How to Make Awesome Marinara Sauce

Use fresh tomatoes in season, otherwise canned tomatoes work well.

Marinara, aka tomato sauce, is a multi-purpose sauce used for pastas, pizza or other such yummy delicacies as chicken or veal parmesan or, my personal favourite, meatball sandwiches.

I always have some on hand, mainly because I hate the premade jarred varieties, which tend to taste metallic and just plain yucky. I prefer a sweet, tangy tomato sauce, and this recipe fits the bill.

Fresh tomatoes are all well and good when they’re in season. But for convenience, I use either a jar of strained tomatoes with nothing added but a bit of salt and some basil. Or a good quality can of whole tomatoes, which tend to be better quality than their diced or crushed counterparts.

This makes enough for a lightly sauced pasta, with enough left over for pizza. If I’m not planning to make a pizza within a few days, I store the leftovers in the freezer.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 jar of strained tomatoes or a can of whole tomatoes, juices drained
1 tsp. granulated sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil

Step 1

Add oil to a pot over medium meat. Once oil is heated, add the shallot and cook for a few minutes, stirring it to avoid burning. Add the minced garlic, and stir it in, allowing it to heat for 20 seconds or so. 

Step 2

Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper, and bring it to a slow simmer. If you're using the whole tomatoes, crush them with clean hands before adding, or you can use a potato masher once you add it all together if you don't mind a chunky sauce. Allow it to simmer for a half hour or so. Add your finely chopped basil once you’ve removed it from the heat.

Tips
If you decide to go the fresh tomato route, cut them in half and add them with the garlic. Don't remove the jelly, seeds or skin to start, as these components hold the most flavour. Instead, after they've broken down and reduced adequately, strain the sauce through a food mill or sieve to remove the seeds and skin.

Going the fresh tomato route, if you want to reduce cooking time, halve the tomatoes and predry them in a warm oven beforehand. Because tomatoes are watery, if you don't reduce the sauce's water content, it'll separate into thick and thin portions.