The best homemade marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes is so simple and tasty that anyone can make it at home. It's so fresh, rich and tasty that you must try it. Best of all, it can transform a variety of dishes like spaghetti bolognese, Italian lasagna, pizza, or Italian meatballs.
Ingredients
- 3 fresh tomatoes, diced
- 400 ml canned tomato sauce, (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 big onion, (1 for small onion)
- 1/2 bowl celery diced
- 1 tsp oregon
- 2 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp Thyme, or fresh
- 5 tbsp olive oil, seperate
- sugar, salt and blackpepper to adjust (Note 2)
- 300 ml water
TO SERVE:
- 400 g / 13 oz spaghetti , dried
- Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the pan over low heat, add the onion and stir-fry until translucent, about 2~3 minutes. Then add celery and stir-fry until translucent, about 2 minutes. (Note 3)
- Add minced garlic and stir fry for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and olive oil and stir for 2 minutes. (Note 4)
- Add canned tomato sauce, stir for 2 minutes and cook for another 2 minutes without cover the lid. (Note 5)
- Add water, oregon, bay leaf, thyme, salt and sugar. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
FOR SPEGHETTI MARINARA:
- Cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package.
- Scoop out a mug of pasta cooking water and set aside, then drain the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the marinara sauce over medium heat with some reserved pasta water. Toss for 1 – 2 minutes or until spaghetti turns red and sauce thickens.
- Divide among bowls. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.
Tips & Notes:
- It's best to use canned Italian tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes, they're more authentic.
- You'll have to adjust the amount of salt and sugar yourself. Since some of the fresh tomatoes are rather sour, you will have to add more sugar, depending on your personal taste.
- First, stir-fry the diced onions until they are translucent, then add the celery and stir-fry it as well until it is translucent. This will allow the onions and celery to develop their sweetness before you add the other ingredients.
- It takes more olive oil to sauté the tomatoes over low heat to release the lycopene from the tomatoes.
- When you stir-fry them, the canned smell is removed and the lycopene is released.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I love hearing how it turned out! Leave me a comment and make sure to leave a rating below.
