Italian marinara sauce (salsa alla marinara) is a simple, flavorful tomato sauce made with just four main ingredients: tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and oregano. It's quick to prepare, inexpensive, and full of the Mediterranean flavors that characterize Southern Italian cooking.
Unlike many other tomato sauces, traditional Italian marinara does not contain onion. Garlic and oregano give the sauce its distinctive aroma, while good-quality tomatoes provide all the sweetness and richness it needs.
For a rustic, full-bodied marinara sauce, use good-quality canned peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, and crush them coarsely with a fork. If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can use homemade tomato passata or good-quality store-bought passata instead.
Marinara sauce is traditionally used to season pasta and pizza, including the famous Pizza Marinara. Despite its name, the sauce itself contains no seafood: marinara refers to its historical connection with sailors, a story we'll explore later in the recipe.
Ready in just a few minutes, this classic Italian tomato sauce is an essential recipe to have on hand whenever you want something simple but full of flavor.
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Ingredients
Prep Time: 10 Min | Cook Time: 15 Min | Servings: 4
- 500 g (1.1 lb) canned peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, or homemade peeled tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Fine salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, optional
How to Make Italian Marinara Sauce
Step 1) - Finely chop or crush the garlic cloves. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over low heat, add the garlic, and sauté gently for about 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant.
Be careful not to brown or burn the garlic, as this can give the sauce a bitter taste. In traditional marinara sauce, the garlic is finely chopped and left in the sauce rather than removed.
Step 2) - Place the peeled tomatoes in a bowl and crush them coarsely with a fork. This will give the marinara sauce its characteristic rustic, full-bodied texture.
If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can use tomato passata instead.
Step 3) - Add the tomatoes to the garlic and oil. Stir well and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt to taste.
Step 4) - Add the dried oregano and, if you like, the chopped parsley. Stir well, cook for another minute, then turn off the heat. The marinara sauce is ready to use with pasta, pizza, or other traditional Italian dishes.
Can You Make Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes or Passata?
Yes. Marinara sauce can be made with canned peeled tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, or tomato passata, but the final texture will be slightly different.
Canned peeled tomatoes are our preferred choice for this recipe. Crush them coarsely with a fork before adding them to the pan. They produce a rustic, full-bodied marinara sauce with small pieces of tomato and plenty of texture. For the best flavor, choose good-quality whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano.
Fresh tomatoes are a great option in summer, when they are fully ripe and flavorful. To peel them easily, score the skin lightly and blanch them in boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer them to cold water, remove the skins, then crush the tomatoes before using them in the recipe.
If you prefer a smoother, more uniform marinara sauce, use homemade Tomato Passata or a good-quality store-bought passata. In this case, simply pour it directly into the pan with the garlic and olive oil and continue with the recipe.
Tips for the Best Marinara Sauce
Choose good-quality tomatoes. Since marinara sauce has so few ingredients, the tomatoes make a big difference. Use high-quality whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, for the best flavor and texture.
Crush the tomatoes by hand or with a fork. Avoid blending them completely if you want a more rustic, full-bodied marinara sauce.
Cook the garlic gently. Sauté the finely chopped garlic over low heat just until fragrant. If it browns too much, it can make the sauce taste bitter.
Don't overcook the sauce. Marinara is meant to be a quick tomato sauce. About 15 minutes of gentle simmering is enough to combine the flavors while keeping the tomato taste fresh and vibrant.
Add oregano toward the end. This helps preserve its aroma and prevents the flavor from becoming too strong during cooking.
Keep it simple. Traditional Italian marinara does not need onion, cream, butter, or many extra herbs. Tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and oregano should remain the dominant flavors.
Adjust the consistency to the dish. Keep it slightly thicker for pizza or dipping, and a little looser if you're using it to dress pasta.
Variations
Traditional Italian marinara sauce is intentionally simple, but you can make a few small changes depending on your taste and how you plan to use it.
- Spicy Marinara Sauce. Add a small fresh chili pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic and olive oil. This gives the sauce a pleasant heat without overpowering the tomato and oregano.
- Smooth Marinara Sauce. For a smoother consistency, replace the crushed peeled tomatoes with tomato passata. The flavor remains similar, but the sauce will be more uniform and velvety.
