Making your own marinara vegan pasta sauce is simple. We’re all about the easy life, who isn’t? Not because by nature we are lazy, but because we are efficient and making your sauce does not seem like a productive use of your time. Once in a while taste should take precedence, flavour should become the priority. And the reward of eating your homemade food is pretty sweet too.
The method we’re going to walk you through doesn’t even require you to chop more than one single ingredient, and from your kitchen’s inventory, you will require only one pan, a spoon and maybe a can opener. Best of all, once you’ve added all the ingredients to the saucepan, you don’t have to do anything, heat and time will work their magic for you, and before you know it you’ll be layering up your homemade lasagne.
Vegan Marinara Sauce Ingredients
2 cans of crushed tomatoes
1/2 a yellow onion
4 tsp minced garlic
1 sprig of fresh basil
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Vegan Marinara Sauce Recipe
Start by peeling your onion, chop it in half and save one part for another day. Then dice up the remaining half into small pieces.
Choose a large saucepan from your collection and set it on the stove at medium heat, and add one tablespoon of oil to it. Once the oil is warm, tip in the onion you’ve prepped and let it cook until it just starts to look a bit golden. Then add the four teaspoons of minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Let this medley all cook together for another minute or so and then pour in both cans of crushed tomatoes and season with salt.
Give everything a good stir up and then just take the heat down to medium-low, we want to simmer now, not boil. Finally, before you can leave the pan to look after itself for a while, grab the fresh sprig of basil and lay it down on the surface of the simmering sauce. Leave it there until it wilts and once it is down, gently stir your sauce again submerging all the basil leaves.
Now you’re on the home stretch. Leave your delicious sauce to simmer away for 25-30 minutes uncovered. Once the times are up, pull out the basil, and have a taste. Then, if needed, season as your taste buds desire. Some more pepper flakes if you’re after some heat, add salt if you want, or if you have found perfection, pour it straight onto some fresh pasta, or go ahead and try your own lasagne.
VEGAN MARINARA SAUCE
Ingredients
- 2 cans of crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 a yellow onion
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 1 sprig of fresh basil
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Peel the onion and dice up one half and save the rest for another recipe
- In a large sauce pan over a medium heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Add the onion to the pan and cook until it is soft and starting to become more golden in colour
- Add the 4 teaspoons of minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook this with the onion for another minute
- Pour into the saucepan both cans of crushed tomatoes and season with a teaspoon of salt
- Turn the heat down so that the sauce can now simmer and stir everything together well
- Lay the sprig of fresh basil down onto the surface of the sauce until it wilts and then gently stir it into the sauce
- Leave the marinara to simmer for 25-30 minutes
- Remove the basil and serve
Recipe FAQs
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones?
Yes, you can use fresh tomatoes, but canned tomatoes are often recommended for a richer and consistent flavor. If using fresh tomatoes, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
How can I make a chunky marinara sauce instead of a smooth one?
To make a chunky marinara sauce, dice the tomatoes into larger pieces and don’t blend the sauce at the end of cooking. You can also add vegetables like bell peppers and mushrooms for texture.
Can I add vegetables to my vegan marinara sauce for extra flavor and nutrition?
Absolutely! You can include vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, or spinach to enhance the flavor and add more nutrients to your sauce.
