Best 14 Mamas Marinara Recipes

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When it comes to Italian cooking, few dishes are as iconic as mama's marinara. This classic sauce is a staple in many Italian-American households and is known for its versatility and flavor. Whether you're using it to top your favorite pasta dish, dipping your crusty bread, or simmering it with meatballs, mama's marinara is sure to please everyone at the table. With so many different recipes out there, it can be hard to know where to start. This article will provide you with some tips for finding the best recipe for mama's marinara, as well as some of our own favorite recipes to get you started.

Let's cook with our recipes!

MAMA'S MARINARA



Mama's Marinara image

In culinary school, I learned the term Mother Sauce, which refers to a sauce that is the base for other sauces. When I opened Rocco's and was developing the recipes for it, my cooks and I joked that marinara was "Mama Saucer" because it is an ingredient in many other dishes, and of course it's the mother of all sauces. It is also excellent on its own, especially with fresh pasta, which is more porous than dried pasta and therefore grabs the sauce and thickens it. I encourage you to make this in large quantities and keep it on hand in glass or plastic containers. It will keep in your refrigerator for weeks or your freezer for months. Once, when I was a kid, my mother and aunts slathered it all over my back, thinking it would cure "the itchies." I was probably riddled with lice or poison ivy, but whatever it was, they prescribed marinara. At least the trauma of that experience made me forget about the itchies.

Provided by Rocco DiSpirito

Categories     Cookstr Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 10

3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
½ yellow onion, peeled and chopped fine
3 tablespoons olive oil
Two 28-ounce cans tomato purée
One 23-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt

Steps:

  • Cook the garlic and onion in the olive oil in a sauce pot over a medium-low flame, about 10 minutes or until garlic is tender and onions translucent, not brown (this is called "sweating" because it will draw out a lot of moisture and flavor).
  • Add all the tomato products. Pour the chicken stock into one of the 28-ounce cans. Fill it the rest of the way with water and add that and the sugar to the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer. Taste and season with red pepper flakes and salt, and cover. Simmer the sauce for about 1 hour. The sauce should be fairly thin but not watery and very smooth. Uncover and simmer for 3 minutes. If it is too thin for your taste, add a little water if it seems thick.

MY MOTHER'S MARINARA SAUCE



My Mother's Marinara Sauce image

Provided by Alex Guarnaschelli

Time 1h10m

Yield about 2 quarts

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, peeled, halved and diced
10 cloves garlic, peeled, halved and cut into thin slices
2 to 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Kosher salt
3 medium carrots, peeled and grated
Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
4 cups water, divided, plus more as needed
1 cup basil leaves, washed
Freshly grated Parmesan

Steps:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, the garlic, red pepper flakes, and sugar and season with salt, to taste. Stir in the carrots and reseason with salt. Cook for about 2 minutes, and then add canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, about 20 minutes. If at any point the veggies or the sauce is getting dry, add some water. Continue cooking another 10 minutes, and then taste for seasoning. The tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook an additional 10 minutes. The sauce cooks about as long as it takes to make the meatballs from start to finish, about 45 minutes. Stir in the basil leaves and season with Parmesan.

MARINARA SAUCE



Marinara Sauce image

For a go-to standby using canned tomatoes, get Ina Garten's easy, homemade Marinara Sauce recipe from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.

Provided by Ina Garten

Time 45m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.

WORLD'S BEST MARINARA



World's Best Marinara image

The only marinara you'll ever need! Serve with your favorite pasta.

Provided by SunnyDaysNora

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     Pasta Sauce Recipes     Tomato     Marinara

Time 55m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, torn
2 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce

Steps:

  • Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, red bell pepper, and parsley; cook and stir until mushrooms are slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add oregano, sugar, basil, rosemary, sage, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper; stir to combine, 2 minutes.
  • Stir tomato sauce into seasoned onion-mushroom mixture; cook over low heat until flavors have combined, 30 minutes.
  • Transfer half the sauce to a blender; blend until smooth. Return to saucepan with the remaining sauce; stir to combine.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 75.1 calories, Carbohydrate 13 g, Fat 2.2 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 2.9 g, SaturatedFat 0.3 g, Sodium 666.2 mg, Sugar 8.8 g

