Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free & FODMAP Friendly

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour and 30 minutes

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

  • 5-6 Large Garlic Cloves, minced (optional)
  • 2 – 24 oz Jars Tomato Puree
  • 1 – 6 oz Tomato Paste
  • 2 Pinches Cayenne Pepper 
  • Olive Oil 
  • 1 Head Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped 
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

                        

Tools

  • 1 – 3 Quart Pot
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board

                            

Preparation

  1. Place the pot over medium-high heat and add enough Olive Oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
  2. Once the oil is hot enough, place Cayenne, Oregano, half the head of chopped Parsley and Garlic into the pan and continue to stir until the Garlic is browned.
  3. Pour in Tomato Sauce before the garlic burns. Fill one jar with water and add it to the pot. 
  4. Add Tomato Paste, and the same amount of water to pot and stir. 
  5. Add the rest of the Parsley, Bay Leaves, Salt, and Pepper. 
  6. Bring sauce to a boil and stir. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. 
  7. Allow sauce to cook and thicken for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. 

                                

Tips

  • Sauce always tastes better the next day after the flavors have marinated overnight in the fridge. Whatever I make the sauce for guests I always make it the day before. This not only reduces the prep-time on the day of my dinner party but the sauce becomes even more flavorful!
  • If you are using fresh herbs, double the amount. Dried herbs are usually stronger in flavor than fresh. 
  • If you are able to have dairy, adding a few tablespoons of Pecorino Romano Cheese to the sauce adds flavor and helps to thicken the sauce.
  • If you would like thicker sauce, you can add an additional can of Tomato Paste. The thicker sauce works great for Pizza and Lasagna. 
  • If you like your sauce on the sweeter side, you can add a few shredded Carrots. This will also help to thicken the sauce. 
  • Some families use both Basil and Oregano in their sauce, some use only Basil. My family only uses Oregano, but you can add Basil if you like. 
  • My family traditionally puts Garlic in their sauce, but after my father became allergic to Garlic and started following the FODMAP diet for his allergies, I experimented with how to adapt my sauce without compromising flavor. As long as you brown the Cayenne, Oregano, and Parsley in the Olive Oil for a few minutes your sauce should be just as flavorful! 
  • I highly discourage using an Aluminum Pot to cook your sauce. The acid in the Tomato Sauce, especially at high heats, reacts with the aluminum and releases toxic chemicals into the food over time.
  • Serving suggestions:
    • On pasta as Marinara
    • With Spaghetti and Meatballs
    • With ground meat or a vegan substitute for Bolognese Sauce
    • Use in Lasagna
    • Use as Pizza sauce
    • Freeze for later

                                

Region of Inspiration

This recipe is my family’s traditional Spaghetti or Marinara sauce. My grandfather’s three sisters, my great-aunts, taught me how to cook it when I was about seven years old. Our family is southern Italian, from the province of Catanzaro in the region of Calabria. 

Marinara sauce is believed to have originated in southern Italy, probably in Naples or Sicily. Tomato-based sauces were developed in Italy beginning in the 16th century, after tomatoes were introduced from the Americas.