Marinara Sauce (Vegan, Oil-Free!)
This easy marinara sauce features cozy aromatics like onion, garlic, and herbs. (Plus no added oil or sugar!) It's easy to prepare and great on pasta, lasagna, pizza, or as a dipping sauce for garlic bread.
Servings: 6 (1/2 cup servings)
Ingredients
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (good quality)
- 1 small onion (or 1/2 large)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp. dried basil
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Optional additions:
- Fresh basil or parsley (to stir in at end), red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. cane sugar (or 1 Tbsp. maple syrup)
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 7-8 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.)
- Meanwhile, mince garlic.
- When onion is translucent, add garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, and onion powder. Stir and sauté 2 for minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add tomatoes and salt. Stir, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or longer if desired. (Or simmer with the lid off for a reduced, thicker sauce.)
- Turn off heat, and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Taste and add more salt & pepper or balsamic vinegar if desired.
Notes
For a chunky sauce: Use a 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes instead of crushed, and break them down with a spoon as they cook.
For a smoother sauce: Blend the finished sauce in a blender or food processor. Use caution as hot foods can erupt in the blender.
For faster preparation: Omit the fresh onion & garlic, and substitute about 1 tsp. each of onion and garlic powder instead.
Yield: Recipe makes about 3 to 3.5 cups marinara sauce (which pairs well with about 12-16 oz. pasta).
Recipe originally published May 2012. Updated April 2025.
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 56 kcal | Carbohydrates: 13 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 0.4 g | Saturated Fat: 0.1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1 g | Potassium: 440 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 7 g | Vitamin A: 299 IU | Vitamin C: 14 mg | Calcium: 71 mg | Iron: 2 mg
