This is the perfect sauce to add to baked pasta dishes, quick pizzas, and casseroles when needed. The secret to the flavor is how and when you add in the fresh basil and red pepper flakes!
As a mom to four kids, I always have it on hand.
This is very easy tomato sauce to make, and for busy moms, an essential one to keep in your refrigerator to use throughout the week. You can enjoy marinara sauce with so many recipes, or just add a few tablespoons to soups and stews to enhance flavors.
Tomato sauce is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A and C, and potassium. You can also freeze marinara sauce up to one month. Be sure to allow the sauce to completely cool before storing it in plastic containers to freeze.
The tomatoes we prefer to use are imported tomatoes from Italy. When you look at the can, be sure it says "product of Italy" somewhere on the label. The best brands we look to buy are the San Marzano brand of tomatoes. It's a region in Italy that grows these particular tomatoes. They are very pulpy and juicy with lots of flavor and they give a hearty taste to the sauce.
Fortunately, my sister Liz lives in New York where our families can find imported tomatoes in almost every supermarket. Luckily, we can find the brand Cento here in the South as well.
When making the sauce, be sure to use a sauce pot that has a matching lid to it, and keep it near by. When adding the pepper flakes and fresh basil to the hot oil, you will need to cover immediately to avoid hot oil splashing onto you. The basil and red pepper flakes will quickly fry in the oil, causing them to infuse their wonderful flavors to the sauce. Then add in the tomatoes and simmer for about 30 minutes. So delicious and fresh sweet tasting; I just had to revive this one from our archives again. Enjoy!
More delicious recipes to come using our Mom's Quick Marinara Sauce!
Mom's Quick Marinara Sauce
- 1 can (28oz) of Crushed Tomatoes -(Italian Imported Tomatoes, any brand)
- 1 can (28oz) of Peeled Tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 to 8 large basil leaves- rinsed
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
- optional: 1/4 cup of water
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Open cans of tomatoes, pour them into a blender and puree them.
Place them aside.
In a large sauce pot and on low-medium heat, heat olive oil. Add whole garlic cloves and sauté the garlic until they turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Next, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the heat. Have a cover for the pot near by.
Add the red pepper flakes. Then drop all the basil leaves at once and COVER immediately! This will prevent the oil to splash all over the kitchen or onto yourself. After a minute or so, slowly stir the basil. This will infuse the flavors of the basil and red pepper into the oil giving it strong punch of flavor to the sauce.
Turn the heat back on. NEXT, add the tomatoes and cover with a lid.
Bring to a low boil.
Reduce heat, and simmer sauce for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir the sauce occasionally. As the sauce thickens, depending on the brand of imported tomatoes you prefer, add some water if needed.
Taste the sauce, season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Before serving, fish and remove garlic cloves from the sauce.
Serve it over your favorite pasta!
Yields: 2 quarts
