keep it lighter with veggie options like zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or even shirataki noodles.
- Casseroles – I love using this homemade marinara sauce in baked dishes like zucchini lasagna, cabbage roll casserole, or my latest fave, ground beef casserole.
- Pizza – This makes a great pizza sauce, too! I often spread it on cauliflower pizza crust, my low carb pizza, or even a pizza casserole.
- Italian dishes – For a comforting Mediterranean-inspired meal, try this sauce over Italian meatballs or eggplant rollatini, or layered into stuffed eggplant or zucchini pizza boats.
80 Comments
Terri Kosloski
0This is the only Marinara we use… even my non Keto daughter will only eat this sauce and she is very picky, so good, so easy, stores well… thank you!!!!
Amy M.
0I made this as is the first time. I didn’t really care for the sweetener so I left it out the 2nd time and also used fresh tomatoes from the garden. Hubby thought it was good.
Lavonne Sarati
0Super flavorful and spicy marinara with a kick! Absolutely Loved it and so did the rest of my family!
Patricia Snyder
0Can this spaghetti sauce be canned successfully using monk fruit?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Patricia, Yes, this recipe can be canned.
Krista
0Have you ever canned or froze this marinara sauce? I’d like to try using tomatoes from the garden.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Krista, Yes, you can freeze this recipe.
TerriK.
0I tried your marinara and loved it….more surprisingly, my daughter who does not care for my Keto food also loves your marinara!!!! It’s a keeper, thank you!!!
LIZ Y Santiago
0I do not have a dutch oven can i use a regular pot?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Liz, Yes, that would work.
C
0This is absolutely my favorite tomato sauce as advertised! This is fresh tasting and has loads of flavor. I made it with the WY meatballs and had to stop myself from eating too much!! Thanks for great recipes.
Patti
0I loved this recipe! I made the sauce and did not add the Besti because I do not like sweet sauce. I think that the sauce is perfect and will save me some money, no more buying expensive store-bought brands that are hard to find.
Shiloh
0So delicious and vibrant! It’s super tasty as written plus lends itself well to substitutions & modifications. Even without the salt or sweetener, it’s still very tasty.
Thanks for this recipe – it’s one of my favorite go-to’s!
Iris Davidson
0Delicious! Didn’t have any peppers or mushrooms. Added sliced black olives.
J
0I don’t have the Besti sweetener, what can I use instead until I get some? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Besti is available here. As mentioned in the post above, other powdered keto sweeteners would work, but they often crystallize when you store them. You could also make it without sweetener in the meantime instead.
Moop Brown
0This spaghetti sauce looks super vibrant and like the perfect texture as well. Looking forward to trying it with my pasta dishes in the future.
Jenny
0Really good! I have been on keto for health reasons for a while, and I miss a good red sauce. I feel so lucky with this recipe. I like this besti sweetener, great suggestion. One thing I adore and long for is comfort food. Your keto spaghetti sauce gave me that. Thank you so much!
Daniela
0Quick, easy and delicious! Love this recipe. Thank you for the detailed instructions.
Dennis
0I have friends that are Keto and made your sauce recipe for them last night served over zucchini noodles. They loved it and asked for the recipe!
Amy Liu Dong
0This sauce looks so delicious and looks so easy to make. Yummy!
Marie
0Marinara sauce is such a versatile one! If you’ve got it in the freezer, you’re only minutes away from a satisfying meal. Loved all your tips to make it keto-friendly!
Lori
0What a lovely recipe! It’s so versatile and scrumptious! I love that it doesn’t require 578,367 ingredients either.
Jeannie
0This is the very best marinara sauce ever !! And it’s so healthy ?
Bernice
0Great marinara sauce recipe with nice bright flavours. Definitely will make again.