Seeds Free Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
A great marinara is one of those foundational recipes that makes everything else in the kitchen feel more possible. This version builds deep, bright flavor from a short list of clean ingredients — San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and good olive oil — with nothing hidden in the mix. For anyone navigating a seeds-free lifestyle, even a simple jarred sauce can be a minefield of sesame, poppy, or other unexpected additions, so making it from scratch is genuinely the smarter move. Crushing the tomatoes by hand keeps the texture rustic and alive, while the slow simmer coaxes the color from vivid red down to a rich, brick-toned depth that tastes like it took all day. The finishing drizzle of olive oil and torn basil stirred in off the heat is a small step that makes a noticeable difference in brightness and body. Serve it over pasta, spoon it onto pizza dough, or use it as a dipping sauce — it's the kind of recipe you'll come back to every single week.
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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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