Nutmeg Free Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
A great marinara lives and dies by its ingredients, and this one keeps things beautifully simple — San Marzano tomatoes, good olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. That's it. No hidden spice blends, no pre-made sauce mixes, and absolutely no warm baking spices that can sneak into store-bought versions and cause real problems for people who need to avoid them. Crushing the tomatoes by hand gives the sauce a rustic, uneven texture that clings to pasta in the best possible way. The garlic gets coaxed low and slow in olive oil until it's pale golden and fragrant, building a savory base before the tomatoes ever hit the pan. A long, unhurried simmer transforms the sauce from bright and sharp to a deep brick-red with rich, rounded flavor. Torn fresh basil and a final drizzle of olive oil stirred in at the end keep everything tasting alive and vibrant. Whether you're spooning it over spaghetti, using it as a pizza base, or dunking crusty bread straight into the pot, this is the kind of sauce that makes you wonder why you ever bought a jar.
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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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