Vegan Tomato Sauce (Marinara)
Few sauces are as deeply satisfying as a classic marinara built from scratch, and this one delivers that rich, slow-cooked flavor without a single animal-derived ingredient in sight. San Marzano tomatoes are the real star here — crushed by hand for rustic texture, then simmered until the color shifts from bright red to a deep, gorgeous brick-red that signals everything has come together. Thinly sliced garlic blooms gently in olive oil alongside a pinch of red pepper flakes, creating an aromatic base that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible. A finishing drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and torn fresh basil added off the heat keep the sauce bright and vibrant rather than flat or heavy. The optional pinch of sugar is a smart touch for balancing any sharpness from the tomatoes, depending on the batch. This is the kind of sauce that makes you question why you ever reached for a jar — 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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