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    You are here: Home | Recipes | Sauces

    Super Simple Oil-Free Marinara Sauce

    Dec 5, 2022 by Faith VanderMolen

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This rich and tangy Oil-Free Simple Marinara Sauce is the perfect weeknight sauce that pairs beautifully with fresh pasta or homemade zucchini noodles.

    Oil-Free Simple Marinara Sauce 2

    Jump To
    • The Story Behind This Oil Free Marinara Sauce
    • About This Oil Free Marinara Sauce
    • Oil Free Marinara Sauce Photos
    • 📖 Recipe

    The Story Behind This Oil Free Marinara Sauce

    Many of my favorite hosting memories are the low-key, unplanned ones. Like the times when we have friends over to workout and they end up staying for a long chat over post-workout smoothies. Or the nights when I end up making more food than Brett and I could ever eat by ourselves and a hungry friend happens to be near by to help us eat it all. Or the afternoons when a friend has some free time and can come enjoy a warm drink and some good conversation on the couch.

    I've always wanted my house to be a place where people know they can just "stop in" and we'll be happy to see them. I want our house to be a safe place where people feel like their can be their true selves, quirks and all. It especially makes my heart so happy to have people into my house for a meal. There's something about spending time with other people over a meal that really allows you to get to know them. You're not staring at a screen. You're not cramming in a few words during a work break. You're not as distracted as you would be if you were eating at a restaurant. You just get to spend some uninterrupted time conversing, usually after a long day, and enjoying some delicious (and if you're in my house, plant-based) food together.

    When it comes to meal-time conversations, I've always been the "question asker." I've never enjoyed being in the spot light and I love getting to know people and hear their stories. When you combine both of those traits, you get a girl that may ask you questions like, "Are you more like your Mom or your Dad and why?" "What were you like when you were a kid?" "What do you enjoy doing during your free time?" I just love how we're all created differently. We can learn so much for other people, their interests and personalities. How fun!

    Oil-Free Simple Marinara Sauce

    This seemingly random train of thought really does have an origin. I was thinking about all of these things, because we happened to have a random dinner guest the night I prepared this Simple Marinara Sauce. I had just enough to serve Brett and I and our guest and our friend kept raving about this sauce.

    About This Oil Free Marinara Sauce

    It's so simple to make, but that doesn't mean it lacks favor. Quite the opposite! Fresh tomatoes gives this Simple Marinara Sauce a sweet tanginess and tomato paste and spices add richness and depth of flavor. I put this sauce over some zucchini noodles and the guys had it with spaghetti. For an even heartier meal, add in some sautéed mushrooms and shredded carrot for a meatless-ragu-type sauce or use it as the sauce in some homemade lasagna.

    Let me know if you give this recipe a go! Leave a comment or take a picture and tag #theconscientiouseater so I can see what you come up with!

    Oil Free Marinara Sauce Photos

    Simple Marinara Sauce Collage

    Oil-Free Simple Marinara Sauce 3

    📖 Recipe

    Oil-Free Simple Marinara Sauce on spaghetti

    Oil-Free Simple Marinara Sauce Recipe

    Faith VanderMolen
    This rich and tangy Oil-Free Simple Marinara Sauce is the perfect weeknight sauce that pairs beautifully with fresh pasta or homemade zucchini noodles.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Sauces
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 43 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ⅔ red onion chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 4 large tomatoes chopped
    • ½ cup tomato paste
    • 1 tablespoon Italian herbs
    • 1 Bay leaf
    • Pepper and salt to taste

    Instructions 

    • Saute the onion and garlic in water until the onion is soft.
    • Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and bay leaf and allow everything to simmer until the fresh tomatoes cook down and the sauce thickens.
    • Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
    • Serve over warm pasta or zucchini noodles.

    Notes

    Store leftovers in the fridge for 1-2 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 43kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.05gSodium: 178mgPotassium: 452mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1032IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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    Comments

    1. Georgia Longton says

      January 25, 2018 at 5:59 pm

      Hey, this looks fantastic! I was curious as to whether you may have a suggestion as to what to use in place of tomato paste.

      Reply
      • Faith says

        January 25, 2018 at 9:14 pm

        Hi Georgia! There aren't too many things you can use. If you have tomato sauce on hand you could use that. Otherwise just omit it. You'll just lose some of the richness. I hope it works out for you!

        Reply
    2. Bethany says

      October 19, 2015 at 5:21 pm

      I can't believe how simple this is to make! It looks so good and would be perfect on my spaghetti squash!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        October 19, 2015 at 6:25 pm

        That's a great idea Bethany! I hope you give it a try soon and it if you eat it with spaghetti squash, let me know how it tastes!

        Reply
    3. Liv @ Healthy Liv says

      October 19, 2015 at 3:49 pm

      Your sauce looks delicious! Lucky random dinner guest who happened to stop by 🙂

      And I think we may be similar in how we ask people questions! I love asking people questions about themselves and would much rather do that than talk for a long time about myself 🙂 I really love "learning people" because you're right, we all have such interesting stories!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        October 19, 2015 at 6:24 pm

        Thanks Liv! It really is so fun to be the "asker" in my opinion!

        Reply
      • Anita says

        September 16, 2020 at 11:50 pm

        This recipe is my new staple. I used fresh garden tomatoes , after simmering a while I used my emulsion blender then added some extra spices, oregano and red pepper flakes. Then a pinch of sugar and a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Red wine would be good too! Yum!

        Reply
        • Faith VanderMolen says

          September 18, 2020 at 4:46 am

          I'm so glad to hear that Anita! Thanks so much for sharing. And all those additions sound amazing!

    4. Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says

      October 19, 2015 at 9:01 am

      I love to make my own marinara sauce it's so much tastier isn't it?! Thanks for linking up today with us!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        October 19, 2015 at 9:31 am

        I don't know why it's taken me so long to do it! Thanks for hosting!

        Reply
    5. Tina Muir says

      October 19, 2015 at 6:37 am

      Ahhh I love those days! The unplanned, relaxed settings! Fun 🙂 This sounds like a wonderful sauce Faith, and I do not have a good recipe for it! Pinning 🙂

      Reply
      • Faith says

        October 19, 2015 at 9:32 am

        They really are the best kind of days:) Hope you can give it a try Tina! It's so easy and the tomato paste makes it so rich:) Thanks for hosting!

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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