San Marzano Marinara Sauce

No wine, no onions, and no breaking the bank! You only need 30 minutes and 6 ingredients to make this incredible San Marzano Marinara Sauce! If you've been buying those tiny jars of premium sauce or splurging on expensive imported tomatoes, this easy recipe will make 100 ounces of marinara sauce for less than $10!

Who knew how easy marinara sauce is to make? I didn’t. At least, I never even tried to make homemade marinara sauce until 2010 after participating in an all-day, hands-on Italian cooking course. The teacher was Chef Cody Hogan who works for the famous restauranteur and cookbook author, Lidia Bastianich.

That class changed my pasta game forever because I've been buying that massive 6-pound can of Nina San Marzano tomatoes from Costco ever since. This recipe is adapted from Lidia's Italian Table.

Sometimes, the simplest approach yields the most authentic results. This is a tasty sauce that won't take all day to prepare. You won't find any wine, onions, sugar, or a laundry list of herbs in this recipe. By the way, it freezes beautifully.

Use it as your go-to pasta sauce for spaghetti, your next batch of meatballs, the base for your next Four Cheese Lasagna, and tomato soup.

Why You Will Like This Recipe

• 100 ounces of marinara sauce for less than $10!
• It tastes vastly better than the best supermarket spaghetti sauce.
• Only 6 basic pantry ingredients.
• This sauce is great for large family meals and parties.
• Only 30 minutes total!

My Top 4 Takeaways From Chef Cody's Italian Cooking Class

1. The quality of Costco’s 6-pound can of Nina San Marzano tomatoes is amazing and an incredible value.
2. It's important to cook pasta just to al dente in rapidly boiling salted water that tastes like the ocean. I wasn't salting my water enough.
3. Use pasta water to help you bind and emulsify your sauce. I was serving spaghetti way too dry.
4. How to properly sauce and serve your pasta. No more serving unsauced noodles on a cold plate.

What Are San Marzano Tomatoes?

These tomatoes are a variety of Italian oblong plum tomatoes known for their meaty flesh, lower water content, and very few seeds making them great for canning and sauces. They are not preferred in your bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich where a juicy slicing tomato is used.

San Marzanos are grown in Italy, California, or your backyard. This variety shines when cooked or canned and is often referred to as "San Marzano-style" when canned in the US.

Are DOP San Marzano Tomatoes Worth It?

Many say that DOP San Marzano tomatoes are worth it. They're just so expensive. I've found some great non-certified DOP tomatoes, too. Perhaps, save the real DOP-designated tomatoes for a very special occasion.

Canned San Marzano tomatoes from the designated DOP region in Italy are authentic. DOP means 'denominazione origine protetta' with 138 Italian products having this protected designation according to Wikipedia. DOP San Marzano tomatoes are manufactured to very specific guidelines in a limited area of Italy.

Don't get tricked into buying what you think is DOP. According to Giadzy, DOP tomatoes must be canned either whole or in filets, never crushed. On the container, look for the Italian DOP seal and the San Marzano Consortium seal. The consortium also assigns a number next to the words "Pomodoro S. Marzano ofl'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino"

The 6-pound can of Nina tomatoes from Costco states it is from the San Marzano region of Italy, however, I do not see an Italian DOP seal or any reference to a certification number. I still love them.

So, not all San Marzano tomatoes are DOP. In the end, it's all about what you prefer. Taste a bunch of different tomatoes then decide for yourself.

Ingredients

You only need 6 ingredients to make this marinara sauce!

• Canned Italian San Marzano Tomatoes: Whole, peeled tomatoes are preferred because they provide a deep, balanced flavor and a good sauce consistency that is not too thick or too thin. I recommend the big Nina canned tomatoes from Costco that are not DOP or Cento DOP certified tomatoes.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A good quality olive oil is best. Smell and taste your oil to make sure you find it appealing.
• Garlic: Real garlic, not the jarred stuff.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: They provide a tiny bit of heat to the sauce. You can use just a pinch or more to your liking.
• Bay Leaf: Bay leaves and braises go together. This herb provides subtle herbal and floral notes. You can locate fresh bay leaves at the store in the produce section next to other herbs nestled in plastic clamshells. If dried bay leaves are your only option, they will suffice.
• Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: I prefer the brand Diamond Crystal because its shape is lighter and flakey, and it dissolves faster, which helps prevent over-seasoning. If using Morton kosher or table salt, reduce the salt measurements by half.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

Why Sliced Garlic Instead Of Minced?

When I asked Chef Cody this question, here is what he said:

• The person you serve this marinara sauce to may prefer less garlic. They can locate the slices and easily move them to the side.
• Sliced garlic is allowed to slightly caramelize and flavor the olive oil with less risk of scorching when compared to minced garlic. The garlic-infused olive oil will continue to build flavor in the tomato sauce as it simmers.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Before you start: Choose how you want to crush the whole tomatoes. Rather than dirtying another bowl, tool, or potato masher, I recommend using your hand to crush the tomatoes into the olive oil. It's fun! Don't wear white because the tomato can squirt back at you.

Step 1: Thinly slice the garlic. Have all the ingredients ready to go including opening the can(s) of tomatoes.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil In a heavy-bottomed 2-gallon pot over a medium burner setting. Add the garlic slices to the warm oil. They should start sizzling. Stir frequently for 1-3 minutes until they just barely start to toast. Don't let them get to a dark brown color. If that happens, start over.

Step 3: Continue infusing the olive oil by adding the chili flakes. Turn the burner to low. Stir constantly for 30 seconds.

Step 4: Carefully, add the whole peeled tomatoes and their juices by hand crushing them into the pot. The olive oil will sizzle at the start.

Step 5: An alternative to hand crushing is using a potato masher.

Step 6: Dispose of any old basil leaves from the can.

Step 7: Add the bay leaves and bring to a low simmer. You are looking for a small amount of bubbling.

Step 8: Simmer for 25-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce is beautiful at 25 minutes, however, a bit longer is also fantastic. Taste the sauce to see if it needs salt.

Remove the bay leaves before serving with your favorite pasta topped with freshly torn basil.

Storage Information

Store & keep fresh: Let sauce cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to freeze: First, let the sauce cool to room temperature – then transfer it to a freezer-friendly ziplock bag and press the air out. Lay the bag flat until it is frozen. Afterward, you can move it to where it fits best. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.

FAQ

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