Basic Marinara Recipes

SUPER SIMPLE MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the tomatoes (with their juices), halved onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, oregano and red pepper flakes (if using).
• Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of oil float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, and use a sturdy wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes against the side of the pot after about 15 minutes has passed.
• Remove the pot from the heat and discard the onion. Smash the garlic cloves against the side of the pot with a fork, then stir the smashed garlic into the sauce. Do the same with any tiny onion pieces you might find. Use the wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes to your liking (you can blend this sauce smooth with an immersion blender or stand blender, if desired).
• Add salt, to taste (the tomatoes are already pretty salty, so you might just need a pinch). Serve warm. This sauce keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Freeze it for up to 6 months.

MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.

MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.
• In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.
• As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, oregano (if using) and salt. Stir.
• Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. (If using oregano, taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed.) Discard basil and chile (if using).

BASIC MARINARA FOR THE INSTANT POT®

Steps:

• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function to heat the pot. Add olive oil and onion; cook until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in red wine and simmer until reduced by half.
• Pour diced tomatoes and whole tomatoes into the pot. Bring to a simmer. Stir in basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Press Keep Warm. Close and lock the lid. Seal the vent. Select Manual function and set timer for 10 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the pressure to build.
• Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Discard bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce.

BASIC MARINARA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil and garlic over medium until fragrant. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft, 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with 3/4 pound cooked pasta.

SIMPLE MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute garlic until aromatic and tender. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, parsley, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, bay leaves and onion powder. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 40 minutes.

BASIC MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• On low light, put tomatoes in saucepan.
• In a frying pan, fry garlic in extra virgin olive oil, just enought to coat the pan. Once they start to sizzle, add to tomatoes and stir. If using the onion, saute in olive oil as well and add to tomotoes and stir.
• Add wine to frying pan and scrape pan with a wood spoon. Once wine starts to boil, about 30 seconds, add to tomatoes and stir.(Be careful, do this on a low light or shut the gas off).
• Once the gravy starts to bubble, add and stir oregano, then the basil, then season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer on low light for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently.
• The sky is the limit, serve over any pasta you wish. Can be used in lasagnas and parmigianas too.Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 weeks.

LIDIA'S BASIC MARINARA

Steps:

• Place tomatoes and their juices in a large bowl. Using your hands, crush tomatoes, breaking them up into small pieces; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic slices and cook until sizzling, about 1 1/2 minutes. Push garlic to one side of skillet and add red-pepper flakes; toast for 30 seconds. Stir garlic slices and continue to cook until lightly golden.
• Add tomatoes to skillet and stir to combine. Add hot water to rinse bowl containing tomatoes and add to skillet. Increase heat and stir in salt. Add basil sprigs to sauce, pressing down to completely cover.
• Bring to a boil. Cover, and immediately reduce heat to a simmer; cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking 5 minutes more. Remove basil from sauce and discard. Let sauce simmer until ready to serve with pasta.

BASIC MARINARA

Steps:

• Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally,10 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and their liquid, tomato sauce, dried herbs, sugar, salt and pepper. Using clean kitchen scissor, cut tomatoes into bite-size chunks in pan.
• Bring sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in large pot of lightly salted water, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain pasta and serve topped with marinara sauce.

BASIC MARINARA

Steps:

• Pour the tomatoes and their juice into a big mixing bowl. Using both hands, crush the tomatoes and break them up into small pieces. (You don't have to mash them to bits; I like chunkiness in my marinara, with the tomatoes in 1-inch pieces.)
• Pour the oil into a big skillet, scatter in the garlic slices, and set over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes or so, until the slices are sizzling, then push the garlic aside to clear a dry spot to toast the peperoncino for another 1/2 minute. Shake and stir the pan until the garlic slices are light gold and starting to darken. Immediately pour in the crushed tomatoes, and stir in with the garlic. Rinse out the tomato can and bowl with 1 cup of hot water, and dump this into the skillet as well.
• Raise the heat; sprinkle in the salt and stir. Push the stalk or sprigs of basil into the sauce until completely covered. When the sauce is boiling, cover the pan, reduce the heat slightly, and cook for 10 minutes at an actively bubbling simmer. Uncover the pan, and cook another 5 minutes or so. The sauce should be only slightly reduced from the original volume-still loose and juicy. Before adding pasta, remove the poached basil stalk or sprigs from the skillet and discard (shaking off the sauce that's clinging to it). Keep sauce at a low simmer until the pasta is ready.
• To dress the pasta with the marinara sauce, toss and cook them together, incorporating the shredded basil. Remove the skillet from the heat, and toss in the cheese just before serving.

BASIC MARINARA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil and garlic together until golden and fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes, salt and basil sprig. Stir well to combine, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer no less than 30 minutes, the longer the better. (I sometimes put in a crock pot and let it cook on low all afternoon).
• Just before serving add the chopped basil, and taste test for acidity level. If it tastes a bit too acidic, you can add the butter to mellow the flavor. Some people add a pinch of sugar to balance it instead.