Marinara Sauce
If you've got skinless plum tomatoes, crushed and fresh basil leaves, torn, you're most of the way to this vegan: about 60 minutes of cooking across 6 steps. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and pan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, every ingredient resolved to a plant source.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegan — no meat, fish, dairy, egg or honey, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: none of the major allergens we track from the ingredients listed.
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Warm the olive oil in a wide heavy saucepan over medium heat, then add the diced onion and red bell pepper and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and translucent but not browned.
- Add the sliced garlic and thyme leaves and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, just until the garlic is fragrant, taking care not to let it colour or it will turn bitter.
- Pour in the crushed plum tomatoes along with their juices, then stir in the sugar and a generous pinch of salt to balance the acidity.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and let it cook uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the raw tomato edge mellows.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, blend it briefly with a stick blender, or leave it rustic and chunky as you like.
- Stir in the torn basil at the very end, taste, and adjust with more salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving over pasta or using as a base for other dishes.
You'll use: Saucepan · Pan · Blender
Tips & common questions
How long does Marinara Sauce take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Marinara Sauce vegan?
Every ingredient listed on this page resolved to a plant or mineral source in our ingredient ontology — no meat, fish, shellfish, dairy, egg or honey. Labels can still differ by brand, so check packaged items.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Marinara Sauce is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Vegan Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce (8529418515).jpg by Veganbaking.net from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.