Look no further for the BEST Marinara Sauce recipe EVER! You won’t find a more flavorful marinara sauce. It’s easy to make and is absolutely PACKED with flavor! Canning instructions are included so you can enjoy the fresh flavor of tomatoes all year long!
What is Marinara Sauce?
Marinara sauce is a popular tomato sauce that is an essential staple in Italian cuisine. It consists of tomatoes, garlic, onions, olive oil, and a variety of herbs and spices. It’s known for its bright and fresh flavor, is highly versatile, and is a key component in many Italian dishes such as chicken parmesan, eggplant parmesan, pasta alla norma, and spaghetti and meatballs.
It’s hard to beat a simple dish of fresh pasta topped with homemade marinara sauce. Â The key is using quality products and when you have those these simplest of dishes come to life.
The Italians have relied on the best of the best tomatoes for centuries: Â Sun-kissed San Marzano tomatoes. Â They’re stronger in flavor and much sweeter than most any other variety. Â And for that reason it’s hard to replicate the flavor of the marinara sauces you find in southern Italy. Â Our tomatoes require the help of a few flavor boosts, a dash of sugar being one of them.
This marinara sauce is slow-simmered with a variety of herbs and seasonings for 2 hours.  The end result is a delicious sauce you can either eat right away, freeze or can for long-term storage so you can enjoy the vibrancy of Summer all year long! This is the BEST marinara sauce for canning!
The use of dehydrated onions is especially suited to canning as it provides a better flavor long-term.
Marinara Sauce Recipe
Select the best tomatoes you can find. Â The ideal tomatoes are ones that are very meaty with few seeds. Roma tomatoes fall into that category and are the most readily available and they, like other paste tomatoes like San Marzano’s, develop the best flavor when cooked down into a sauce. Â That said, you can use whatever tomatoes you have available and if they’re grown in your own garden so much the better.
Blanch the tomatoes for a minute in boiling water to loosen the skins. Â Peel the tomatoes and squeeze out and discard the seeds. Â Chop the tomatoes.
Place the tomatoes in a large pot with all the ingredients (except for the citric acid/lemon juice). Â Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, stirring every once in a while. Adjust seasonings to taste. Â Discard the bay leaves.
Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and puree until desired consistency.
I use and recommend Cuisinart’s Immersion Blender, I’ve been using mine for 8 years and it’s still going strong.
The sauce is ready but the flavor is even better after a day or two.
You can either enjoy the sauce now, freeze it, or can it for future use.
If you want to can your marinara for long-term storage, here’s how:
Before you fill the sterilized jars with the marinara sauce, add 1/4 tsp Citric Acid per pint or add 1 tbsp bottled lemon juice per pint (double those quantities for quarts). This is per USDA guidelines as a requirement for safe canning. Â Fill the hot marinara sauce into the jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Â Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp cloth. Â Screw on the clean lids and rims.
Next you’ll use a water canner to process the jars. Â This complete canning set has everything you’ll need.
Place the jars in the boiling water canning and process for 35 minutes for pints and 40 minutes for quarts (wait for the water to return to a boil before you start the time). Â Turn off the heat and let the jars rest for 5 minutes before removing.
Adjustments for canning at high altitude:Â
- At 1,001 to 3,000 feet (305 to 914 meters) above sea level: increase processing time by 5 minutes.
- At 3,001 to 6,000 feet (914 to 1,829 meters) above sea level: increase processing time by 10 minutes.
- Above 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) increase processing time by 15 minutes.
Carefully remove the jars from the water canner and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours.  Check the seals. Stored in a dark, cool place the jars will keep for at least a year but for best flavor use within six months.
Enjoy!
For more fabulous canning recipes be sure to try our:
- Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Dill Pickle Relish
- Giardiniera
- Corn Relish
- Bread and Butter Pickles
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish
- Pickled Onions
- Pickled Carrots
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Dilly Beans
- Pickled Asparagus
- Pickled Turnips
- Pickled Peppers
- Pickled Beets
BEST Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 pounds ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dried/dehydrated minced onion (provides a great flavor boost and is especially suited to canning for long-term storage)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon dark balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- citric acid or bottled lemon juice, if canning (per USDA guidelines as a requirement for safe canning)
Instructions
- Blanch the tomatoes for about a minute in a pot of boiling water to loosen the skins. Peel the tomatoes, squeeze out and discard the seeds. Chop the tomatoes.
