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Flavorful Marinara Sauce with Roasted Garlic

flavorful marinara sauce with roasted garlic - featured image
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A rich and comforting homemade marinara sauce featuring slow-roasted garlic and ripe tomatoes, perfect for pasta lovers seeking a deep, sweet, and balanced tomato flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 head garlic, roasted
  • 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
  • 1/4 cup red wine (optional)
  • Pinch of fennel seeds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the top off the garlic head to expose cloves, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, wrap tightly in foil, and roast for 35-40 minutes until soft and golden.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant, avoiding browning.
  3. Crush canned tomatoes by hand or with a spoon, add to the pan along with salt, sugar, oregano, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine. Add tomato paste and red wine if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Once garlic is cool, squeeze roasted cloves out of skins directly into the tomato mixture and stir well.
  5. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water or broth if sauce becomes too thick.
  6. Use an immersion blender to puree sauce until smooth but still textured, or blend in batches in a regular blender. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or herbs.
  7. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves just before serving and let sit off heat for 5 minutes to meld flavors.

Notes

Roasting garlic mellows its sharpness and adds a buttery sweetness. Use San Marzano tomatoes for authentic flavor. Adjust sugar to balance acidity. For chunkier sauce, skip blending. Sauce improves in flavor after resting overnight. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 5 days or freeze in portions.

Nutrition

Keywords: marinara sauce, roasted garlic, homemade pasta sauce, Italian sauce, easy marinara, garlic tomato sauce, vegan sauce, gluten-free sauce

Find it online: https://chrisfeasts.com/flavorful-marinara-sauce-with-roasted-garlic-easy-homemade-recipe-for-pasta-lovers/