This vegan Oil-free Marinara Sauce is quick and easy. It uses simple pantry ingredients and comes together in about 20 minutes. Perfect for pasta, pizzas, or dipping sauces. Serve as a simple homemade marinara or use as a base for an arrabbiata, vegan spaghetti and meat sauce, or veggie supreme.
If you've ever looked at the ingredients on a jar of pasta sauce, you might be surprised by how much sugar, oil, and preservatives you'll find listed there. On top of that, store-bought sauces can be expensive.
Making your own at home will certainly save you money, but doesn't a homemade marinara sauce need to simmer for hours on the stove? Actually, no! I've got a trick that will help you make a rich and flavorful homemade marinara sauce in the time it takes to cook spaghetti.
With any marinara sauce, you can add herbs to create a more complex flavor, but you also need to somehow balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. When I first started making my own sauces, I struggled to figure out how to take the flavor from that of dull, boring canned tomatoes to deep, rich marinara.
Eventually, I stumbled on the ideal ingredient that offers both sweetness and an earthy richness, while also going perfectly with Italian flavors. And that ingredient is balsamic glaze.
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You'll love this Homemade Marinara Sauce because it's:
- Super Quick & Easy
- Oil-Free
- Made with Simple Pantry Ingredients
- Hearty and Full of Flavor
- Vegan / Vegetarian
- Plant-Based / WFPB
- Refined-Sugar-Free
- Kid-Friendly
- Versatile
- Delicious!
What is marinara sauce?
Marinara is just a fancy word for a simple tomato sauce or a red sauce. It's normally made with some combination of tomatoes, oregano, basil, and onions, but there are many variations. My recipe is a marinara in it's simplest form, so feel free to jazz it up however you like!
The secret ingredient
If you've never tried balsamic glaze before, it's basically super-concentrated or reduced balsamic vinegar often sweetened with grape must or sugar. Looking for an affordable, high-quality brand? I highly recommend Trader Giotto's Balsamic Glaze
, which I used to buy when I lived in the US.
If you don't have balsamic glaze at home and can't go to the grocery store, you can make your own by bringing 2 cups of balsamic vinegar (plus up to a ½ cup of optional sweetener) to a boil and simmering until thickened (about 20 minutes).
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz or 400g cans of whole, unseasoned tomatoes (You can also use jarred or tetra pack. If you don't have whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes will also work).
- 2 tbsp balsamic glaze
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- fresh basil strips for simmering and serving (optional)
Instructions
- To make this oil-free marinara sauce, you're just going to add two cans of whole tomatoes to a medium pot. Use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes. (They will break down more as they cook.)
- Add the spices, balsamic glaze, and tomato paste. Stir to combine and then bring to a gentle simmer to reduce and thicken.
- That's it! If you start boiling your pasta water after your sauce is simmering, this marinara will be done at the same time as your pasta!
How to serve
- For a super simple meal, just serve this quick sauce with your favorite pasta and this easy Vegan Parmesan.
- Use it as a sauce for Baked Vegan Cannelloni or Vegan Stuffed Shells.
- You can add sautéed bell peppers, onions, and Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles for a little extra oomph.
- Add a little heat for an arrabbiata or some vodka and cashew creme for a penne a la vodka.
- Make it a special meal with these Sicilian-Style Vegan Meatballs.
- This sauce is also great for dipping breadsticks or topping vegan pizza.
Can I make it ahead?
- Definitely! Make the sauce ahead of time, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container, and then simply cook up a pot of pasta when you're ready to eat.
- If you want to save some time, you can cook up 2 or 3 batches at once, portion, and freeze for later.
How to store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
- If freezing, remember that liquids expand when frozen, so leave a little space in your container to accommodate.
- Reheat in a saucepot on the stove over low heat. If you reheat this sauce in the microwave, place the sauce in a microwave-safe bowl with a loose-fitting lid.
- Red sauces will sometimes stain plastic, so I prefer to store pasta sauce in glass jars. But no need to spend a fortune, just wash and reuse glass jars from other store-bought sauces, pickles, etc.
Related recipes
- Oil-free Vegan Pesto
- Vegan Baked Feta Pasta
- Penne Pasta with Kale & Vegan Italian Sausage
- Neaopalitan Vegan Pizza Dough
- Cherry Tomato & Basil Pasta
📖 Recipe
Quick Vegan Marinara Sauce (Oil-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz or 400g cans of whole, unseasoned tomatoes (You can also use jarred or tetra pack. If you don't have whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes will also work).
- 2 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
Optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 fresh basil leaves for simmering
- fresh basil strips for serving
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients to a medium pot.
- Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve over your favorite pasta right away or store an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- This is a basic sauce and tastes great as is, but feel free to jazz it up with your favorite veggies and other seasonings! I really love adding sauted onions and garlic!
Nutrition
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