I know that most people associate Marinara Sauce with pasta. Historically, the sauce was intended for fish! Marinara translates to “marine,” or what the online dictionary defines as “Of or relating to the sea.” In any event, I make this ruby-toned condiment just as our southern Italian friends do: quickly, easily, and without a whiff of onion. Here’s the step-by-step:
Marinara Sauce for Pasta or Fish
Grab 5 cloves of garlic…
And coarsely mince them.
Then crack open a (28-ounce) can of peeled plum tomatoes (or use your own, homegrown plum tomatoes)…
And pour them (and all of their juices) into a large bowl.
Wanna use fresh tomatoes? According to Fine Cooking Magazine, one 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes equals about 10-12 fresh, whole plum tomatoes, peeled (about 2 pounds).
Violently crush the squishy fruit with your (impeccably clean) hands.
Next, in a wide skillet over medium heat, add 1/4 cup (yes, 1/4 cup!) of good olive oil. A skillet (as opposed to a pot) will permit the sauce to cook down and thicken up quickly.
Add the garlic, and let it cook just until fragrant — about 30 seconds. Don’t let the garlic brown. Brown garlic is bitter garlic.
Then add the tomatoes…
And 1 cup of good red wine…
1 teaspoon kosher salt…
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano…
And 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
Give the sauce a stir, and then adjust the heat maintain a simmer.
And then…
And then…
Run out to your garden and snip a nice big sprig of basil. My basil is pathetically small because I only planted it a few weeks ago. If your basil looks like mine, go ahead and use 3 or more sprigs.
Lay the basil directly on top of the sauce…
And when the herb wilts, submerge it into the sauce.
Let the marinara simmer until it has reduced and thickened slightly, and the oil on the surface turns bright orange — about 20 minutes.
Off heat, remove and discard the basil.
And how shall we enjoy this fresh, fragrant, molto delizioso marinara?
Well, you could spread some marinara on a plate…
And top it with a baked haddock fillet!
Spoon a little sauce over the fish…
And garnish it with a tiny sprig of basil. (This was my dinner last night.)
Then again, you could put some (al dente) spaghetti on a plate…
And spoon some marinara over the pasta.
Add some Parmesan cheese…
And a flurry of chopped parsley. (This was my second dinner last night.)
YUM.
However you serve it, I think you’ll find this marinara is infinitely better than its commercial counterpart. Give it a try, okay?
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Marinara Sauce for Fish or Pasta
Equipment
- a large, non-reactive skillet (such as stainless steel)
Ingredients
- 1 28-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (triple the amount for fresh)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 large sprig of fresh basil
Instructions
- Tip the tomatoes and all of their juices into a large bowl. Crush and tomatoes by hand or with the help of a potato masher.
- In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Then add the garlic, and saute until fragrant -- about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the wine, salt, oregano, and the red pepper flakes. While stirring from time to time, bring the mixture to a simmer. Then lay the basil sprig on top, and let it float there until its leaves wilt. Use a spatula or spoon to push the basil down into the sauce. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly -- about 20 minutes.
- Off heat, use tongs to remove the basil. Serve the sauce at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
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shirley welch says
Thank you so much for this recipe, will be making this week ~
Cheryl says
Hi Kevin, So what is it that sets marinara apart from other tomato-based sauces?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Shirley – Let us know how the sauce works out for you!
Hi Cheryl – Authentic Marinara is a thin sauce, made with minimal ingredients and no meat. Tomato-based Italian-American sauces are quite thick. Also, they are flavored with lots of vegetables (bell peppers, mushrooms, etc.) and/or meat.
Stephanie Lally says
Kevin —
I have been enjoying zoodles with red my sauce. It is more about the twirl, than the pasta.
My Sicilian grandmother would surely think it a sin especially for
Sunday family dinners!!
Stephanie
Molly says
Easy! Delicious! Thank you!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Stephanie – I love zoodles!
Hi Molly – Hope you’ll give the sauce a try!
pk says
It’s fas-sauce (fast-sauce)! I don’t add as much wine, and it’s ready in 10 minutes to pour over any kind of pasta! Tasty!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi pk – Yours is a fas-sauce indeed! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Niki says
Kevin
Recipe looks great. However, I have loads of fresh Juliet tomatoes. What is your recommendation for using fresh tomatoes??
Niki
Joanne says
Kevin, what brand pots and pans do you like? I generally use my cast iron frying pans but need to replace the pots.
Loretta says
What about adding a bit of butter at the very end of cooking? Like Marcella Hazen.
I do make mine like you do and love it. Thanks for all your posts.
Loretta
Jan from CA says
I too have lots of fresh tomatoes and would like to know how to use them in this recipe.
Megan says
Why would you REMOVE basil?? I love it so much that I use all I can find when it is in season. I even use it INSTEAD of lettuce in summer sandwiches!
Charlie Harper says
My wife and I made fresh pasta (spaghetti) today with our Kitchenaid, she is making the sauce now, fresh oregano, basil and parsley out of the garden, some Black Garlic from last year, I can’t wait to eat!!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Niki and Jan — I just added a note to the step-by-step recipe above: one 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes equals about 10-12 fresh tomatoes, peeled (about 2 pounds).
Hi Joanne – Thanks for inspiring a future blog post: Skillets and Pots! (I used my AllClad skillet for the recipe above.)
Hi Megan – According to my friends in Italy, basil releases more perfume when it is allowed to wilt naturally on the hot marinara sauce. The herb is removed after cooking simply because it…doesn’t look terribly appetizing. And I’m with you: garden-fresh basil instead of lettuce greens for summer sandwiches!
Hi Charlie – Fresh homemade pasta? I’M JEALOUS. Enjoy the sauce!
Cindy Woods says
I just made this….wow!!! The ratio of ingredients is perfection! I’m eating it now with the only pasta I had in the house; I won’t tell you what it is, haha. Do you have a pasta suggestion for this sauce, which is thinner than some pasta sauces? Thank you so much for this delicious recipe…truly special. I look forward to using it this week on my fish.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Cindy – Thanks for posting your review — I’m so pleased that you enjoyed this marinara!
Kay Turley says
This sounds really amazing. Dumb question here. Can I make large batches and can them? I have lotsa tomatoes this year………. Thanks much. Kay