Mastering a good marinara sauce is an invaluable skill for any home cook. Not only is it great on pasta and relatively quick to make, but can be used as a foundation in a countless other dishes.

In this video, Chef Silva Bianco demonstrates the basics of making a succesful marinara sauce. She also discusses choosing tomatoes for Marinara Sauce and highlights the differences when making the sauce with three different types of tomato; whole peeled, diced and crushed.

Marinara Sauce Recipe

1 28 oz can whole peeled Italian tomatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 sprig fresh basil (stems in tact)
Salt & pepper to taste

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Heat for about a minute or until the oil is hot but not smoking. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent (about one minute).

Add the garlic and and cook for a few moments and follow immediately with the tomatoes and the basil. Fill empty tomato can 1/4 of the way with water and add to the tomatoes. Stir, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove the sprig of basil and it’s ready to use.