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Spaghetti marinara is an easy recipe that cooks in under an hour, but tastes like it simmered all day! Naturally sweet San Marzano tomatoes are cooked down with garlic and basil in extra-virgin olive oil for a delicious, simple Italian tomato sauce that’s absolutely perfect tossed with pasta.
As a kid, I went through a few years phase when spaghetti was my favorite meal. Any time it was my birthday or my turn to pick dinner, it’s what I asked mom to make.
These days I usually eat low carb when possible, so I don’t really eat a lot of pasta. But last summer I went to Italy for the first time and there was absolutely no way I was going to skip the pasta!
This spaghetti alla marinara is a replica of the delicious pasta dish I had in Rome.
What is the Difference Between Marinara Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce?
Marinara sauce is a much more basic recipe than spaghetti sauce, and it really lets the flavor of great-quality tomatoes shine through.
Typically, marinara sauce only contains tomato, olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, and basil. Just a touch of salt and sugar are added to balance the sauce’s flavor. San Marzano tomatoes are the star of the show when it comes to marinara!
Alternatively, spaghetti sauce usually consists of tomato sauce with other vegetables, such as onion, carrot, celery, etc. Additionally, spaghetti sauce may contain meat, such as ground beef.
Italian Marinara Sauce
The first time I had authentic Italian spaghetti marinara was in Rome, Italy in summer 2019. The pasta itself was flavorful, and the sauce had bright tomato flavor with plenty of garlic and a touch of basil.
It didn’t need a mountain of grated Parmesan cheese on top to taste good! In fact, in Italy they don’t put Parmesan cheese on pasta dishes with tomato sauce.
When I got home after my travels, I wanted to replicate this dish. I’m happy to report that this recipe is a pretty good copy of the dish I had in Italy!
Marinara Sauce Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Use the good stuff here.
- Garlic – Don’t be shy with the garlic, it adds tons of flavor to marinara sauce.
- San Marzano tomatoes – These tomatoes are naturally sweeter than other types, and I find they make the best sauce.
- Sugar – We only need a touch of sugar for balance because these tomatoes have a lot of natural sweetness.
- Salt – To season the tomato sauce and enhance the flavor.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – For a touch of spicy heat and complexity.
- Fresh basil – For depth and a slightly sweet, fresh herby flavor.
How to Make Marinara Sauce From Scratch (For Spaghetti Marinara and More!)
- Thinly slice the garlic. This might look like a lot, but the flavor of garlic mellows as it cooks down.
- Cook the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart pot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the garlic. Turn the heat down to low and cook until the garlic is fragrant and starting to brown a little, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.
- Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Use a spoon or potato masher to crush the tomatoes a bit.
- Stir in the basil sprigs. Bring to a boil, and then cover the pot but leave the lid ajar.
- Cook it down. Turn the heat down to simmer, and cook 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce is done when it’s thickened and the oil has separated from the tomato like this.
- Enjoy. Remove the cooked basil springs and discard. Serve this sauce tossed with the pasta for the best spaghetti marinara you’ve ever had outside of Italy! Or use it in recipes that call for marinara sauce or tomato sauce.
Storage
Let the sauce cool to room temperature, and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
PRO TIP: This sauce is a great meal prep recipe. It keeps well in the freezer, and you can use it as the base to make a ton of different recipes.
Special Diet Friendly
This marinara sauce is gluten free and vegan. You can make it paleo by omitting the sugar or using a paleo-friendly sweetener (such as coconut sugar or honey) instead.
Tips For the Best Spaghetti Marinara
- Take the time to make homemade marinara sauce. It’s a simple recipe with ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen or pantry, but it tastes way better than store-bought sauce! (And bonus, making it from scratch will help you stick with your grocery budget. I find that it’s usually quite a bit cheaper to buy the ingredients for this tomato-based sauce and make it myself than it is to buy pre-made sauce.)
- Use good pasta and cook it properly. Because there are minimal ingredients here, the quality of each really matters. Also, make sure to cook the pasta to al dente, and don’t forget to season the water with salt!
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you don’t need fresh tomatoes to make a delicious marinara sauce.
There are two reasons I like to use canned tomatoes to make marinara sauce: 1) tomato season is so short it’s impossible to find great-quality tomatoes year-round; and 2) even in the summertime during peak tomato season, the tomatoes I have access to here in Florida aren’t nearly as good as the San Marzano tomatoes from Italy.
I find that canned Italian San Marzano tomatoes make the BEST marinara sauce!
Stored covered in a glass jar in the fridge, marinara sauce will last up to 1 week. Or you can store it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
It’s extremely easy; if you have a great marinara sauce, then you already have a great spaghetti marinara recipe! This dish is just spaghetti cooked to al dente, and then tossed with marinara sauce. You can garnish with fresh basil if you want.
Yes! Just simmer marinara sauce for about 10 minutes to thicken it, and then use it as you would use pizza sauce.
What to Use Marinara Sauce For
There are so many ways to use this versatile tomato sauce! Here are a few ideas:
- Make meatball bombers or meatball sliders
- Make chicken parmigiana or eggplant parmigiana (or make chicken or eggplant parm sandwiches)
- Use it in a classic baked pasta dish, such as baked ziti or lasagna (try lazy lasagna!)
- Use it as a dip for breadsticks, garlic knots, or garlic bread
- Serve it along with mozzarella cheese sticks or zucchini fries for dipping
Recipes That You Can Use Marinara Sauce In
- Pizza Burgers
- Zucchini Roll Ups (aka Zucchini Rollatini)
- Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Quick Lasagna Casserole (aka Lazy Lasagna)
- Italian Classic Beef Meatballs
- 15-Minute Low Carb Zucchini Pizza Casserole
- Keto Detroit-Style Pizza
- Instant Pot American Beef Goulash
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Spaghetti Marinara Recipe
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Ingredients
Marinara Sauce:
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 large cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 28 ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, with juices
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)
- 2 sprigs fresh basil plus more for garnish (optional, but recommended)
Serving Options:
- Spaghetti cooked to al dente (or any kind of pasta you like)
- Zucchini noodles
Instructions
- Cook the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart pot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the garlic. Turn the heat down to low and cook until the garlic is fragrant and starting to brown a little, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.
- Add the remaining ingredients and cook it down. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Use a spoon or potato masher to crush the tomatoes a bit. Stir in the basil sprigs. Bring to a boil, and then cover the pot but leave the lid ajar. Turn the heat down to simmer, and cook 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce is done when it’s thickened and the oil has separated from the tomato. (See photo in the post above for reference.)
- Enjoy. Remove the cooked basil springs and discard. Serve with any type of pasta you like, or use it in recipes that call for marinara sauce or tomato sauce.
Notes
- Net Carbs: 7 grams per serving (1/4 cup)
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 2 cups of marinara sauce, or 8 (1/4-cup) servings.
- Nutritional Information: The nutrition information was calculated for the sauce only, without the serving options.
- Marinara Sauce Storage: After cooling, store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Special Diet Friendly: This marinara sauce is gluten free and vegan, and you can make it paleo by omitting the sugar or using a paleo-friendly sweetener (such as coconut sugar or honey) instead.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on November 6, 2020, and was updated on September 12, 2025.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
Aglio , olio, e pomodoro make this beautifully simple sauce that brings out the taste of quality ingredients. I first tasted the real thing on the shores of the Mediterranean. Your little touch of fresh basil and the chunky tomato which really adds to the sauce. I am making this again to store in my freezer for a delicious summery pasta dish in winter. Thank you Faith.