Marinara sauce was a weekend tradition in my house growing up. We spent a lot of time tending the tomato garden, picking, cooking, and preserving tomatoes to make the perfect sauce. This Meatless Marinara Sauce is an old recipe that has been in my family for generations. No need to add meat for flavor, you get that from the garlic, onion, and herbs. This version of the recipe calls for canned tomatoes to cut the cooking time (and the work), but feel free to use fresh tomatoes and herbs instead. Make a big batch and freeze it to use another night. No more expensive jarred store-bought sauce!
One Pot + Done in Less Than One Hour
It’s really not that hard to make your own sauce! Most people thin it is a lot of mess + takes a lot of time. It’s not! Above all, no meat required in this recipe! Don’t be intimidated by homemade sauce! Load up your pasta with as much of this wholesome goodness as you like. This meatless marinara has only real, hearty, vegetarian ingredients that you can feel good about eating, and feeding your family.
Need More Italian Inspiration?
Try one of my other Italian favorites:
Vegan Sausage and Pepper Pizza (Beyond Meat!)
Meatless Eggplant Meatballs (Vegan + Gluten Free!)
Air Fryer Italian Herb Potatoes
Silken Tofu Creamy Italian Dressing (oil-free + nut-free!)
Dairy-Free One Pot Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Diary-Free Tofu Ricotta Zucchini Noodles
Vegan Sausage and Pepper Pizza (Beyond Meat!)
Dairy-Free Silken Tofu Ricotta Recipe
Eggless Cauliflower Pizza Crust (egg-free + dairy-free!)
Meatless Marinara Sauce
Homemade marinara sauce recipe for making this classic Italian sauce in your very own kitchen. Make a big batch and freeze the leftovers.
Ingredients
- 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- 4 cloves Fresh Garlic sliced thin
- 1 large Onion chopped small
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2tsp Salt (more to taste)
- 1 tsp Dried Basil (or one large fresh leaf)
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (to taste, increase if spicy sauce is desired)
Directions
- Step 1 Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat
- Step 2 Add onions and saute for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown being careful not to burn them.
- Step 3 Add garlic and continue to saute for 1 more minute
- Step 4 Optional: Prior to adding tomatoes to cook – if you desire a smoother consistency sauce (no chunks of tomatoes) pulse tomatoes in a blender 5 times or use a hand blender being careful not to blend too much. I omit this step.
- Step 5 Add tomatoes and dried herbs. Any combination of dried herbs will do: basil, oregano, rosemary, or dried Italian seasoning mix (should all add up to a total of 1 1/2 tbsp of dried herb).
- Step 6 Cook for approximately 45 minutes on medium-low heat stirring often with the cover off. You know your sauce is done when it thickens and the oil separates on the top of your sauce.
- Step 7 Taste spice levels, add salt, pepper, or basil for additional flavor if desired at this point. Add a tsp of sugar to balance any bitterness. Add crushed red pepper to increase level of spice. Remove basil leaf prior to serving.
❤Did you make this Meatless Marinara Sauce? Love it? Leave a rating + a comment below!
📸I love to see your creations! Follow me on Instagram @myvegetarianfamily and hashtag it #myvegetarianfamily
💌Be sure to subscribe here to my weekly emails for tips and recipes so that you never miss a veggie thing!
I made this tonight and I loved the flavor. First time having Beyond Meat. Nice homemade sauce. I did add some red pepper flakes
Thank you, Robert! Beyond Meat is also new to our family but we are enjoying trying out new recipes with it.
I LOVE this recipe! So authentic like my grandmother used to make . I can’t believe the flavor without adding any meat. Thank you for your recipes. I am a big fan.
Hi Angelina – thank you for the 5 star rating! This is truly a family favorite, so happy you enjoyed it. – Tara