Marinara Sauce Using Fresh Tomatoes

Never buy Marinara sauce from a jar again! Bursting with bright and bold flavors, my marinara recipe, which calls for fresh Roma tomatoes, creates the perfect tomato sauce every time! Upgrade your pasta, pizza, and many other Italian-inspired dishes with this easy, simple, quality homemade sauce.

Be Sure To Try My Easy Pizza Sauce Next!

The Best Tomatoes for Marinara Sauce

There really is nothing better than a homemade tomato sauce! I haven’t used store-bought marinara sauce in years because this sauce is so easy to make. The key is finding fresh, in-season Roma tomatoes and buying them up in bulk. We buy boxes of fresh Roma tomatoes from the Farmer’s Market when available and store them in the freezer for up to a year to make this sauce. We don’t do anything to the tomatoes, except freeze them whole. You don’t even have to peel. We prefer Roma tomatoes due to their flavor profile and because they have less “juice,” which is ideal for making a robust sauce. (You want to avoid a thin, runny sauce!) Other varieties, such as Heirloom, San Marzano, or even Cherry tomatoes, are great choices due to lower water content and more pulp.

How Do I Make Marinara Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes?

With only five main ingredients (tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, seasonings), you can create the perfect homemade marinara sauce in your own kitchen. Grab your frozen or fresh tomatoes, and remember, peeling is not necessary.

Step 1: Chop three pounds of Roma tomatoes. Depending on size, you can quarter the tomatoes in a rough chop. While you’re at it, chop your onions. Larger chunks are fine since they will be roasted and then pureed. Mix in a large casserole dish.

Step 2: Add all the peeled garlic cloves from one bulb, and sprinkle them around the pan. Drizzle everything with a good coating of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Step 3: Bake the vegetables for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 400 degrees. They should have a nice golden brown, lightly caramelized top. Allow to cool completely.

Step 4: Place the cooled tomatoes, onions, and garlic mixture into a blender. Add your seasonings at this stage. I love using Bragg’s Organic 24 Herbs & Spices. Italian seasoning mix would also work fine! Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Step 5: Your marinara sauce is ready to use! You can use it immediately, or prepare it for freezer storage. Serve over pasta, on top of meatballs or your favorite protein, ladle over pizza dough, or save for later use.

This is such an easy recipe, one I make often for my family. You will never regret making your own versions of things you find in the store. Plus, your kitchen will smell like an authentic Italian restaurant, your kids will walk in mouth-watering, and your family will thank you. When it’s homemade, it’s not only healthier, it just tastes better! Enjoy!

other recipes you might enjoy:

• Homemade Enchilada Sauce
• Ground Beef & Grains Bowl
• Simple Homemade Meatballs
• Best Semi-Homemade Salsa