Citrus Free Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
A great marinara is one of those foundational recipes that makes everything else in the kitchen easier, and this one delivers deep, savory flavor with just a handful of honest ingredients. For anyone avoiding citrus, a classic tomato sauce can actually be a hidden minefield — some store-bought versions sneak in lemon juice or citric acid as a preservative, making label-reading exhausting. This version is built entirely from scratch, so you know exactly what's going in the pot. San Marzano tomatoes, slowly simmered with golden garlic, red pepper flakes, and torn fresh basil, create a sauce that's rich, slightly sweet, and beautifully balanced without a drop of citrus anywhere. Crushing the tomatoes by hand keeps the texture rustic and uneven, which means the sauce clings to pasta rather than sliding right off. A finishing drizzle of good olive oil pulls everything together and gives it that glossy, restaurant-quality look. Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge — it only gets better the next day.
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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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