Honey Free Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
A great marinara is one of those foundational recipes that makes everything else in the kitchen better, and this one is as pure and satisfying as it gets. San Marzano tomatoes, good olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil are really all you need — no sweeteners, no shortcuts, no hidden additives to second-guess. The optional granulated sugar is there purely to balance any natural sharpness in the tomatoes, so you stay in complete control of what goes into the pot. Crushing the tomatoes by hand keeps the texture rustic and uneven, which means the sauce clings beautifully to pasta rather than sliding right off. Slow-blooming the garlic in olive oil before the tomatoes go in builds a quietly fragrant base that makes the whole sauce taste like it simmered for hours. That final drizzle of olive oil stirred in off the heat adds a glossy richness that ties everything together. Keep a batch in the fridge and weeknight dinners basically take care of themselves.
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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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