Homemade Italian Pasta Sauce Recipe (Vegan Marinara)
Rich, incredibly flavorful, and slightly sweet, this Italian pasta sauce recipe is sure to become a family favorite. With just a few simple ingredients and even less activity, you’ll have the most heavenly sauce on hand to spoon over pasta with basil, pizza, or soft, crusty bread.
Adorn yourself with an adorable apron, put on an Italian opera (or find a fine Italian cafe video to play), and let’s get cooking! Buon appetito!
Why You Need to Make This Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce
Not only is this homemade Italian sauce incredibly delicious, but it’s also a wonderful pantry staple recipe to have in your kitchen. You’ll have a savory sauce simmering on the stove in no time!
- Tastes Rich and Fresh. This sauce has big tomato flavor and a bright, cozy taste. It makes every bite feel warm and satisfying. It’s simple, but it tastes amazing.
- Uses Easy Staple Ingredients. Most of the ingredients are things you already have in your kitchen pantry. No fancy steps or rare items needed. Just mix, simmer, and enjoy.
- Works on Almost Anything. Pasta, homemade pizza, vegan meatball subs, roasted veggies—you name it. This sauce fits into so many meals. It’s a true weeknight hero.
- Budget-Friendly. Canned tomatoes and dried herbs are super affordable. You get a delicious sauce without spending much. Great flavor, low cost.
- Easy to Customize. You can make it spicy, herby, chunky, or smooth with just a few tweaks. It fits your mood and your taste. It’s your sauce, your way.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This vegan marinara sauce recipe is literally loaded with some of the best and most nutrient-dense ingredients. If you serve your sauce over a whole grain or legume pasta (such as whole wheat, quinoa, black bean, lentil, or chickpea), you’ll be adding even more amazing health benefits to your meal.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes – Create the rich, smooth base of the sauce. Look for tomatoes with no added sugar, and simmer them long enough to deepen the flavor. You can use canned whole tomatoes (just crush them by hand and take off the skin) or canned tomato purée for a smoother sauce.
- Olive Oil – Adds a warm, savory richness that helps carry all the flavors. Use extra-virgin for the best taste, and don’t skip warming it with the garlic—it’s where the magic starts. Avocado oil works in a pinch, or you can use a tiny bit of vegan butter for a cozy, slightly creamy finish.
- Garlic Powder – Lends a quick, savory garlic flavor that melts right into the sauce without any chopping. Sprinkle it in while the sauce is simmering so it has time to bloom and taste fuller. You can also combine it with fresh garlic for extra flavor. Use fresh minced garlic for a stronger bite, or try granulated garlic if you want a similar flavor with a slightly coarser texture.
- Dried Oregano – Brings a bold, slightly peppery flavor that rounds out the sauce. Italian seasoning works if you need a quick fix, or use a pinch of marjoram for a softer, more floral vibe.
- Dried Basil – Adds that classic sweet, herbal flavor that instantly says “Italian.” Rub the dried basil between your fingers before adding it to wake up the flavor. Use fresh basil at the end of cooking for a bright, fresh pop.
- Bay Leaves – Give the sauce a subtle, earthy depth that makes everything taste more “homemade.” Add them early and pull them out before serving so they can’t overpower the sauce. If you’re out, skip them—there’s no true replacement. A small splash of balsamic can add a different kind of depth.
How To Make This Vegan Pasta Sauce
Nothing could be more simple than making this vegan marinara sauce. Get the sauce on the stove and, other than an occasional stir, you’re free to put your feet up for at least an hour and a half.
Step 1: Prepare Tomato Base – Open the cans of sauce and pour into the pan. Pour half a can of water to the pan.
Step 2: Season Sauce – Sprinkle in the spices and stir well.
Finally, Step 3: Simmer – Let simmer over medium-low heat for one and a half hours. Optional—Add your plant-based meats and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Strain out your meats and the bay leaves and enjoy right away. (You can also let the sauce cool completely and then put into a freezer-safe container for use in a month or so.)
An Italian Tip for Enjoying This Homemade Marinara Sauce
Take a large slice of soft Italian bread (preferably Scali bread with sesame seeds in the crust) and cover it with a scoop of the vegan marinara sauce. The combination of soft bread and warm sauce is so satisfying and delicious!
How To Serve Up Your Italian Pasta Sauce
There are endless ways to use this scrumptious pasta sauce and we think you’ll love all of them! Having a supply of homemade sauce in the freezer is also a great way to be prepared for any dinner emergency. Just set the frozen sauce into a large saucepan (or Dutch oven) and heat over medium until beautiful and bubbly.
- Layer With Lasagna – Use this savory sauce with any lasagna recipe. Alternate layers of pasta sheets with sauce and add your favorite vegan cheese in between. Delicious!
