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This homemade marinara sauce is made ultra-simply from scratch with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. No cans here, just delicious, fresh from the garden tomato sauce! With hundreds of five-star reviews, you can be sure this homemade tomato sauce will be a hit!
save this recipe!If it’s the peak of summer, your garden is churning out more tomatoes than you know what to do with, and you’re hungry…I have two words for you: homemade marinara.
More specifically, a homemade marinara with fresh tomatoes (no canned tomatoes or tomato paste here)! Because summer is all about celebrating that garden-fresh produce, and this marinara is the perfect way to celebrate.
Reader rating
“This is THE marinara sauce! When it was finished cooking and cooled, I tasted it and could not believe how delicious! When one of my daughters arrived for dinner I asked her to taste it just to be sure. She did but said nothing. I asked if it was all right. She said she was just savoring the flavor and didn’t want to interrupt that. Other guests said it was the best marinara they had ever eaten.” —Claudette
Most recipes will have you blanch the tomato to remove the skin, but I find that it’s unnecessary and takes too much time (plus, the skin has insoluble fiber – double win). Let’s cook!
What’s the best texture for marinara?
This homemade marinara sauce recipe is naturally chunky, but you can easily make it into a smooth and silky marinara with a quick blitz in the blender. I prefer to use a handheld immersion blender to puree it right in the pot, but you could also transfer it (carefully – hot!) to a countertop blender.
- Keep it chunky for use with your favorite pasta (like these vegetarian stuffed shells)
- Blend it smooth for use as a dipping sauce (like with air fryer mozzarella sticks!)
Homemade Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 fresh tomatoes, 1 to 1.5 lbs, diced
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Italian parsley, flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp honey, 15 g
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Tomatoes: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and allow to simmer uncovered until tomatoes have mostly broken down, about 25 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.
- Herbs: Stir in remaining ingredients. Continue simmering about 10 minutes.
- Serve: You can serve it like this or puree it in a food processor or blender for a smoother sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!Seasonal Tip
They say what grows together goes together, so why not use the fresh cucumber growing in your garden to make this easy tzatziki sauce? Serve it as a dip with veggies, as a side, or as an appetizer with this marinara!
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First time making marinara and won’t keep searching for recipes because this one was great!! Not sure if it was the garden fresh veggies that made it outstanding but its soooooo worth the effort! Everyone asked for seconds!
Can you freeze this marina?
Yep, this should freeze well! 😀
Does this freeze well?
Yes! 😀
If you don’t take the skin off the tomatoes, are there not pieces of the skin in the sauce?
There are some, but they disintegrate a bit in cooking. You can always parboil then peel them first of skins and pulp usually bother you! 😀
How long will this last in the frig?
About 5 to 7 days! 😀
All I can say is YUM! Definitely making this again!!
Made a couple tweaks based upon availability of home grown produce, but basically the same recipe. Simply amazing! Won’t buy store bought again!
I have made this marinara sauce all summer and canned most of it because it is so delicious. I add lean ground beef and Italian sausage made by my butcher. It is outstanding!
Thus is a great marinara sauce. I used Campari tomatoes and basil from the garden. Froze it quart bag to lie flat in freezer. I may or may not use immersion blender when I defrost but will definitely make more batches so I have over winter.
LOVE this recipe – so easy and flavorful!!!
How long can this be stored in the fridge and can it be frozen?
It stays good in the fridge for about 5 days! And yep, it can be frozen! 😀