- Place the chopped tomatoes in a large pot along with the remaining ingredients (except for the citric acid). Â Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 2 hours, stirring every now and then. Â Discard the bay leaves. Â Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Â Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender to puree until desired consistency is reached.You can use the sauce now (flavor gets better in a day or two), freeze it or can it for long-term storage. Â
- To can the sauce: Place 1/4 teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice in the bottom of each sterilized pint-sized jar (double the quantity for quart jars). Ladle the hot marinara sauce into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth. Screw on the clean lids and rims. Place the jars in a boiling water canner and process 35 minutes for pints and 40 minutes for quarts. Turn off the heat and let the jars sit for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Check the seals. Stored in a dark, cool place the jars will keep for at least a year but for best flavor use within six months.Makes approximately 6 pints.
Notes
- At 1,001 to 3,000 feet (305 to 914 meters) above sea level: increase processing time by 5 minutes.
- At 3,001 to 6,000 feet (914 to 1,829 meters) above sea level: increase processing time by 10 minutes.
- Above 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) increase processing time by 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 8, 2017
Sherry Bucshon says
Can you leave out the olive oil?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sherry, yes you can.
Maria says
Hello and thank you for the recipe! I’m a bit concerned about water bath canning vs. pressure canning. Can you ease my mind and confirm we’re ok NOtT to pressure can? Thank you!!
Greg says
Hi Kimberly,
I used and adapted your recipe for my first time canning marinara. I tripled the recipe and used the vegetable strainer attachment for our KitchenAid blender, with this we processed all 36 lbs of tomatoes in an hour. Your recipe is fantastic! We are very happy with the results. Thank you for sharing this.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Greg, thanks so much for the feedback!
Sheri says
Thank you, your comment answered my question. Did it still have a pretty thick consistency?
Greg says
Yes, but we simmered the sauce for 4 to 5 hours to get it to the consistency we wanted.
Heather says
I read online that I could not safely can sauce with olive oil. I am very new to canning, I did this recipe and only altered the spices, as reading that it was okay to do with canning, as long as it was only the spices, so is it actually safe to can this recipe? I’m worried now!! Lol
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Heather, there is conflicting information out there for sure. Even the National Center for Home Food Preservation, a leading authority on canning, contradicts itself. On the one hand one article recommends against using oil while on the other hand they present multiple “tested and safe” water-bath-canning recipes that use as much as 2 cups of oil. Here are a couple of examples:
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/marinated_mushrooms.html
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/marinated_peppers.html
Another leading authority on canning is Ball. Here is one of their “tested and safe” recipes for tomato sauce that also uses olive oil:
https://www.freshpreserving.com/basil-garlic-tomato-sauce-%7C-recipes-for-tomato-sauce-%7C-ball-preserving-br1045.html
The main thing is to be sure the jars are properly sealed by wiping the rims so they are free of any oil residue.
Debbie says
“Store in a dark, cool place for at least a year, but for best flavor use within 6 months.” This sentence should be corrected to read “The jars should be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year, for best flavor use within six months.”
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Debbie. Even better it should read “Stored in a dark, cool place the jars will keep for at least a year but for best flavor use within six months.” I’ve made the correction.
Lynda says
I need to use up a #10 can of tomato sauce. Can you tell me how that amount compares with your 12 lbs of tomatoes cooked down? How many quarts\pints did this re Ile make? Any other adjustments you think I should make or any advice? Thanks!
mike says
HI Kimberly, I wanted to ask your thoughts about using Cento Organic San Marzano canned tomatoes in place of the fresh? I have been making a family favorite Marinara and Pomodoro recipe with them for years. Also wanted to ask about the Pomodoro, as I use fresh parmesan cheese rhinds in that recipe and wondered if the cheese in that sauce would hold up if canned properly in your opinion?
