Nonna Conti's Marinara

Discover the timeless charm of "Nonna Conti's Marinara," a classic Italian tomato sauce that brings Old World flavors straight to your kitchen. Made with the finest canned San Marzano tomatoes, fragrant garlic, and aromatic fresh basil, this authentic marinara captures simplicity at its best. Slow-simmered to perfection in just under an hour, it achieves the ideal balance of sweetness and acidity, with optional red pepper flakes for a hint of heat and a touch of sugar if needed. Whether served over al dente pasta, as a luscious pizza sauce, or as a versatile base for your favorite Italian dishes, this recipe is a testament to homemade comfort food at its finest. Perfect for busy weeknights or leisurely weekend meals, "Nonna Conti's Marinara" is your go-to recipe for a rich and satisfying taste of Italy.

Nutriscore Rating: 78/100

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:40 mins

Total Time:50 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium Yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 28 ounces Canned San Marzano tomatoes, whole and peeled
• 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
• 6 Fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoons Freshly ground black pepper
• 0.25 teaspoons Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

Directions

Step 1

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.

Step 2

Add the diced onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, until fragrant.

Step 4

Pour the canned San Marzano tomatoes into a large mixing bowl and crush them with your hands or a potato masher until broken into smaller pieces.

Step 5

Add the crushed tomatoes, including their liquid, into the saucepan.

Step 6

Stir in the tomato paste, fresh basil leaves, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using).

Step 7

Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 8

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. If the sauce is too acidic, add the optional granulated sugar and stir to combine.

Step 9

Remove the saucepan from heat and discard the whole basil leaves, if desired.

Step 10

For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce to your preferred consistency, or leave it chunky for a rustic texture.

Step 11

Serve warm over freshly cooked pasta, as a pizza sauce, or as an all-purpose marinara base. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1279.9g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	709.4

Total Fat 44.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 5.7g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 3381.1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 68.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 20.9g	0%
Total Sugars 34.5g
Protein 20.2g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 583.6mg	0%
Iron 15.2mg	0%
Potassium 2893.6mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 53.1%

Protein: 10.7%

Carbs: 36.2%