Best-Ever Marinara

A good marinara recipe is worth its weight in gold. Unlike other tomato sauces that require a long simmer (think ragù and Sunday sauce), it comes together relatively quickly. Endlessly versatile, it can be used in any number of ways. Marinara sauce for pizza or a simple pasta dish is a classic choice; it's an essential component in favorites like eggplant Parmesan and is a wonderful dipping sauce for things such as crispy baked zucchini fries and cheese sticks. In a pinch, it can even be blended and transformed into a super-quick tomato soup.

Rather than buy jarred marinara, it's easy to make a big batch of this sauce, portion it out for individual meals, and stash it in the freezer to use as you please. Having it on hand will make dishes like homemade lasagna a breeze to prepare. The recipe is easy to scale up, and if you're already purchasing fresh basil for this purpose, it's a smart way to ensure the rest doesn't go to waste.

While we think this truly is the best marinara sauce recipe as it is, you can certainly customize it to your taste or for specific dishes. Feel free to add extra herbs or crushed red pepper for a little zing. If you'd like a smoother sauce, give it a whiz with an immersion blender to your desired texture. It's an excellent, nearly foolproof base for creating whatever Italian-inspired dish you can dream up.