Thanks, Mike.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mike, yes, you can use canned tomatoes instead. A lot of home canners include dairy items in their pressure canned recipes but the official guidelines strongly advise against canning any dairy products.
Wanda Evans says
I really want to can this on Monday, have you ever tried to can the recipe and if so, does it turn out? I do salsa all the time but want to try a marinara sauce. Can I add the lemon juice to the batch, or is it better to put it in the bottom of each jar? Sorry for all the questions, I’ve never made marinara before.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Wanda, yes, this sauce is made specifically with canning in mind. Scroll down to the bottom of the blog post and you’ll see the recipe box with the canning instructions.
Hillary says
I had the same question about the lemon juice. So what did you do, add the juice to the jars or the batch? Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Hilary, just add it to the bottom of the jar and ladle in the sauce. Don’t mix it in.
Sandy says
Hi,
Thank you for this amazing recipe!! I bought 15 lbs of fresh San Marzano tomatoes from my local farmers market today, and I can’t wait to can them! How many bottles of jars did your recipe yield to? Thank you
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Sandy, San Marzanos are so good! I got about 6 pint jars out of it and that will vary a little depending on the variety of tomato you’re using. Happy canning!
Diane says
Thank you for this recipe. I enjoyed it very much. This marinara was easy to prepare once I slipped the skins off all the tomatoes and had them cut up! The smell was amazing and I loved that I could use some of my dehydrated garden herbs….my garden garlic, onions and tomatoes. I only have one recommendation.. I found 2 Tablespoons of Sea Salt too much which made the marinara too salty for our taste. I would suggest add ing 1 Tablespoon and sampling the sauce before adding the other Tablespoon. Thanks again for the recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Diane! Yes, salt preferences vary greatly from person to person and it’s definitely easier to start with less and add more. Thanks for the feedback!
Spicie Larson says
Can you use fresh onion, and if so how much many cups?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Spicie, yes you can, I would use 1 large onion (around 1 1/2 cups).
Katie says
I’m not a fennel fan and like sage only in certain things. I think I’ll leave those off along with the sugar. I must have garlic I marinara also. I’ve canned plenty of times and this looks good. Thanks for sharing.
Gretchen says
This may be a duplicate comment. If it is I’m sorry! If I had herbs that were fresh in the garden this summer and I dried them, is that the same as dried herbs from the store? I used thyme and basil In dried in the quanitites your recipe stated. Sorry about all the questions! I want it to be safe!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
No problem! Yes, those are perfectly fine.
Gretchen says
Does the amount of spices used affect the safety of the recipie? I made your recipe one other time (I loved it) and I thought this time I had more tomatoes (looks are deceiving once they are peeled and cut up). I only did the amount of ingredients as you listed because if I add more it looks like it will be over whelming. I really just want to make sure everything is safe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gretchen, no, the spices won’t impact the acidity/safety. Some fresh herbs can impact the pH level but you can safely alter the quantities of dried herbs.
Gretchen says
Hello! Is the 12 lbs of tomatoes in the ingredient list before or after you prep them? I had about 30 lbs and now prepped them.
Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gretchen, it’s 12 lbs of whole tomatoes, before prepping. Just double+ up on the other ingredients and your sauce will be perfect.
Gretchen says
If I were to add garlic would you recommend fresh or powder? And if fresh how many cloves? Or Is it better to add to it once I’m ready to eat? Would adding red pepper flakes affect the safety of it? Should I close to triple up on the spices since I have 30 lbs? Next to your double I assume that is what you meant by the plus sign. Thanks so much for your quick response!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I would probably aim for one garlic clove per 2 pounds of tomatoes, so about 15 cloves. Red pepper flakes are perfectly fine to add. Yes, I would nearly triple everything. Give the sauce a taste at the end of cooking it and see if you want to add more, keeping in mind that the flavors will intensify after the sauce has sat for a while. Happy canning! :)
Tracy says
I didn’t add the rosemary because I’m not a fan. I did add 6 cloves of garlic and 1 can of tomato paste for colour.
awesome recipe. i will make this again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s awesome, Tracy, thank you!