Low Iodine Paleo Marinara Sauce
A rich, slow-simmered tomato sauce is one of those kitchen staples that can feel surprisingly tricky to navigate when you're watching your iodine intake — especially with store-bought versions that often sneak in iodized salt or hard-to-trace additives. This marinara keeps things beautifully clean, built entirely from whole, straightforward ingredients you can feel confident about. The base is crushed San Marzano tomatoes coaxed into something deeply savory with sliced garlic, dried oregano, and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil. Cooking it low and slow for about 25 minutes is what transforms it from a simple pantry pour into a brick-red, thickened sauce with real depth. A pinch of non-iodized salt lets you stay in control of exactly what goes in, and torn fresh basil stirred in at the end adds a brightness that no jarred version can match. Spoon it over zucchini noodles, use it as a dipping sauce, or build a whole paleo-friendly meal around it — this one earns a permanent spot in your rotation.
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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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