Vegan Paleo Marinara Sauce
This deeply savory marinara is built on a short list of honest ingredients — good olive oil, San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil — and the result is a sauce that tastes like it simmered all afternoon. The technique here is simple but intentional: gently coaxing the garlic in warm olive oil until it's fragrant and just golden pulls out a sweetness that sets the whole sauce up beautifully. Everything in this recipe is naturally plant-based, so there's no swapping or substituting required — it just works as written. The 25-minute uncovered simmer is where the magic happens, concentrating the tomatoes into that deep brick-red color and rich, rounded flavor you'd expect from a much more complicated recipe. Torn fresh basil stirred in at the very end keeps things bright and aromatic without wilting into the background. Spoon it over pasta, use it as a pizza base, or keep a jar in the fridge for the week — this is the kind of foundational sauce that 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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