Kelly's Marinara Sauce

A good marinara starts with garlic sizzling in olive oil, and this one doesn’t overcomplicate things from there. Pureed Roma tomatoes, Italian parsley, oregano, basil, and bay leaves go into the pot for a 30-minute uncovered simmer that concentrates the flavor and thickens the sauce naturally.

Pureeing the canned plum tomatoes before they hit the pan gives you a smooth, restaurant-style consistency without needing an immersion blender later. That one extra step up front saves you cleanup and delivers a more even texture.

This is a meatless sauce built to be a base. Toss it with spaghetti, spoon it over chicken parm, or use it as pizza sauce. It stores well in the fridge and freezes even better.

Chef Tips

• Sauté the garlic just until fragrant, about one minute. Browned garlic turns bitter and will throw off the whole sauce.
• Leave the lid off while simmering. That evaporation is what thickens the sauce and intensifies the tomato flavor.
• Fish out the bay leaves before storing. They get more bitter the longer they sit in the sauce.
• A pinch of sugar can balance the acidity if your canned tomatoes taste sharp.

Variations

• Arrabbiata: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for heat.
• Fresh herb version: Swap dried basil and oregano for a handful of fresh leaves stirred in during the last 5 minutes of simmering.