Soy Free Classic Marinara Sauce
A great marinara is one of those sauces that can elevate everything from a weeknight pasta to a lazy Sunday pizza, and this version is as honest and satisfying as it gets. Garlicky, a little spicy from the red pepper flakes, and brightened at the end with torn fresh basil, it hits every note you want from a classic Italian tomato sauce. Soy can sneak into store-bought sauces in surprising ways — through additives, emulsifiers, or blended oils — so making your own from scratch is genuinely the cleanest route. Here, every ingredient is straightforward: extra-virgin olive oil, San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, and a handful of aromatics, with nothing hidden in the list. The technique is just as simple — low and slow with the garlic, a rough crush of the tomatoes right in the pan, and a steady simmer until the sauce thickens into something rich and cohesive. It's the kind of recipe you'll memorize after making it once and reach for again and again.
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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)
- 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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