Lactose Free Paleo Marinara Sauce
A great marinara doesn't need much — just quality ingredients, a little patience, and the right technique. This one starts with garlic slowly coaxed in olive oil until it's fragrant and just barely golden, which builds a savory, aromatic base before the tomatoes ever hit the pan. San Marzano tomatoes bring a natural sweetness and low acidity that makes the finished sauce taste like it simmered all day, even on a weeknight. There's no cream, no butter, no cheese — just pure tomato flavor deepened over low heat until it shifts from bright red to that rich, brick-red hue that signals it's ready. Torn fresh basil stirred in at the end keeps things vibrant and a little herbaceous without overpowering the sauce. It's the kind of versatile, dairy-free staple that works over zucchini noodles, spooned onto a grain bowl, or used as a dipping sauce straight from the pot.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed san marzano tomatoes
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- 8 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, if using, 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 turn bitter.
- 2
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
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