BHA & BHT Free Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
A great marinara should taste like tomatoes, garlic, and nothing else — and that's exactly what makes this one so satisfying to make from scratch. Store-bought sauces are notorious for sneaking in preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, so knowing every single ingredient that goes into your pan is a genuine relief. Here, whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes get crushed by hand, simmered low and slow with sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil until the color shifts from bright red to a deep, rich brick-red. That slow simmer is where the magic happens — it concentrates the flavor naturally without needing anything artificial to prop it up. A finishing drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and torn basil leaves pull everything together with a silky, fragrant finish. Whether you're spooning it over pasta, using it as a dipping sauce, or building a lasagna, this is the kind of clean, honest base recipe 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
- 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
For finishing
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
Instructions
- 1
Pour the tomatoes and their juices into a large bowl and crush them by hand until broken into rough, uneven pieces — some chunks are fine.
- 2
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is pale golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely, as the garlic can brown quickly.
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