Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled, halved and diced
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled, halved and cut into thin slices
- 2 to 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Kosher salt
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated
- Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 4 cups water, divided, plus more as needed
- 1 cup basil leaves, washed
- Freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, the garlic, red pepper flakes, and sugar and season with salt, to taste. Stir in the carrots and reseason with salt. Cook for about 2 minutes, and then add canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, about 20 minutes. If at any point the veggies or the sauce is getting dry, add some water. Continue cooking another 10 minutes, and then taste for seasoning. The tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook an additional 10 minutes. The sauce cooks about as long as it takes to make the meatballs from start to finish, about 45 minutes. Stir in the basil leaves and season with Parmesan.
1 Video | Photo: My Mother's Marinara Sauce Recipe
















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By david.mcbry_123...
Seattle, 87
on February 12, 2012
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I followed the recipe as presented and I ended up with an orange Marinara Sauce with a dominate onion and carrot flavor. I was making it to build a lasagna with and surprisingly it did better than I thought it would, but it was too bland to hold up to the rest of the recipe.
By mauidawndon_9672166
Townville, SC
on May 18, 2011
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Loved the meatballs. The sauce has great flavor but there was not enough of it. I added a can of fire roasted tomatoes and only 1/2 the amount of water that was in the recipe. I cooked my sauce longer and the onions and carrots cooked up so you did not have that onion crunch. It did need more S&P.
By tpr1
on May 17, 2011
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This is an onion sauce with tomatoes. Coming from an Italian heritage, I've never seen a tomato sauce made with so much onion. And the texture isn't what I consider a tomato sauce.
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