This simple to make spicy marinara sauce recipe with chunks of tomatoes and seasoned with garlic, herbs, and a hint of red pepper is so easy to make! It’s so much better than jarred sauce, plus it’s oil-free and takes only 10 minutes to make from start to finish!
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Are you looking for a simple but spicy marinara sauce recipe you can make with pantry ingredients? This recipe is so easy to make! It’s oil-free and done in only 10 minutes! It has a quiet heat that tastes so much better than jarred sauce.
Use it with your favorite pasta, spaghetti, or lasagna, as a pizza sauce, a spread for sandwiches, or even a dipping sauce for breadsticks! The natural flavor of the tomatoes shines through.
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Why You’ll Love This Spicy Marinara Sauce Recipe
Simple Ingredients: Everything used in this marinara sauce is a pantry staple in almost any kitchen.
Easy to Make: Mix and simmer! It’s ready in 10 minutes!
Robust: This sauce is thick and hearty, with a deep, robust tomato flavor.
Suitable for all Diets: This vegan sauce is dairy-free and gluten-free.
Customizable: It’s easy to tweak this sauce to suit your taste.
Ingredients and Notes
Crushed Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes are naturally sweet and are slightly chunky, giving the sauce a bit more body.
Garlic: Garlic adds a zesty flavor with a very mild natural sweetness.
Herbs: A blend of oregano, parsley, and basil gives the marinara sauce a classic Italian flavor.
Pepper: A blend of cayenne and red pepper flakes gives this sauce a kick of heat.
Sugar: An optional ingredient, sugar adds as much sweetness as you prefer in your marinara sauce.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a complete list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Substitutions and Variations
Garlic: Use as much or as little as you prefer. I go heavy on the garlic, but you might want less.
Mild: Omit the cayenne and red pepper flakes for a mild version.
Canned Tomatoes: I prefer San Marzano tomatoes, but any crushed tomatoes will work.
Add Chunky Vegetables: Sauté a combination of onions, mushrooms, green peppers, and diced plum tomatoes or romano tomatoes to add to your sauce to give it a hearty and chunky texture.
Fresh Herbs: Add chopped parsley and fresh basil if they are in season.
More Dried Herbs: If you don’t have oregano, basil, and parsley, try adding Italian Seasoning instead, which combines basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram.
Thicker Sauce: Add 1-3 tablespoons of tomato paste. Blend the tomato paste into the rest of the sauce until you reach your desired consistency.
How to Make Spicy Marinara Sauce
- Add crushed tomatoes to a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the sugar, stir, and simmer until fragrant.
- Taste and add sugar if you prefer to balance out the sauce’s acidity.
- Enjoy it with your favorite pasta!
FAQS
Marinara sauce is typically thicker than pizza sauce. In addition, it’s usually made with garlic, onions, herbs, and oftentimes, sugar. Pizza sauce, on the other hand, is a looser tomato puree made with primarily crushed tomatoes and minimal seasonings.
Marinara sauce is generally categorized as a quick sauce with a few spices and herbs. In contrast, tomato sauce adds more vegetables, such as onions, carrots, celery, and herbs, and slowly simmers until it thickens.
The main difference between marinara and pomodoro sauce is their consistency and texture. Marinara sauce has a more liquid texture with chunks of tomatoes, and Pomodoro sauce is thick and smooth.
Yes, you can! Using marinara sauce adds a base that’s more complex and a bit sweeter than typical pizza sauce, creating a pizza with a sweeter flavor.
Expert Tips
- Use canned tomatoes for a faster sauce.
- Choose a different type of canned tomato for a chunkier or smoother sauce.
- Add more vegetables to make this marinara even thicker!
- Adjust the spices to add your favorite flavors.
- Keep the sauce simmering over medium to medium-low heat. The sauce will spit and spatter easily. Cover with a lid to keep the sauce from making a mess.
Serving Suggestions
Use this sauce to add a tasty twist to your favorite pasta dishes like vegan stuffed shells or vegan pasta bake.
It also makes a great dipping sauce for garlic bread, too!
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the sauce in an airtight container. Keep for up to 7 days.
Freezer: Store in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Transfer to the refrigerator to defrost overnight when reheating from frozen. Transfer to a small
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Recipe
Hearty Marinara Sauce Recipe
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 24 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add crushed tomatoes to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add minced garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, cayenne, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
- Taste, add optional sugar if you think the acidity of the tomatoes needs some balance.
- Enjoy with your favorite pasta!
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Notes
- Use canned tomatoes for a faster sauce.
- Choose a different type of canned tomatoes for a chunkier or smoother sauce.
- Add more vegetables to make this marinara even hearitier.
- Adjust the spices to add your favorite flavors.
- Keep the sauce simmering over medium to medium-low heat. The sauce will spit and spatter easily. Cover with a lid to keep the sauce from making a mess.
- Store for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Sue
Making this tonight, thanks for such a quick and easy recipe!
Heather Johnson
love this quick marinara- it’s great and i can’t wait to make it again!
Caitlin
Love this marinara sauce! Perfect recipe to have on hand whenever I need it!
Casey
Simple and perfect! I made a double batch to freeze! No more store bought sauce!!!!