Test Kitchen Marinara

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The 30 minute marinara that tastes like it simmered all day.

If you’ve been relying on jarred marinara, this is your sign to try homemade. Our Test Kitchen Marinara is rich, silky, and layered with flavor, yet simple enough for any weeknight.

Tomatoes simmer into a smooth base while garlic and onion cook down into natural sweetness. A good pour of olive oil brings it all together. And the secret ingredient? A small squeeze of anchovy paste that melts right in, adding savory depth without any fishy taste. It is the kind of simple upgrade that makes pasta night feel special without adding extra work.

Test Kitchen Marinara

Servings cups

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp anchovy paste
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 cup fresh basil with stems

Instructions

In a sauce pot, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat.
Add the diced onions and minced garlic and stir. Cover the pot and let the onions and garlic sweat in the olive oil until translucent and soft. Stirring every minute to ensure that they do not begin to burn. Lower the heat if needed. Cooking for about 3 minutes.
Add the anchovy paste to the cooked onions and garlic. Stir and cover the pot for another minute. The mixture should have a nearly paste-like consistency.
Add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and season with Kosher salt. Stir to combine well.
Add the fresh basil and bring the pot to a low simmer.
Simmer for 25 minutes, reduce heat as needed.
If using the same day, turn off the heat and let the pot sit on the cooktop until ready to use. Otherwise, use immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate for up to one week.