Mustard 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 — that's really all you need to build something deeply flavorful. For anyone navigating a mustard sensitivity, this sauce is a natural fit: every ingredient is straightforward, with no condiments, spice blends, or hidden additives that could sneak mustard into the mix. The garlic is coaxed low and slow in olive oil until pale golden and fragrant, which builds a savory base before the tomatoes ever hit the pan. A long, uncovered simmer does the heavy lifting, concentrating the sauce into that classic brick-red depth that jars from the store rarely match. Torn fresh basil and a finishing drizzle of olive oil at the end keep things bright and aromatic. Toss it with pasta, spoon it over chicken, or use it as a pizza base — this is the kind of sauce you'll want to keep on 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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