This simple marinara sauce is easy, healthy, and incredibly flavorful. We tried several marinara recipes and this one stands out as the best!
I love that this sauce includes nutritional yeast (optional) — it adds a savory, cheesy note and some extra nutrients. The recipe is vegan-friendly and versatile.
My sister has been using this marinara in lots of family meals. Her kids love it as a dip for grilled cheese or fried mozzarella sticks, and they enjoy it thinned with a bit of milk as a comforting tomato soup.
Ways to Use Simple Marinara Sauce
Here are a few favorite ways to enjoy this marinara. It pairs especially well with baked meatballs.
Baked Meatball Subs
These subs make a quick, satisfying dinner. You can prepare the meatballs and marinara ahead of time, then assemble and finish in under 10 minutes. Frozen meatballs and sauce work well too — see the storage section below for freezing and reheating tips.
How to assemble meatball subs:
- Lightly butter the inside of sandwich rolls.
- Sprinkle with garlic salt and bake at 425ºF for 4 minutes to lightly toast the rolls.
- In a bowl, toss the meatballs with enough marinara to coat. Place the meatball mixture into the toasted rolls (about 4 meatballs per sandwich).
- Top with shredded cheese of your choice (an Italian blend works nicely).
- Bake another 5 minutes until the cheese melts. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.
Spaghetti & Meatballs
This is a timeless, easy meal when you pair the marinara with baked meatballs.
How to serve spaghetti & meatballs:
- Toss the meatballs with marinara in a large bowl to coat evenly.
- Serve the sauced meatballs over cooked spaghetti and finish with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley.
How to Store Marinara Sauce
Keep any unused marinara in a sealed container in the refrigerator. I often double the recipe and freeze a portion for later.
To freeze:
Lay sauce flat in freezer bags to save space and speed up thawing.
To thaw:
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a saucepan or microwave until hot.
- Alternatively, submerge the sealed frozen bag in warm water for 30–60 minutes until thawed, then reheat.
Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please leave a review and a star rating in the comments — I’d love to know how it turned out.
Simple Marinara Sauce {Quick & Easy, Vegan Recipe}
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (sub water if avoiding oil)
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
- 4 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Optional:
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or use Parmesan)
Instructions
-
Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
-
Sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant.
-
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, basil, oregano, sea salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
-
Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
-
Remove from heat and stir in the nutritional yeast if using. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Tried this recipe?Share your result on Instagram and tag @thatsdeelicious or use #thatsdeelicious.
Watch the video on how to make simple marinara sauce for visual step-by-step guidance.
*This marinara recipe was adapted from Minimalist Baker.