Homemade Marinara Sauce

Pour the canned tomatoes and their juices into a bowl. Squish them with your hands to break them up into small pieces. Stand back until you get the hang of this; the tomatoes will spurt if handled too briskly.

In a skillet or wide saucepan, pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil Add the garlic and set the pan over medium heat. When the garlic starts to sizzle, shake the pan and let it cook for 15 to 30 seconds, until it starts to turn a light golden brown. Do not let the garlic brown too much or the sauce will taste burned.

Add the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Adjust the heat so that the sauce simmers briskly without splattering. Stir the basil leaves and chile (if using) into the sauce. Cook until the sauce has thickened to your liking, about 10 minutes. It may take a few minutes longer if the tomatoes from the can are watery. On the other hand, if the tomatoes from the can are in a thick sauce, add up to 1/2 cup water. Taste and add more salt if needed. Remove from the heat and fish out and discard the basil (and dried chile, if you added on). If using to dress pasta, swirl in another tablespoon of olive oil. Marinara sauce will keep for at least 1 week in the fridge. For storage up to 3 months or longer, tuck it into the freezer. (Marinara sauce loses its zing in the freezer after a few months but is perfectly safe to eat for 6 months.) Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!