- Marinara with Fresh Basil. Add a few fresh basil leaves after turning off the heat. Basil gives the sauce a fresher aroma while the oregano keeps its characteristic marinara flavor.
- Extra-Rustic Marinara. Crush the peeled tomatoes only lightly with a fork and leave some larger pieces intact. This version has more texture and works especially well with short pasta or as a dipping sauce.
How to Use Marinara Sauce
Italian marinara sauce is simple and versatile, and it can be used in several traditional ways.
The most classic use is with pasta. Toss it with spaghetti, linguine, penne, or another pasta shape for a quick and flavorful first course.
Marinara is also the traditional tomato topping for Pizza Marinara. Spread a thin layer over your homemade pizza dough and finish with extra virgin olive oil and oregano.
Another classic use is Carne alla Pizzaiola, where thin slices of beef or veal are cooked directly in a tomato sauce flavored with garlic and oregano. The name pizzaiola refers precisely to these flavors, which recall Pizza Marinara.
You can also serve marinara sauce with toasted bread or use it as a dipping sauce for simple fried foods and appetizers. Its slightly rustic texture works particularly well for dipping.
Storage
Let the marinara sauce cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
For longer storage, marinara sauce freezes very well. Divide it into freezer-safe containers or jars, leaving a little space at the top for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months for the best flavor and texture.
Thaw the sauce overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. If needed, add a small splash of water while reheating to restore the original consistency.
Marinara Sauce vs Tomato Sauce
Marinara sauce and tomato sauce are both made with tomatoes, but they are not exactly the same.
Marinara sauce is a quick, simple sauce traditionally flavored with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and oregano. It is usually cooked for a relatively short time and has a fresh, slightly rustic tomato flavor.
Tomato sauce is a broader term and can refer to many different preparations. In our Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes recipe, the tomatoes are first passed through a food mill, then cooked with a soffritto of onion and garlic and finished with fresh basil.
So, while marinara is a specific type of tomato sauce, not every tomato sauce is marinara.
For an even simpler tomato base with no seasonings, see our Homemade Tomato Passata.
Why Is It Called Marinara Sauce?
The name “marinara” comes from the Italian expression alla marinara, meaning “sailor-style” or “in the style of sailors.” The sauce is traditionally associated with Naples and its long maritime culture.
There are several stories about how the name originated. One says that Neapolitan sailors prepared a simple sauce with ingredients that were easy to keep on board, such as tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and dried oregano. Another tradition says that sailors' wives prepared the sauce when their husbands returned from the sea.
These stories are part of the culinary tradition surrounding marinara, but the exact origin of the name is uncertain.
Despite its maritime name, traditional Italian marinara sauce does not contain seafood. In Italy, alla marinara refers to the style of seasoning, most famously found in both marinara sauce and Pizza Marinara.
More Italian Tomato Sauce Recipes
If you love simple Italian tomato sauces, try some of these other classic recipes. With just a few extra ingredients, tomatoes can become completely different sauces, from spicy Arrabbiata to rich and savory Puttanesca.
Recipe Card
Italian Marinara Sauce Recipe (Salsa alla Marinara)
Ingredients
- 500 g canned peeled tomatoes - 1.1 lb preferably San Marzano, or homemade peeled tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- fine salt - to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley - optional
Instructions
- Finely chop or crush the garlic cloves. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over low heat, add the garlic, and sauté gently for about 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant.Be careful not to brown or burn the garlic, as this can give the sauce a bitter taste. In traditional marinara sauce, the garlic is finely chopped and left in the sauce rather than removed.
- Place the peeled tomatoes in a bowl and crush them coarsely with a fork. This will give the marinara sauce its characteristic rustic, full-bodied texture.If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can use tomato passata instead.
- Add the tomatoes to the garlic and oil. Stir well and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt to taste.
- Add the dried oregano and, if you like, the chopped parsley. Stir well, cook for another minute, then turn off the heat. The marinara sauce is ready to use with pasta, pizza, or other traditional Italian dishes.
Alexandra says
Loved it! Super easy to make and so flavorful. A real Italian classic!