MAMA'S MARINARA



Mama's Marinara image

Make and share this Mama's Marinara recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Nat Da Brat

Categories     Vegetable

Time 2h

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped fine
3 tablespoons olive oil
chili flakes
2 (28 ounce) cans tomato puree, red pack brand if possible
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, red pack brand if possible
1 tablespoon tomato paste, red pack brand if possible
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup chicken stock
red pepper flakes
salt

Steps:

  • Cook the garlic and onion in the olive oil in a sauce pot over a medium-low flame, about 10 minutes or until garlic is tender and onions translucent, not brown (this is called"sweating" because it will draw out a lot of moisture and flavor).
  • Add the chili flakes to taste.
  • Add all the tomato products.
  • Pour the chicken stock into one of the 28-oz cans.
  • Fill it the rest of the way with water and add that and the sugar to the pot.
  • Stir and bring to a simmer.
  • Taste and season with salt and cover.
  • Simmer the sauce for about 1 hour (the sauce should be fairly thin, but not watery and very smooth).
  • Uncover and simmer for 3 minutes if it is too thin for your taste; add a little water if it seems thick.

MARINARA SAUCE



Marinara Sauce image

Spice up your homemade marinara sauce with one of our delicious variations including creamy vodka and Puttanesca.

Provided by BHG Test Kitchen

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 28 ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes, undrained and snipped*
2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper

Steps:

  • In an 8-qt. Dutch oven heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining ingredients.
  • Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
  • To serve, serve 1/2 cup sauce over every 1 to 2 cups hot cooked pasta.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 44 kcal, Carbohydrate 9 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 272 mg, Sugar 6 g, Fat 1 g, UnsaturatedFat 0 g

MAMA'S MARINARA SAUCE



Mama's Marinara Sauce image

I saw this recipe on the back of a Hunt's Tomato Paste can and tried it with some variation. It's a nice quick sauce for when you want "homemade" but fast.

Provided by CookingONTheSide

Categories     Sauces

Time 20m

Yield 11 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (18 ounce) can tomato paste
4 cups hot water
3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with basil oregano and garlic
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt, to taste (optional)
pepper, to taste (optional)

Steps:

  • Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
  • Add garlic and saute gently for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Combine tomato paste and water in the saucepan; blend in tomatoes.
  • Add fresh parsley.
  • Heat over high heat until sauce begins to boil.
  • Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
  • Add salt and/or pepper, to taste.
  • Serve over hot, cooked pasta.
  • Or try as a dipping sauce for breadsticks, pizza crust, fried cheese sticks or vegetables.

MY MOTHER'S MARINARA SAUCE



My Mother's Marinara Sauce image

Provided by Alex Guarnaschelli

Time 32m

Yield 2 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small yellow onions, peeled, halved and cut into thin slices
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin slices
5 cloves garlic, peeled, halved and cut into thin slices
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
1/2 cup basil leaves, washed

Steps:

  • In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil. Stir in the onions, carrots, garlic slices, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt, to taste, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, and mix well. Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, then stir in the basil leaves.

MAMA'S MARINARA



Mama's Marinara image

You'll never go back to using a jar sauce again, the taste is so fresh! I started by using canned tomatoes, but it is even more wonderful with fresh tomatoes that have been peeled whole. Just make an "x" at the bottom of tomato and drop in boiling water about 30 sec., remove and skin should peel right off. Don't forget to remove core. Measurements are approximate such as oil, wine and seasonings. I usually just dump whatever is left in the last bottle of wine I was drinking, up to 1/3 of the bottle--if I left that much! The last time I added a couple of minced anaheim peppers from my garden with the onion mix for a nice mildly spicy kick.

