Best Ever Marinara Sauce
Calories:
Ingredients
- 112 ounces can imported Italian plum tomatoes I use 4 28-ounce cans. San Marzano tomatoes, are a bit more expensive but will make a HUGE difference*
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound mild or sweet Italian sausage If you don't have a favorite, we love Johnsonville Italian Sausage.
- ½ medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves fresh garlic minced.
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 leaves fresh basil leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Drain tomatoes, reserving the juice. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes, gently breaking them into small pieces, removing and discarding the hard core from the stem end. (I actually use my stick blender for this or put in food processor and pulse a few times - you do want a little chunkiness left.) Also remove any skin or tough membranes. Set aside.
- Heat oil in large, heavy duty sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add sausages and sauté until nice and brown on all sides. Remove sausages and drain on several thicknesses of paper towel. Set aside till cooled then refrigerate till later. Add onions to pot and saute for 5 minutes or until translucent and soft. Stir in garlic, basil, oregano and salt and saute for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes and reserved juice and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally or until sauce is thick and the aroma in your house is driving you crazy. Add sausages back into the sauce during the last half hour of simmering. You can slice them into 1-inch pieces or keep them whole and use them for a wonderful Italian sausage sandwich. Add fresh basil and remove from heat.
- I usually slice the sausages into bitesize pieces and then make meatballs to go in this sauce and serve the sausages and meatballs together over pasta.
Notes
* If you have a Costco nearby, they have San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy for $3.99 for a 106-ounce can. This is a wonderful buy as these tomatoes can run as high as $3.99 for a 28-ounce can in a regular grocery store.
** At this point sauce can be served, refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for months. Sometimes we make the meatballs and let them simmer in the sauce for the last hour. It's also wonderful for chicken marinara, lasagna, manicotti and all things Italian requiring a red sauce.
** At this point sauce can be served, refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for months. Sometimes we make the meatballs and let them simmer in the sauce for the last hour. It's also wonderful for chicken marinara, lasagna, manicotti and all things Italian requiring a red sauce.