This delicious Spicy Marinara Sauce comes together in just 10 minutes with 8 pantry staples and results in a thick sauce with a perfectly balanced flavor.
Marinara Sauce is the quintessential tomato-based sauce that makes up the base for many classic Italian dishes. Learn more about the history and origins of Marinara Sauce here.
I like my homemade marinara thick and chunky plus a little spicy with a touch of sweetness. I used to add diced onion to my sauce, but my kids are NOT fans of chunks of onion in their marinara so this recipe reflects the more family-friendly approach I'm currently using.
This Spicy Marinara Sauce recipe is ideal to use in recipes for homemade pizza, pasta, or Pizza Bowls or as a dipping sauce for Mozzarella Sticks or Baked Cheese Crisps. You could even use it to replace the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce in my Healthy Lasagna Soup recipe.
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Ingredients
Here's what you need to make this easy Spicy Marinara Sauce:
- crushed tomatoes
- tomato paste
- extra virgin olive oil
- sugar
- dried Italian seasoning
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- garlic powder
- red pepper flakes
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here's how to make Spicy Marinara Sauce:
1. Add all of the ingredients to a small pot over medium heat.
2. Stir and simmer the marinara sauce for 10 minutes, stirring intermittently. Serve immediately or keep warm until serving with your favorite Italian-inspired meals.
Substitutions
Want to substitute one of the ingredients for Spicy Marinara? Here's how:
- Crushed tomatoes - use 29 ounces of canned tomato sauce instead of crushed tomatoes for a smoother Marinara Sauce. Or, use 2 lbs of chopped fresh tomatoes in place of the canned tomatoes and add an extra 20 minutes to the simmer time.
- Italian seasoning - use 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon crushed rosemary, ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram and ¼ teaspoon dried parsley in place of the Italian Seasoning. Or, use 1 tablespoon each of chopped fresh basil leaves and oregano leaves in place of the dried herbs.
Variations
Try one of these variations of Spicy Marinara Sauce:
- Mild - omit the red pepper flakes to eliminate the heat from the Marinara Sauce.
- Garlic - saute some minced fresh garlic before adding the rest of the sauce ingredients.
- Onion - saute ½ diced white or yellow onion before adding the sauce ingredients to the pot.
Equipment
Spicy Marinara doesn't require any fancy equipment, you just need a small pot and a wooden spoon.
Storage
Store Spicy Marinara in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Top tip
Make Spicy Marinara Sauce 8-24 hours before you plan to serve it and store it in the fridge because the flavor gets better as it sits.
FAQ
That's a matter of personal preference! Add red pepper flakes to turn a basic marina into Spicy Marinara Sauce or leave them out if you prefer your marinara without spice.
Related
Looking for other sauce recipes? Try these:
Pairing
Serve Spicy Marinara Sauce with one of these healthy Italian recipes for a balanced meal the whole family will love:
Recipe
Spicy Marinara Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 29 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ Tablespoon sugar
- ½ Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small pot and stir to combine.
- Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring internittently.
- Serve this Spicy Marinara Sauce with your favorite pasta or use it as the base for a variety of classic Italian dishes.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
Remember these food safety rules when making Marinara Sauce:
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Shannon
So easy!