Provided by c.walsh

Categories     Sauces

Time 1h5m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 -6 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, quartered
1 stalk celery
1 carrot, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 -8 ounces red wine
32 ounces tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup parsley, minced fresh*
1/4 cup basil, minced fresh*

Steps:

  • Place onion, celery and carrot in a food processor and mince fine. You can also minceor grate by hand if you do not have one.
  • Heat heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat (ceramic coated dutch ovens work great). Lightly coat bottom of pan with oil. Add above veg mixture, season with salt and pepper. Cook until nicely browned about 15 minutes, stirring often so as not to burn it. Vegetables should be very soft and brown, almost like a paste. Add more oil as needed.
  • Add garlic and cook 3-5 more minutes, stirring often so as not to burn garlic.
  • Raise heat to med-high to deglaze* pan with red wine. Stir until most of the wine has evaporated and cooked away. (*Just as soon as temp rises to med high, add red wine. It will sizzle and cook down. Stir to loosen up any bits stuck to pan.).
  • Add whole tomatoes with their juice. Add bay leaves. Cook til bubbly then lower heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally and simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours to desired consistency. The longer it simmers, the thicker it gets. Crush with a potato masher as it cooks (my preference for a nice chunky marinara) or use an immersion/stick blender for a smoother sauce.
  • Stir in fresh herbs at the end of cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed. I actually season throughout the recipe with each new addition.
  • *If fresh not available, use any blend of dried italian style herbs but only a fraction of the amount, to taste and add during the last half hour of cooking.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 145.4, Fat 9.4, SaturatedFat 1.3, Sodium 217.1, Carbohydrate 9.7, Fiber 2.6, Sugar 5.3, Protein 1.8

MARTHA'S SIMPLE MARINARA



Martha's Simple Marinara image

Portion into individual pint-size jars to have fresh tomato sauce on hand all year long.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Gluten-Free Recipes

Time 2h45m

Yield About 2 quarts

Number Of Ingredients 7

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (2 3/4 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
6 tablespoons tomato paste
1 batch (about 10 cups) Tomato Puree
3 basil sprigs
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and red-pepper flakes

Steps:

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes more. Add tomato puree and basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce has reduced to 8 cups, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and red-pepper flakes. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
  • Portion into jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Freeze until ready to use, up to 1 year.

MAMA'S MARINARA SAUCE AND MEATBALLS



Mama's Marinara Sauce and Meatballs image

In culinary school, Rocco DiSpirito learned the term Mother Sauce, which refers to a sauce that is the base for other sauces. When he opened Rocco's and was developing the recipes for it, he and his cooks joked that marinara was "Mama Saucer" because it is an ingredient in many other dishes, and of course it's the mother of all sauces. It is also excellent on its own, especially with fresh pasta, which is more porous than dried pasta and therefore grabs the sauce and thickens it. I encourage you to make this in large quantities and keep it on hand in glass or plastic containers. It will keep in your refrigerator for weeks or your freezer for months. His mama is known better for these meatballs than she ever could have imagined. In Italy, meatballs, or polpette, are usually a lot smaller and, weird as it may seem, never eaten with pasta. They are served alone or in soup. In the United States, they became a lot bigger and are eaten alone, on heros, with spaghetti, and even on pizza. There are a lot of meatballs out there, folks, and I'm sure you have tasted your fair share, but I believe these are the best meatballs in the world. I can't, to this day, pinpoint what it is that makes them so phenomenal; I think it is largely the fact that you mix and roll them by hand. They are not dense like many meatballs, but they also don't fall apart in tomato sauce. It's not just my bias speaking here; everyone loves them. People who hate pork love them; people who never go near veal can't get enough. Vegetarians make exceptions for them. I encourage you to make these meatballs your own. Your kids will love something you make by hand, too.

Provided by By The Lake

Categories     Meat

Time 3h

Yield 20 meatballs, 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 23

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped fine
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 (28 ounce) cans tomato puree
1 (23 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground veal
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Steps:

