Fresh Marinara For Two
To skip the post and step-by-step instructions and go straight to recipe, click here.If a jar of spaghetti sauce and a box of pasta is a favorite easy go-to meal for you, then you should definitely try your hand at some simple, fresh, homemade marinara. Every time I make this sauce, my husband tells me that it’s the best marinara sauce he’s ever had, and every time he does, it warms my heart. It’s garlicky, basily, sweet, and tastes like childhood summers in the kitchen with my part-Italian Mama (though I was admittedly a willful child who wasn’t a fan of tomato sauce - thank goodness I came around!).
Over the summer, we took a trip to Douglas Farm on Sauvie Island (highly recommend, by the way, if you’re ever in the area) and came home with something like 40 tomatoes. I made a gigantic batch of this sauce, split it into gallon bags, and froze them to eat in colder weather. It froze great, and I still have one left in the freezer for a rainy day!
This batch is quite small, making enough for a simple dinner for two, perfect for date night or to share with a roommate. It goes wonderfully on almost any pasta you have on hand, and is delicious with meatballs, grilled chicken, sauteed veggies, and/or a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan. Let me know if you give it a try!
Some Recipe Notes:
What’s the sugar for?
Sugar is usually added to tomato-based sauces to cancel out some of the acidic flavor. It makes for a richer, less acrid tomato flavor.
What kind of tomatoes should I use?
Typically, I tend to make this sauce with whatever tomatoes I have on hand, and more often than not, those tend to be typical grocery-store “tomatoes on the vine”, or campari tomatoes. These make a fresh-tasting, sweet marinara. If they’re very out of season (mid winter), the sauce will be less flavorful, and if the tomatoes still have a touch of green to them, it will make the sauce have more of a raw taste. Roma tomatoes can also be used, but will make the sauce a bit thicker and pastier. An in-season, farm-fresh heirloom tomato is my absolutely favorite though, for this and anything else (if you can get your hands on it!).
Can I add meat or vegetables to it?
Absolutely! I would recommend sauteeing any ground meat, poultry, or vegetables separately (zucchini or mushrooms would be a delicious addition) and stirring it in at the end.
Step-By-Step Walk-Through
If you’re feeling confident in your cooking skills and want to skip the walk-through, click here.
Step 1:
Prep Ingredients
Dice 2 small to medium sized tomatoes.
Dice ¼ of a yellow onion.
Mince 5 cloves of garlic.
Finely chop about 8 medium-sized leaves of fresh basil (4 large and 4 small leaves works too, should come out to about 1 ½ tablespoons).
Finely chop 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano.
Measure out 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
Step 2:
Cook Base Ingredients
Heat a large pan over medium heat.
When hot, add the olive oil and diced onion.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.
Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened up slightly.
Step 3:
Blend
Pour the sauce into a food processor or blender capable of hot blending and blend until mostly smooth (or to your preference). If too thick, add a splash of water.
Step 4:
Finish Sauce
Pour the blended sauce back into the pan and add the salt, pepper, chili flakes, and sugar. Place over low heat and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly, to allow flavors to develop.
Add the fresh herbs and cook for 1 more minute to let them wilt into the sauce.
Serve on pasta, use for pizza or dipping, or tell me how else you used your homemade sauce in the comments!
Fresh Marinara For Two
Servings: 2 Time: 30-40 minutes
Difficulty: 🧡🧡🤍🤍🤍
Ingredients
2 small to medium sized tomatoes, diced (just about any type of tomato can work, but I usually use campari)
¼ yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS. tomato paste
2 TBS. olive oil
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. chili flakes
8 medium-sized leaves fresh basil, finely chopped (about 1 ½ TBS)
1 TBS. fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 TBS. sugar
Directions
Step 1: Prep Ingredients
Get all of your vegetables and herbs chopped, and other ingredients measured out and ready to go.
Step 2: Cook Base Ingredients
Heat a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add olive oil and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and fragrant. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked down a bit and starting to look pasty.
Step 3: Blend
Pour sauce into a blender or food processor capable of hot blending. Blend until mostly smooth, or to your preference.
Step 4: Finish Sauce
Pour back into pan and place over low heat. Add salt, sugar, pepper, and chili flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5-10 minutes to develop flavors slightly. Stir in fresh herbs and let sit for 1 minute to allow them to wilt into the sauce. Use on pasta, pizza, or as a dip.