- Pour on Top of Pizza – You don’t need special sauce to make your pizza pie––this recipe works wonderfully with any vegan pepperoni, vegan cheese, and other tasty toppings.
- Flavor Your Fried Dough – If you’ve never had fried dough, it’s an iconic Italian treat. It’s similar to a small, light, personal pizza crust that you can sprinkle with tomato sauce, sugar, or olive oil and herbs. This pasta sauce recipe is absolutely perfect for fried dough.
- Pair With Pasta – An everyday classic! Boil up a batch of al-dente pasta and slather with as much Italian pasta sauce as you wish. Add a mound of vegan meatballs, season with a few shakes of vegan parmesan, and you’ve got yourself the most satisfying meal.
- Delve Into Dipping Sauces – Replace that dusty jar of marinara with a few tablespoons of this super fresh pasta sauce. You’ll love dipping french fries, onion rings, jalapeño poppers, or pretty much anything in this thick, rich sauce.
FAQs
Yes! If you don’t want to use canned, crushed tomatoes, you can use fresh. But, for the same finished texture and consistency, you will need to process your own tomatoes by dip boiling to remove the skins, taking out the core and other green areas, cutting the tomatoes into chunks, and using a potato masher or blender to blend up at least half of the tomatoes before using in the sauce.
When cooked along with the spices for the full two hours, the sauce develops a lovely, slightly sweet flavor and thick consistency. While it’s not absolutely necessary to cook for the full amount of time, I would say that 30 minutes is the minimum. The longer you let the tomatoes bubble and brew, the better the taste will be.
Of course! As soon as the sauce is at room temperature, pour it into a freezer-safe container (or bag) and seal well. The sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply add to a saucepan on medium and stir occasionally until it comes to desired temperature.
The vegan meats aren’t a necessity for this sauce, but they do give the sauce a more savory depth of flavor. If you decide not to add any vegan meats, consider adding a little bit of fennel seed (which is often used to flavor pepperoni, meatballs, and sausages) along with roasted red peppers, chopped meaty cremini or walnut stuffed mushrooms, or a cup or two of brown lentils.
This Recipe Was Passed Down Four Generations
Below you’ll find photos of World of Vegan Gina’s Italian grandmother and great-grandmother who each passed down this recipe to their daughter, and then to her, and now to you!
More Vegan Italian-Inspired Recipes to Savor
If you make this Vegan Marinara Sauce recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below! I love reading your comments!
Homemade Authentic Italian Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes, (Pastene is a popular Italian choice)
- ½ can water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium dried bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to your liking
- ½ teaspoon pepper, or to your liking
- ½ pound frozen Italian-style veggie meatballs, optional
- ½ pound Italian-style veggie pepperoni or sausage, sliced into chunks (optional)
Instructions
- Open up both cans of tomatoes. Place your large saucepan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Pour tomatoes and water into the pan.
- Add in the olive oil, bay leaves, and spices. Stir well.
- Bring your sauce to a low simmer and then reduce heat to medium low. Cook (slightly covered) for 1½ hours, stirring every half hour or so (at least).
- If using veggie meatballs, pepperoni, and/or sausage, add them in, stir well, and simmer for another ½ hour.
- When your sauce is done, turn off the heat, pull out the bay leaves, and scoop out the veggie meats onto another plate for serving. Buon appetito!
Notes
- Serving Size: This amount of sauce is enough for 2 meals of 4 people—either with pasta, lasagna, stuffed shells, etc.
- Storing Tips: The finished sauce (and veggie meats) can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can also freeze a large portion of sauce in a covered, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and heat up in a saucepan on medium or medium-high until desired temperature.
- Vegan Meat Optional: The plant-based, vegan meats are not required to make this sauce. If you do cook the sauce with these foods, the sauce will have a richer, deeper flavor, but it’s still very flavorful without them. My family loves it both ways.
- Bread n’ Sauce: When the sauce is just done, try spooning some hot sauce over a slice of fresh Italian bread (un-toasted) and enjoy. If you have a loaf of Scali bread with sesame seeds in the crust, it’s even better!
- Side Suggestions: Serve with a fresh green salad, vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, and (if you like spiciness), a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
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I always wanted to know how to make a homemade vegan sauce! this one looks amazing because its a chunky one
I’m so happy! I’ve been making this recipe for at least 25 years and it’s been in my family for at least 5 generations. I feel so honored to share a vegan version of my Great-Grandmother Lena’s authentic Italian sauce recipe. I hope you’ll give it a try! I guarantee it will make your house smell amazing and make all of your family’s mouths water! 😀
This is such an awesome recipe! New staple 🙂
Love this pasta sauce so much! So easy to make and sooo delicious!
Such a cozy dish for this winter night.
Such a staple recipe! Love making spaghetti with it 🙂