  • MAMA'S MARINARA SAUCE.
  • Cook the garlic and onion in the olive oil in a sauce pot over a medium-low flame, about 10 minutes or until garlic is tender and onions translucent, not brown (this is called "sweating" because it will draw out a lot of moisture and flavor).
  • Add all the tomato products. Pour the chicken stock into one of the 28-ounce cans. Fill it the rest of the way with water and add that and the sugar to the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer. Taste and season with red pepper flakes and salt, and cover. Simmer the sauce for about 1 hour. The sauce should be fairly thin but not watery and very smooth. Uncover and simmer for 3 minutes. If it is too thin for your taste, add a little water if it seems thick.
  • MAMA'S MEATBALLS.
  • Place the chicken stock, onion, garlic, and parsley in a food processor and purée.
  • In a large bowl, combine the puréed stock mix, meat, bread crumbs, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Combine with both hands until the mixture is distributed evenly. Do not overmix.
  • Put a little olive oil on your hands and form the mixture into balls a little larger than golf balls. They should be about ¼ cup each, though if you prefer bigger or smaller, it will only affect the browning time.
  • Pour about ½ inch of olive oil into a straight-sided, 10-inch-wide sauté pan and heat over a medium-high flame. Add the meatballs to the pan (working in batches, if necessary) and brown the meatballs well on all sides. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • While the meatballs are browning, heat the marinara sauce in a stockpot over medium heat. Lift the meatballs out of the sauté pan with a slotted spoon and put them in the marinara sauce. Stir gently. Simmer for one hour.
  • Serve with a little extra Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on top.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 455.8, Fat 27, SaturatedFat 7.3, Cholesterol 124.2, Sodium 1096.6, Carbohydrate 29.9, Fiber 5.7, Sugar 14.5, Protein 26.4

MAMA'S MARINARA SAUCE



Mama's Marinara Sauce image

Make and share this Mama's Marinara Sauce recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Johnney

Categories     Sauces

Time 45m

Yield 1 1/2 Quarts

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 cloves of minced garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
4 teaspoons fresh basil or 4 teaspoons dried basil
4 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper

Steps:

  • Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
  • Add garlic and sauté gently for about 2 minutes.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes.
  • Stir gently and add red wine, and herbs.
  • Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Simmer for another 10 minutes and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 745.9, Fat 38, SaturatedFat 5.3, Sodium 2280.1, Carbohydrate 74.8, Fiber 16.2, Sugar 40.1, Protein 9.4

MILLER'S MARINARA



Miller's Marinara image

Best if cooked in slow cooker for several hours, but can be done in as little as two on the stove. May be frozen for use later. Really great over Chicken Parmesan. Also works for vegetarians!

Provided by EMIBANANA

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     Pasta Sauce Recipes     Tomato     Marinara

Time 8h20m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 11

¼ cup canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (10.75 ounce) can tomato puree
2 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion until tender.
  • In a slow cooker, mix the onion and remaining oil, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato puree, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, sugar, and pepper.
  • Cover slow cooker, and cook sauce 8 hours on Low.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 98.3 calories, Carbohydrate 13.1 g, Fat 5.1 g, Fiber 2.9 g, Protein 2.4 g, SaturatedFat 0.4 g, Sodium 1448.2 mg, Sugar 4.9 g

THE PERFECT RUSTIC MARINARA



The Perfect Rustic Marinara image

Making marinara sauce is literally one of my favorite things in the world to do. There is almost no way to go wrong other than adding too much salt or too much sugar. Just blend, simmer, and let the ingredients speak for themselves. For a spicier sauce add more chili flake.

Provided by kylewassell

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     Pasta Sauce Recipes     Tomato     Marinara

Time 45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 (3.5 ounce) links Italian sausage, sliced
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
½ cup red wine
1 head garlic, minced
⅓ cup minced onion
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Steps:

  • Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot stockpot until browned, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.
  • Blend tomato sauce, tomato, red wine, garlic, onion, Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, basil, olive oil, thyme, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and brown sugar together in a blender until desired consistency is reached. Pour mixture over sausage; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until wine has cooked off, at least 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 210.8 calories, Carbohydrate 16.9 g, Cholesterol 14.8 mg, Fat 11.7 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 8.4 g, SaturatedFat 3.3 g, Sodium 1430.2 mg, Sugar 8.7 g

Tips:

  • Use the best quality ingredients you can find. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your marinara sauce.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of tomatoes. There are many different varieties of tomatoes available, each with its own unique flavor. Experiment until you find one that you like.
  • Simmer your sauce for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to develop and meld together.
  • Add a little bit of sugar to your sauce. This will help to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
  • Season your sauce to taste. Add salt, pepper, and other spices to taste.
  • Serve your marinara sauce with your favorite pasta, chicken, or fish. Enjoy!

Conclusion:

Marinara sauce is a delicious and versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes. Whether you're making a simple pasta dish or a more complex meal, marinara sauce is a great option. With these tips, you can make a delicious marinara sauce that your family and friends will love.

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