Hearty Marinara Sauce

overhead photo of a pan of marinara sauce topped with basil

This homemade Hearty Marinara Sauce transforms San Marzano tomatoes and only the best of the best Italian ingredients into a thick, robust red sauce in under 40 minutes.

Course Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 94kcal

Author Amee

Ingredients

28 oz can of san marzano fire roasted tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
2 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano finely chopped (you can also used dried)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion I used a sweet vidalia, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, place tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, chopped basil, oregano, sugar, sea salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Pulse several times until smooth.
Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes.
You want your onions to be soft, but not brown.
Add the wine, chicken broth and tomato mixture.
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Notes

- I like cooking with mini wine bottles. There’s a little over 6 ounces in each bottle, so 2 ounces for the sauce and a perfect 4-ounce pour for sipping as I cook! 🙂
- San marzano substitute. Truthfully, nothing compares to authentic san marzano tomatoes, but if you need a substitution, go with a can of whole, peeled roma tomatoes.

- Adjust the consistency to your liking. This makes a smooth sauce, but if you prefer a heartier texture with chunks of tomato, skip puréeing and add everything to the skillet. As the sauce simmers, crush the tomatoes with a wire masher until your desired texture is reached.

- Simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes. Those flavors need time to mingle, so the longer, the better. Also, simmering the sauce uncovered allows the steam to escape, so the sauce thickens.

- Add cheese – If you’re hoping for a Domino’s hearty marinara sauce copycat, the only thing this recipe is missing is romano and parmesan cheese. So feel free to add them to your sauce a few minutes before it’s finished!

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