Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce

If you are looking for a Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce, from your own kitchen to take the place of jarred sauce from the grocery store,  take a look at this recipe. And this easy recipe is made in your slow cooker, freeing you to get on to other things needing done!

Keeping a jar or two of good quality marinara sauce in the pantry, is a good idea, especially for those busy times. 

Because let's face it, we still need to make dinner no matter how busy everyone is. Or, how hot the weather may have been and actual cooking seems completely out of the question for the day. In most busy households there are many ways and many days that cooking the evening meal may seem un-do-able. 

But the truth is I would rather make my own. 

Jars of sauce are handy, but can also be a bit expensive. Most commercial jars of sauce contain 2 1/2 - 3 cups in volume. This recipe for Quick and Easy Marinara makes enough for 3 packages of sauce, for your freezer. And at about half the price! Plus you get to choose your favorite ingredients. Along with decisions like meat or no meat, peppers or none. How about mushrooms? The sauce becomes yours when you put all your own lovely favorite in there! Which is exactly the point! I love having this in the freezer, dinner is quick as can be...

Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce is delicious...

And yet the flavor is not overpowering in any way. Which is really the success of jarred sauces. Plus this sauce is so easy, why not make your own? And now, with this easy recipe, you can! The best part? This will cook unattended, while you get lots of other things done. All you do is put the ingredients in the slow cooker and go about your day. This is one of those perfect multi-tasking recipes we all need more of...

Some additional thoughts on this recipe:

As written this is a no meat recipe, but feel free to add cooked, drained ground beef or sausage. 

A large grated carrot can be substituted for the brown sugar. The sweet flavor addition of grated carrot will mellow out the sauce. 

And by all means, feel free to portion this out for the size that is best your family. 

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• canned tomatoes
• tomato paste
• onion
• garlic
• olive oil
• oregano
• basil
• brown sugar, our recipe is found here.
• salt 
• ground pepper

You will also need the following:

• slow cooker
• skillet
• stirring spoon
• stick blender
• measuring spoons
• measuring cup

Now we are ready to begin!

Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce, a slow cooker recipe
by the seat of my pants!

makes enough for three containers of sauce, to tuck into the freezer 

UPDATED: 03.15.2024

4 14 -16 oz. cans of diced tomatoes Or 2 quarts of home-canned tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 c water
1 medium-sized onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 T olive oil
2 t oregano
4 t basil
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t salt
fresh ground pepper

Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté them both in the olive oil until soft and transparent and beginning to take on a golden hue, but do not brown. 

Add to the bottom of a 4 qt. slow cooker. 

Top with the remaining ingredients, stir, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.

Using a stick blender (or carefully in smaller batches use a standard blender) puree until evenly textured. 

Let cool, package, and freeze for future meals.

Storage options for Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freeze as directed for longer storage times and convenience. Let thaw in the refrigerator, use it within three days. 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce has been included below. 

You may also enjoy: 

Mustard Oregano Chicken or Chops, another make ahead dinner. 

#HomemadeGroceryStoreRecipe!

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce, a slow cooker recipe
by the seat of my pants!

makes enough for three containers of sauce, to tuck into the freezer 

UPDATED: 03.15.2024

4 14 -16 oz. cans of diced tomatoes Or 2 quarts of home-canned tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 c water
1 medium-sized onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 T olive oil
2 t oregano
4 t basil
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t salt
fresh ground pepper

Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté them both in the olive oil until soft and transparent and beginning to take on a golden hue, but do not brown. 

Add to the bottom of a 4 qt. slow cooker. 

top with the remaining ingredients, stir, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.

Using a stick blender (or carefully in batches in a standard blender) puree until evenly textured. Let cool, package, and freeze for future meals.

Storage options for Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freeze as directed for longer storage times and convenience. Let thaw in the refrigerator, use it within three days. 

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