Marinara, Basil, Garlic & Oregano Recipe

Prepare tomatoes

Open the canned tomatoes and pour into a large bowl. Crush the tomatoes by hand (for a rustic texture) or pulse 1–2 times in a blender/food processor for a smoother sauce. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the tomato liquid if present and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil until shimmering. Add the minced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds more until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Build the base

Stir in 1 tbs tomato paste and cook 1 minute to toast slightly. Add the crushed tomatoes and up to 1/4 cup reserved tomato liquid or water to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

Add 1 tsp dried oregano, 1.5 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes to the simmering sauce. Stir well.

Add chopped fresh basil (reserve a few whole leaves for garnish). Stir into the sauce and continue to simmer gently, uncovered, for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add 1/2 tsp granulated sugar if the tomatoes are overly acidic.

Reduce heat to low and simmer an additional 5 minutes to meld flavors. If the sauce is too thick for spreading on pizza, thin with up to 1–2 tbsp water (from the 1/4 cup reserved) to reach a spreadable consistency. The finished sauce should be slightly loose but not watery—enough to spread in a thin, even layer on a 12" pizza dough.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil for shine and rounded flavor. Check final seasoning and adjust salt/pepper to taste. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before applying to pizza dough (hot sauce can cause the dough to rise unevenly).

For storage: cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Makes enough sauce to top three to four 12" pizzas with a thin layer (approximately 2/3 to 1 cup per pizza depending on coverage).