Meal Prep Marinara Sauce
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This simple marinara sauce is a must have meal prep recipe! It makes a big batch and freezes beautifully. Delicious with spaghetti, chicken parmesan, or as a dipping sauce. Minimal prep time!
Homemade marinara sauce is something I always keep on hand in my freezer. It tastes way better than store bought, and can be repurposed into so many different meals! Try it with spaghetti squash noodles and turkey zucchini meatballs or basil marinated chicken. This marinara sauce recipe makes a huge batch – 16 servings – so you can have meals prepped for months to come!
Meal Prepping Tips
- Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Store in the freezer for 6-8 months.
- Freeze this sauce in individual or 2 person portions so it’s easier to defrost just what you need for future meals. Using these 1 Cup Souper Cubes (photo below) is a great way to portion out and freeze sauce for later. Once the cubes are frozen, pop them out and store in freezer bags.
- Another way to freeze is to add sauce to quart size freezer bags, then lay them flat to freeze. Once they are frozen, you can stand them up in the freezer for easier access. Don’t forget to label and date!
- Marinara sauce reheats great in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop. Thaw frozen sauce first.
- Save your parmesan rinds in the freezer for about a year. Throw them in sauces or soups for extra flavor.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Yellow onion – Onion and garlic are the aromatic base for this sauce. Substitute yellow onion for a large white onion or 4-5 shallots.
- Fresh garlic – I use about 8-10 cloves of garlic for this amount of sauce, but measure garlic with your heart!
- Tomato paste – Tomato paste usually comes in 6 ounce cans, so you will need one whole can for this recipe.
- Whole peeled tomatoes – I like this kind of tomato best for making tomato sauce. You can leave some chunks or purée complete for a smoother sauce. Costco sells a 3-pack of the 28-ounce cans of Cento whole peeled tomatoes, which are one of my favorites. Substitute for an equal amount of tomato sauce.
- Herbs – I use dried oregano and dried thyme for this recipe, along with fresh basil. I like keeping the fresh basil leaves whole in the sauce. Substitute fresh basil for 2 teaspoons dried basil.
- Parmesan cheese – Save your parmesan cheese rinds in a bag in the refrigerator. They are perfect for adding flavor to soups and sauces.
The Process
- Sweat onions with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent, then add in garlic.
- Mix in tomato paste and cook for a few minutes until it darkens.
- Add in tomatoes, water, oregano, thyme, and blend until smooth.
- Toss in basil, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Do a final taste test and add salt and pepper as needed!
Remove the basil and parmesan rind before serving. Serve right away, chill, or freeze for later meals.
Equipment
Use an immersion blender, food processor, or blender for a smooth sauce. If you prefer a chunky sauce, break up the tomato chunks with a potato masher.
Souper Cubes are so handy for freezing individual portions so you can thaw just what you need later on.
Lauren’s Meal Planning Tips
- Meal 1 – Toss with spaghetti squash noodles and top with turkey zucchini meatballs.
- Meal 2 – Add chopped up basil chicken to the sauce for chicken spaghetti.
- Meal 3 – Use as a topping for chicken parmesan.
- Meal 4 – Serve as a dipping sauce for fried eggplant sticks.
- Meal 5 – Reduce the sauce by half and use it for pizza sauce.
Easy Meal Prep Marinara Sauce
Equipment
- Large pot
- Immersion blender, optional
- Potato masher, optional
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 8-10 cloves fresh garlic
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 3 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- Parmesan cheese rind, optional
Instructions
- PREP: Finely chop onions and mince garlic.
- SWEAT: Heat a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Sweat onions with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add in garlic and cook another minute.
- CARAMELIZE: Add in tomato paste, and cook for 2-3 minutes until it darkens (caramelizes), while stirring.
- BLEND: Add in tomatoes, water, oregano, thyme, and another few pinches of salt and mix together. For a smoother sauce, purée with an immersion blender. For a chunkier sauce, break up tomatoes with a potato masher.
- SIMMER: Add in whole basil leaves, and parmesan rind if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook covered for about 20-30 minutes.
- FINISH: Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Discard the parmesan rind. Serve with pasta, as a dipping sauce, or with chicken parmesan.
Notes
- If using a food processor or blender, blend the tomatoes first before adding them to the sauce.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Store in the freezer for 6-8 months.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop. Thaw frozen sauce first.