Okay, this pantry staple marinara is seriously the easiest recipe on my site. I make it when I need a dipping sauce for my cheesy bread, or a simmering sauce for my tender turkey meatballs, and for a quick and simple pizza sauce. You could probably also use it on your spaghetti (but prefer to load my spaghetti up with veggies, so I always use this recipe.)
I call it pantry staple because you probably already have all the ingredients you need in your cupboard – zero planning needed. The only ingredient you may not be super familiar with is fennel seed. I came across fennel seed a few years ago and have found it to be indispensable in my Italian dishes. I now use it in this sauce, in my meatballs, in my mom’s lasagna, Italian sausage tortellini soup… just everywhere. You can use it ground or whole, although I prefer the texture of ground better (it’s just a little harder to find. But you can always buy the whole seeds and grind them down in your blender.) You don’t absolutely need fennel seed to make this sauce delicious, but it really levels up the flavor profile of the sauce, along with your other Italian dishes. I highly recommend you add a jar to your pantry.
My pantry staple marinara is freezer friendly, but it could also be canned if you have the means for home canning. You’ll save some money by making your own and storing it away for a rainy day instead of buying the jar from the store. However, it’s so easy to throw together it may not even be worth it to you to make it ahead! Either way I hope your get to enjoy this simple little taste of Italy at home.
| Prep Time | 3 minutes |
| Cook Time | 2-20 minutes |
| Servings |
cups
|
- 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce (no salt added) $0.48
- 1 tsp dried oregano $0.09
- 1 tsp dried basil $0.06
- 1 tsp granulated sugar $0.01
- 1/2 tsp onion powder $0.03
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
- 1/2 tsp salt $0.01
- 1/4 tsp fennel seed (ground or whole) $0.03 (optional)
- 1 bay leaf $0.09 (optional)
Ingredients
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|
- Combine all of the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring it to a light simmer. If you didn't include the bay leaf, you can pretty much take it off the stove at this point, but if you have the leaf in or just want to let the flavors meld, let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Dip, spread, or slather whatever you're saucing.
- Label a quart sized gallon bag with "Marinara Sauce" and an expiration date for 1 year out. Instructions: 1. Thaw under running water 2. Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Put all of the ingredients into that bag. No cooking needed.
- Seal the bag (removing as much air as possible) and lay it flat in the freezer overnight. After it's frozen into it's flat shape you may store it wherever you like in your freezer. (Freezing it so it's flat makes the bag easier to store and quicker to thaw.)
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Servings: 4
Price for dish: $0.85
Price per serving: $0.21
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 35
Carbs: 7.9 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Fats: 0.4 g
Sodium: 304.1 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 5.1 g
