My gift to you this Christmas is one that will fill your loved one’s heart with joy ~ my Marinara recipe!!
Back in 2008, this recipe was created in my kitchen right before we opened the doors to our new Italian restaurant. To say it was a hit is an understatement! Our customers would come in and purchase quarts of our sauce, we also sold it at the local farmer’s market and would always sell out!
Although the restaurant is now closed, I still have so many that ask for the recipe. At first, I was really stingy about sharing it. But then I asked myself what good is it to keep it to myself? Why not share the love?
So if you are in need of a last minute gift idea, here is a perfect one!
I love giving Marinara as gifts as I know it will warm the hearts and bellies of my friends and family!

Prep Time | 20 min |
Cook Time | 3 hours |
Servings |
people
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- .75 lbs red onion - roughly chopped if you don't own food scale, use scale at grocery store and get as close to .75 as possible
- .50 lbs carrots - peeled and roughly chopped if no food scale, just use half of a 1 pound bag
- 5 cloves garlic - peeled
- 2 28 oz can Cento - crushed tomatoes any brand will do, I like Cento
- 2 28 oz can Cento - puree tomatoes
- 2 tbs kosher salt
- 1 tbs dried oregano
- 1 tbs dried basil leaves
- 10 oz red wine I use Avalon Cabernet
- 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
Ingredients
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- In a large pot on med. heat, add EVOO and garlic cloves. Cook until lightly golden and soft. Remove garlic from the oil and take the pot off the heat.
- In a food processor add roughly chopped onions, carrots, whole cooked garlic cloves and puree until combined into a paste.
- Pot goes back on the stove over med. heat. When oil is brought back to temp add the paste of onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook until the paste becomes a light orange color, about 10 min.
- Add wine and cook additional 5-10 min.
- Add canned tomatoes.
- Fill one empty can about ¾ full of water and rinse the 3 additional cans going back and forth until most of the remaining tomatoes are gone. Pour the can of water into the pot.
- Add salt, dried basil and oregano
- Stir to combine all ingredients. Add lid (lid should NOT be on tight, leave room to breathe) and simmer for about 3 hours, stirring every so often so it does not burn on the bottom. You might need to reduce heat a bit if it starts to boil, you want a nice simmer.
- After 3 hrs of simmering, add torn basil leaves and let cool to room temp before adding to mason jars.
- Enjoy!!
*** You will need a food processor, large stockpot, and about 8 - 16 oz or 4 - 32 oz Mason/Ball Jars***
Marinara can stay in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freezer for 6 months. Be sure to leave about 1 inch of space in the jar if freezing to allow the liquid to expand. Also, make sure your glass jars are freezer safe!
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Comments 1
Looking forward to trying on top of toasted spaghetti squash (yum)