Mediterranean Diet Friendly Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
Few sauces feel as deeply satisfying as a slow-simmered marinara built from just a handful of honest ingredients. This version leans on extra-virgin olive oil, fragrant garlic, and San Marzano tomatoes — exactly the kind of whole-food, plant-forward pantry staples that make this style of eating so appealing and sustainable. The technique is simple but intentional: garlic and red pepper flakes bloom gently in olive oil before the tomatoes go in, coaxing out layers of flavor that a rushed sauce just can't deliver. A 20-minute uncovered simmer deepens the color from bright red to a rich brick-red, concentrating everything that makes a great marinara worth making from scratch. Torn fresh basil and a finishing drizzle of olive oil at the end keep the sauce bright and aromatic without any heavy additions. There's no cream, no butter, no processed shortcuts — just clean, vibrant ingredients working together the way this style of cooking was always meant to. Spoon it over pasta, use it as a pizza base, or serve it alongside crusty bread for dipping.
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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)
Can be omittedgranulated sugar
- 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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