This simple marinara sauce is easy, healthy, and incredibly flavorful. We tried several recipes, and this version has been our favorite—it’s fast, vegan-friendly, and versatile.
One of my favorite optional additions is nutritional yeast — it builds savory, cheesy depth while keeping the sauce vegan. If you prefer, you can substitute a little grated parmesan instead.
My sister has been using this sauce in all kinds of family meals. Her kids love dipping grilled cheese or mozzarella sticks into it, and they even enjoy a simple marinara soup when she thins the sauce with a splash of milk.
Ways to Use Simple Marinara Sauce
This marinara works well with baked meatballs, sandwiches, pastas, or as a warm dip. A few favorite uses from our kitchen:
Baked Meatball Subs
These subs are a weekday hero—make the meatballs and sauce ahead, then assemble and bake for a fast dinner. You can also use frozen meatballs and frozen sauce; see storage notes below for thawing and reheating tips.
How to assemble meatball subs:
- Lightly butter the inside of sandwich rolls.
- Sprinkle with garlic salt and bake at 425°F for 4 minutes to toast.
- Combine warmed marinara with meatballs in a bowl, then spoon the mix into the toasted rolls (we use about 4 meatballs per sub).
- Top with shredded cheese (an Italian blend or mozzarella works great), return to the oven for 4–5 minutes until cheese melts, then garnish with chopped parsley.
Spaghetti & Meatballs
This is another quick, comforting dinner: toss the baked meatballs with the marinara, heat through, and serve over cooked spaghetti. Finish with grated parmesan and fresh parsley.
How to Store Marinara Sauce
Keep any unused sauce refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 5–7 days. I usually make a double batch and freeze portions for quick meals later.
To freeze:
Divide sauce into freezer-safe bags or containers. Laying bags flat saves space and shortens thawing time.
To thaw:
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave until warmed through.
- Or submerge a sealed frozen bag in warm water for 30–60 minutes until softened, then reheat in a saucepan or microwave.
Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please leave a review and star rating in the comments section — we’d love to know how it turned out.
Simple Marinara Sauce {Quick & Easy, Vegan}
This marinara is easy, healthy, and vegan. Use it for spaghetti, meatball subs, dipping, or any pasta dish.
Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Total: 40 minutes
Yield: About 7 servings (½ cup each)
Calories: Approximately 37 kcal per serving
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or substitute water if avoiding oil)
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted varieties add nice flavor)
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Optional
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (or substitute grated parmesan)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute, until fragrant — do not brown.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken and the flavors will meld.
- Remove from heat and stir in the nutritional yeast if using, or finish with grated parmesan before serving. Serve hot.
Notes
Mix the marinara with warmed baked meatballs and serve over spaghetti for classic spaghetti and meatballs. Use the same mixture as a filling for meatball subs—toast the rolls, spoon in the meatballs and sauce, top with cheese, and melt under the broiler or in a hot oven.
Watch a video demonstration on how to make this marinara on the recipe’s video channel. Subscribe to the creator’s video channel to follow along with more recipes and tips.
Recipe adapted from a simple one-pot marinara concept.