Low Sugar Classic Marinara Sauce
Most jarred marinara sauces sneak in added sugar to balance acidity, which makes it genuinely hard to find a clean option at the grocery store. This homemade version keeps things honest — the only sweetener is an optional half teaspoon, entirely your call, so you stay in complete control of what goes into the pot. San Marzano tomatoes do the heavy lifting here, bringing a natural sweetness and low acidity that means you rarely need anything extra anyway. Thinly sliced garlic bloomed slowly in good olive oil builds a savory, aromatic base that makes the whole sauce taste far more complex than its short ingredient list suggests. A handful of torn fresh basil stirred in at the end keeps everything bright and fragrant. After about twenty minutes of simmering, you get a sauce that coats pasta beautifully — rich, a little silky from the olive oil, with just enough heat from the red pepper flakes. Once you make it yourself, going back to the store-bought stuff is going to feel like a real step down.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
- ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp granulated sugar (optional)
Can be omittedgranulated sugar
- 6 fresh basil leaves, torn
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 2–3 minutes. Watch closely — garlic can brown quickly and will turn bitter.
- 2
Pour the canned tomatoes and their juices into the pan. Using a potato masher or fork, crush the tomatoes into rough, uneven pieces directly in the pan.
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