Perfect Vegan Marinara Sauce Recipe
Are you looking for the best marinara sauce recipe? My marinara sauce recipe is simply unbeatable. Made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs, this sauce is bursting with flavour. Try it on spaghetti or as a base for pizza, my easy vegan marinara sauce will take your culinary creations to the next level. Follow my simple step-by-step instructions and soon you’ll be enjoying the tastiest marinara sauce you’ve ever had.
Pizza is welcome at any time of the year and almost – almost – for any occasion. We love to have pizza parties where everyone chooses their own toppings (not everyone is plant-based) and decorate their own pizzas! It’s fun and inclusive.
Serve this on top of my sourdough pizza crust or serve with my vegan meatballs or stuffed pasta shells! This sauce is simple to make, just two steps: sauté the onions then add everything else and simmer for an hour, I usually make a double batch and freeze some!
Straight from the family cookbook, it’s a pizza sauce recipe from my mom away from mom back in the old days, Virginia Yamata. It brings back childhood memories of pizza party night with a bunch of friends. Gin’s sauce, my mom’s pizza dough, and a platter full of toppings were followed by Trivial Pursuit and maybe a corny rented comedy on VHS.
This recipe is good if you want a quick and easy sauce without a lot of preparation.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- onions and garlic, very finely chopped. I use a knife but feel free to use an electric chopper to make this job easier and quicker
- tinned tomatoes. I use chopped.
- fresh basil. Rather than dried oregano, this adds a deliciously fresh herby taste to the sauce
- vinegar. I have stated malt vinegar in the recipe card but I sometimes use balsamic if I don’t have any other vinegar, it doesn’t matter.
This is ONLY a list of ingredients for the recipe; please see recipe card below for complete printable recipe.
Instructions
Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, 10 minutes or so, then add the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer for an hour until reduced, thick and unctuous. Taste for seasoning,
Hint: I add a little salt to the onion and garlic at the beginning but then I don’t test for seasoning until the sauce is ready, then I adjust. You may need to add a little sugar, depending on the tomatoes or vinegar used.
Substitutions
- basil – use a teaspoon of dried oregano if you prefer
- vinegar – use whatever vinegar you have
Variations
- Spicy – add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish, or banana peppers
Storage
This sauce stores for about a week in the fridge.
This sauce freezes great! Leave to cool then pour into a ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze for upto 6 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
Top tip
All tomato sauces benefit from being cooked the day before they are needed and always taste better the next day!
I like to keep my sauce a little chunky but feel free to blend it up if you prefer it smoother!
The Best Pizza Sauce Recipe Ever
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- ¼ cup tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon sugar - or to taste
- ⅔ cup onion - finely chopped
- 2 14.5oz tomatoes - canned
- small bunch of fresh basil roughly torn
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon malt vinegar
Instructions
- Over low heat saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add remaining ingredients, crushing tomatoes with back of spoon. Simmer over low heat for a minimum of 50 minutes.
Please note that where the recipe asks for milk, butter or yogurt, this refers to any plant-based version that you prefer.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
