Homemade Marinara Sauce
Prep. Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings
~8oz [240mL] sauce
Difficulty
Easy
Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, dairy-free, egg-free
This marinara sauce is all about letting fresh ingredients do the talking. It’s quick to make, beautifully balanced, and far more vibrant than anything from a jar. Whether you’re tossing it with pasta, spooning it over roasted veggies, or using it as a base for pizza, this sauce brings a clean, bright flavor that elevates every dish it touches.
No fuss, no extras—just a few fresh ingredients cooked with care. Let’s get started.
Ingredients
3 tomatoes (on the vine)
3.5oz (100g) cherry tomatoes (any kind)
1 can (6oz/170g), organic tomato paste
3-4 fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsps salt
1 tsp sugar
Instructions
Chop the tomatoes and cut the cherry tomatoes in halves.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat.
Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, until fragrant (don’t let it brown).
Add the tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to the pan. Stir.
Add the tomato paste and about 1.7oz/50mL filtered water, and stir well until consistent.
Season with salt and sugar.
Let the mixture simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens.
Tear the basil leaves and stir them into the sauce during the last 2–3 minutes of cooking.
Use immediately, or let cool and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
The fresh basil can be substituted with 1tsp of dry basil.
The tomatoes can be substituted with other kinds, as you prefer, so long as you factor in their natural flavor. If you are choosing a sweeter kind, consider if adding sugar is still needed. If you're using a less juicy kind, perhaps you'll need to add a little water.
The Latest Bite
Wonderful Parsley Salad
I usually buy parsley with the idea that I’ll use “just a little” in a recipe, and then I’m left with a big bunch staring at me from the fridge. This salad is my solution. Instead of letting those greens wilt away, I chop the whole thing and make it the main event. It’s fresh, full of flavor, and takes almost no effort.
The best part is how forgiving it is. Walnuts give it crunch, but almonds or pecans work if that’s what’s in the pantry. Cheese adds creaminess and the dressing is quick to whip together with what we usually have on hand, and it makes the parsley feel less like “just herbs” and more like a real salad.
This isn’t a kid-friendly dish in our house (the parsley is just too “green” for them), but it works great for the adults. I’ll make it at home when dinner needs something light on the side, or pack it into a container when we’re traveling in an RV and want an easy salad to balance out heartier meals. Since it’s dairy-free and plant-based, it holds up well for hours on the road without the stress of refrigeration worries you get with mayo-based dressings.
It’s fast, flexible, and keeps parsley from going to waste—a little grown-up salad that travels well.