Quick & Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce

Happy meal prep Sunday! Here’s a marinara sauce I made for a veggie lasagna (recipe coming soon!). I decided to make my own because it’s quick, delicious and budget-friendly. I never realized most tomato sauces have sugar as one of the first few ingredients, since sugar brings out the flavor in tomatoes; sometimes those sauces are just too sweet then. It’s hard to find a sauce without any added sugar (Whole Foods’ 365 brand does have a great one). This Basil Marinara Sauce is so easy and literally ready in 20 minutes — plus you get the satisfaction of it being homemade and making it from scratch. With only 5 ingredients, there’s no added sugar or salt, while still bursting with flavor.

Ingredients (serves about 13; makes 6½ c).

• 2 t basil extra virgin olive oil (or regular EVOO)
• 1/2 T minced garlic
• 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes with basil
• 1 t oregano
• 1/3 c fresh basil, finely chopped

Directions.

1. In a large saucepan, heat EVOO over medium heat. Add garlic and quickly sauté for 30-60 sec.
2. Once garlic sizzles and just begins to brown, pour in crushed tomatoes and stir in oregano. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 min, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in fresh basil and remove from heat.
4. Store in a sealed container for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
5. Enjoy!

Adapted from my slow cooker marinara in Turkey Meatballs over Zoodles.

Nutrition for 1/2 c sauce.

47 calories  •  0.7 g fat (13%)  •  8.2 g carbs (69%)  •  2.1 g protein (18%)  •  4 g fiber  •  4 g sugar

* These are estimates based off specific products I used and how I entered ingredients in a fitness tracker. This is completely subjective and used to give a rough nutritional estimate.