Uncle Larry Adventures

Italian Classics · Italian-inspired home cooking

More italian sauce recipes

Homemade Marinara Sauce

Homemade Marinara Sauce: Fragrant garlic, not scorched garlic, gives the sauce its starting point. Follow the quantities, method and troubleshooting below. Original home formulation; not kitchen-tested. Times are estimates; image is illustrative.

Last updated

Homemade Marinara Sauce

Fragrant garlic, not scorched garlic, gives the sauce its starting point.

Illustrative homemade marinara sauce

The short version

Homemade Marinara Sauce: Fragrant garlic, not scorched garlic, gives the sauce its starting point. Follow the quantities, method and troubleshooting below. Original home formulation; not kitchen-tested. Times are estimates; image is illustrative.

Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Serves
6 servings (about 3 cups)

Ingredients

6 servings
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, 28 oz, with juices
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 fresh basil leaves
View list

Instructions

  1. 01

    Crush the tomatoes. Crush tomatoes in a bowl with their juices. This marinara uses garlic and oregano; the existing sugo di pomodoro is a separate sauce formula.

  2. 02

    Warm the garlic. Warm oil over medium-low heat. Stir garlic about 1 minute until fragrant but not dark, then add tomatoes and oregano.

  3. 03

    Simmer and finish. Simmer uncovered gently for about 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat pasta. Add a splash of water if it catches. Tear in basil, taste for salt and pepper and serve.

  4. 04

    Store safely. This is a refrigerated cooking sauce, not a tested canning recipe. Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers and use within 3–4 days or freeze; reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).

Larry’s rule: Fragrant garlic, not scorched garlic, gives the sauce its starting point.

Quoting or citing this recipe? Credit “Uncle Larry Adventures” andlink to this page.

Before you cook

What to know about Homemade Marinara Sauce

What it is

Homemade Marinara Sauce is a sauce recipe rooted in Italian home cooking. This version makes 6 servings (about 3 cups) in 35 min and focuses on the technique that gives the dish its characteristic texture and flavor.

Why this method works

The method builds flavor in a deliberate order: crush the tomatoes, then warm the garlic, then simmer and finish. Following that sequence keeps the main ingredients distinct while bringing the finished dish together.

Key ingredients and what they do

  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, 28 oz, with juices — supplies acidity, sweetness and the recipe's tomato base.
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil — builds the savory foundation and carries flavor through the dish.
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced — provides the aromatic character; use it at the stage specified so it stays distinct.
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano — provides the aromatic character; use it at the stage specified so it stays distinct.

Smart substitutions

For the most reliable result, keep the main ingredient and technique unchanged. Swap only like for like, then adjust salt, moisture and cooking time to taste.

Make ahead and leftovers

Cool promptly and refrigerate covered. Reheat slowly, loosening only as needed before combining with the finished dish.

What to serve with it

  • Toss with the pasta shape named in the recipe, using pasta water to bind.
  • Use as a base only where its texture and seasoning fit the finished dish.

Ways Larry changes it up

Swaps, shortcuts and regional versions of homemade marinara sauce.

Serving and substitutions

Fragrant garlic, not scorched garlic, gives the sauce its starting point. Follow the measured recipe first; substitutions change texture and timing. Review all ingredients for allergies. Serve rice as a main, bread and salad alongside a main, and sauces in quantities suited to the dish.

Preparation and storage

Refrigerate perishable ingredients promptly and use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days at 40°F or below. Reheat cooked leftovers throughout to 165°F; cold salads and yogurt bowls are served cold, not claimed to reheat well.

Homemade Marinara Sauce: common questions

Can I can this marinara for shelf storage?
No canning process is supplied or tested here. Use refrigeration or freezing, or follow an authoritative tested canning recipe without changing its acid and processing instructions.
How long does homemade marinara sauce take?
Allow 35 min. These are estimated home-cooking times, not measured kitchen-test results. Follow the texture and doneness cues in the steps.
Can I scale this recipe?
Use the serving control to adjust ingredient amounts. A larger batch does not automatically cook in the same pan or time; use appropriate equipment and check doneness.
Can I prepare it ahead?
Refrigerate perishable ingredients promptly and use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days at 40°F or below. Reheat cooked leftovers throughout to 165°F; cold salads and yogurt bowls are served cold, not claimed to reheat well.

Did you make this?

Rate Homemade Marinara Sauce — real votes from real cooks only.

Be the first to rate it.

Questions Larry gets asked

Can I can this marinara for shelf storage?
No canning process is supplied or tested here. Use refrigeration or freezing, or follow an authoritative tested canning recipe without changing its acid and processing instructions.
How long does homemade marinara sauce take?
Allow 35 min. These are estimated home-cooking times, not measured kitchen-test results. Follow the texture and doneness cues in the steps.
Can I scale this recipe?
Use the serving control to adjust ingredient amounts. A larger batch does not automatically cook in the same pan or time; use appropriate equipment and check doneness.
Can I prepare it ahead?
Refrigerate perishable ingredients promptly and use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days at 40°F or below. Reheat cooked leftovers throughout to 165°F; cold salads and yogurt bowls are served cold, not claimed to reheat well.

Sources & further reading

Sources support technique or safety guidance, not a claim that this formulation was kitchen-tested.

Share or cite this recipe

Last updated

Written recipe guidance, not a measured Test Kitchen result. Photos may illustrate the dish; they do not establish that a batch was tested. Only recorded experiments in the Test Kitchen count as measured comparisons. Sources and evidence labels.

Save to Pinterest

Free to use with credit and a link back. Quote up to 100 words, or embed the recipe card below.

Credit “Uncle Larry Adventures” and link to this recipe page.

Citation

“Homemade Marinara Sauce” — Uncle Larry Adventures, https://unclelarryadventures.com/recipes/homemade-marinara-sauce

Link (HTML)

<a href="https://unclelarryadventures.com/recipes/homemade-marinara-sauce">Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe from Uncle Larry Adventures</a>

Embed recipe card

<iframe src="https://unclelarryadventures.com/embed/recipe/homemade-marinara-sauce" title="Homemade Marinara Sauce — Uncle Larry Adventures" width="600" height="760" loading="lazy" style="width:100%;max-width:600px;border:0;"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://unclelarryadventures.com/recipes/homemade-marinara-sauce">Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe</a> by Uncle Larry Adventures</p>

Next up

Keep going — a recipe to try, a film to watch, and an answer to the question you were about to search.

Try this recipe

Italian Ricotta Christmas Cookies

Tender ricotta cookies finished with lemon glaze.

Try this recipe

Pignoli Cookies

Chewy almond cookies with a pine-nut crust.

Next watch

Squid Games: Last Sausage Standing

Four hundred fifty-six players. One giant courtyard. Zero snacks. Then Player Larry pulls a sausage on a stick from his tracksuit and suddenly everyone's playing a very different game.

Quick answer

How do you cook sausage and peppers in the oven?

Roast sausage and peppers at 400°F (205°C) for 35 to 40 minutes on a single sheet pan. Toss the peppers and onions with olive oil and salt, nestle whole sausages on top, turn everything once at 20 minutes, and finish when the sausage reads 160°F.

The gear Larry uses →Where to eat sausage & peppers →What to drink with it →This week on the blog: Labor Day Cookout: The Sausage Lineup That Never Fails →

Contact Larry

Recipe questions, restaurant tips, gear ideas, press and collabs — send it here.