Pecan Free Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
A great marinara is one of those foundational recipes that makes everything else in the kitchen better, and this one delivers deep, bright flavor with just a handful of honest ingredients. San Marzano tomatoes get crushed by hand for that rustic, uneven texture, then simmered low and slow until the color shifts to a rich brick-red that tells you it's ready. Garlic sliced thin and coaxed in olive oil with a pinch of red pepper flakes builds a fragrant base that carries the whole sauce. Torn fresh basil and a finishing drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil go in at the end, keeping the herb flavor vivid rather than cooked out. For anyone navigating tree nut concerns, this is exactly the kind of recipe to lean on — every ingredient is straightforward, nothing processed or packaged where cross-contact tends to hide. It's endlessly versatile over pasta, spooned onto pizza dough, or used as a dipping sauce for crusty bread.
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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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