Hazelnut Free Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
A great marinara is one of those recipes that makes everything else in the kitchen feel possible — pasta, pizza, braised proteins, or just a hunk of crusty bread dragged through the pan. This version keeps it beautifully simple: San Marzano tomatoes crushed by hand, golden-toasted garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and fresh basil stirred in at the very end. That finishing drizzle of olive oil pulls the whole thing together with a silky, rounded richness that jarred sauce just can't touch. For anyone navigating tree nut allergies, a classic tomato sauce might seem like an obvious safe bet — but plenty of store-bought options are produced in facilities that handle nuts, and some restaurant versions sneak in unexpected additions. Making it from scratch with these straightforward pantry ingredients means you know exactly what's in the pot, full stop. The slow simmer deepens the color from bright red to a warm brick-red, concentrating the flavor without any fuss or mystery ingredients. Tear in the basil at the end to keep it fresh and fragrant rather than cooked down into the background. It's the kind of sauce you'll want to keep on rotation all year long.
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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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