Classic Marinara Sauce Recipe • 5★

Recipe from Lidia Bastianich

Adapted by Julia Moskin

Updated February 2, 2025

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Homemade marinara is almost as fast and tastes immeasurably better than even the best supermarket sauce — and it's made with basic pantry ingredients. All the tricks to a bright red, lively-tasting sauce, made just as it is in the south of Italy (no butter, no onions) are in this recipe. Use a skillet instead of the usual saucepan: the water evaporates quickly, so the tomatoes are just cooked through as the sauce becomes thick. (Our colleagues over at Wirecutter have spent a lot of time testing skillets to find the best on the market. If you're looking to purchase one, check out their skillet guide.) —Julia Moskin

Featured in: Marinara Worth Mastering

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1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, certified D.O.P. if possible

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered

Small dried whole chile, or pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large fresh basil sprig, or ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, more to taste

Step 1Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.

Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.

Step 2In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.

In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.

Step 3As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, oregano (if using) and salt. Stir.

As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, oregano (if using) and salt. Stir.

Step 4Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. (If using oregano, taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed.) Discard basil and chile (if using).

Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. (If using oregano, taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed.) Discard basil and chile (if using).

Just leave your preconceived notions of marinara sauce at the door and make this exactly as presented here. Don't listen to the modifiers. You won't be disappointed and you will NEVER feel the need to modify or tweak.

I have a different opinion especially concerning the use of the basil , to get the most flavor from this unique though fragile herb the secret is not to cook it along the sauce but just at the end when the sauce is done and you are going to pour the pasta , you lay down a top of the plant and you mix it with the whole , the heat will make the herb screaming out its taste and flavor , better , perfum ! That is the way to take the maximum from our most distinguished herb.

I suggest avoiding a cast iron skillet. The acidic tomatoes can pull a metallic taste into the sauce.

Added an anchovy with the garlic, no regrets. Next time I’ll use less than the recommended amount of water.

OK. I know this is heresy, but last night I got home late & just wanted to whip up some pasta with my go-to Julia Moskin's marinara. The other night my wife was going to prepare tacos, but we had a change of plans, so the taco meat was put back in the fridge. So, instead of doing a meat sauce from scratch, I just added the already cooked taco meat towards the end of the marinara simmer. The rich spices of the taco meat + the garlic-rich marinara made the best meat sauce I ever tasted!

Has anyone scaled this for a crowd? Making it for 40 and I’m not sure how much sauce to make.

Adapted from “Lidia’s Commonsense Italian Cooking,” by Lidia Bastianich (Knopf, 2013)

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015987-classic-marinara-sauce