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    Home » Recipes » Dips, Dressings, Sauces and Spreads

    Spicy Marinara Sauce

    Published: May 16, 2017 · Modified: Aug 28, 2020 by Jenn Sebestyen

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Spicy Marinara Sauce - just 7 ingredients and less than 30 minutes gets this spicy tomato sauce on the table. Pair it with pasta or zoodles for a quick weeknight dinner. Oil free, gluten free, and vegan!

    You need just 7 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to get this Spicy Marinara Sauce on your table. Pair it with pasta or zoodles for a quick weeknight dinner. Gluten free and Oil Free!

    Overhead shot of Spicy Marinara Sauce in a pot with fresh basil leaves on top.

    Raise your hand if you reach for pasta and a jar of marinara sauce when you need dinner on the table fast.

    I’m guilty of buying jarred sauce too. But, it really is so easy to make your own. And we know that food tastes better when it’s homemade and you control the ingredients. Better for you too.

    My Spicy Marinara Sauce is the perfect quick sauce to liven up any dish and it can be made in under 30 minutes!

    Closeup overhead image of Spicy Marinara Sauce in a pot with fresh basil leaves on top. Fresh tomatoes are sitting nearby.

    Ingredients you need

    Just 7 ingredients, plus salt, are needed to make this delicious spicy sauce. And I’ll bet you have them all in your pantry already.

    All you need are onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, balsamic vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes.

    To make it a meal, just pour it over your favorite pasta. I’ve been obsessed with pairing it with zoodles and crispy baked eggplant lately. So good!

    A spoonful of sauce being lifted out of the pot of Spicy Marinara.

    Why is it that every store bought product seems to contain sugar? I for one don’t need to feed my sweet tooth any more than necessary, and especially not in savory dishes.

    That’s why I love making this homemade spicy marinara sauce. No sugar needed, yet it definitely has a bit of sweetness to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes and the heat of the red pepper flakes.

    I use a sweet onion and a dash of balsamic vinegar to accomplish this. Nothing but nutritious healthy ingredients here!

    A bowl of zucchini noodles topped with Spicy Marinara Sauce and fresh basil leaves. In the background, fresh tomatoes and the of marinara sauce.

    You guys know I have 3 kids, so you might be wondering if a spicy marinara sauce is kid friendly. It really depends on your kids and what they like. I’ve never been shy about adding a little heat to the food I feed my kids.

    My Black Bean Salsa Burgers are a favorite that we eat several times a month. And when my son was little, he would eat salsa with a spoon!

    However, I usually keep the amount of red pepper flakes to about ¼ teaspoon when I’m making this for the family. It gives a nice kick, but it’s not too spicy at all. If I’m making it just for me, I would go for a ½ teaspoon because I like a little more heat.

    You decide what’s best for you and your family. Start with ¼ teaspoon and work your way up if you feel it needs more fire.

    Zucchini noodles twirled around a fork.

    More vegan pasta recipes

    • Garden Veggie Pasta
    • Vegan White Sauce Pasta
    • Easy Hummus Pasta
    • Easy Vegan Bolognese
    • Mediterannean Pasta

    I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.

    Be sure to sign up for my FREE Newsletter to be the first to get my NEW recipes! You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.


    For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!

    Spicy Marinara Sauce - quick and easy, ready in just 30 minutes!

    Spicy Marinara Sauce

    A quick and easy marinara sauce with a kick. Using pantry staples, this spicy sauce can be on the table in less than 30 minutes!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Dips, Dressings, Sauces and Spreads
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 42kcal
    Author: Jenn Sebestyen

    Ingredients

    • ½ sweet onion (diced)
    • ¼ cup vegetable broth (or water) plus 1-2 tablespoon(s) more, if needed
    • 3 garlic cloves minced
    • ¼-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
    • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
    • 2 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

    Instructions

    • Sauté the diced onion in the vegetable broth (or water) for 4-5 minutes until softened. If the onions start to stick, add an additional 1-2 tbsp of vegetable broth (or water).
    • Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 minute.
    • Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, basil, oregano, and balsamic vinegar. Simmer for 20 minutes over low heat.
    • Using an immersion blender, purée the sauce until smooth (or desired consistency). Alternately, you can carefully transfer the sauce to a blender to purée.
    • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
    • Enjoy over pasta or zoodles or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 282mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1.8mg

    Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.

    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Veggie_Inspired or tag #VeggieInspired!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah says

      May 22, 2017 at 12:18 am

      This looks so yummy, and I bet my kids would go for a pinch of heat! We’ve never shied away from “grown up flavors” either!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 22, 2017 at 9:52 am

        Awesome! I think we do kids such a disservice when we assume they don’t like flavor! Thanks, Sarah!

        Reply
    2. Helen of Fuss Free Flavours says

      May 21, 2017 at 6:25 am

      All too easy to think that grabbing a jar of sauce from the cupboard is the easier option, but all things considered this recipe is so easy and no doubt much tastier, it is worth the little extra time to make it. Sounds yummy, and perfect to have for a easy meal of pasta.5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 21, 2017 at 7:53 am

        Totally! In the time it takes to bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles, this sauce can be done. Super easy. Thanks, Helen!

        Reply
    3. Luci's Morsels says

      May 20, 2017 at 11:50 pm

      Yummy! This looks delicious and I am in love with the calorie count. I love how you used this with zoodles and this sauce is really quite versatile in general. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 21, 2017 at 7:52 am

        Thank you, Luci! I’m pretty much obsessed with it with zoodles! 🙂 I hope you love it.

        Reply
    4. Lynn says

      May 20, 2017 at 11:32 am

      Love this recipe because it is so easy to make and contains ingredients that I always have on hand. Plus, it tastes great!5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 20, 2017 at 3:33 pm

        Thank you! Definitely super easy!

        Reply
    5. Mary Ellen - VNutrition says

      May 20, 2017 at 7:38 am

      This looks delicious! I and I’m a spicy gal so I love the addition of heat – and that’s there’s no sugar added.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 20, 2017 at 3:30 pm

        Thanks, Mary Ellen! I’m a spicy gal too! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Alisa Fleming says

      May 19, 2017 at 3:52 pm

      I’ll have to try balsamic and see how that works. That’s a new idea to me for cutting acidity. A friend uses baking soda, but I’ve never been able to get that to work well.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 19, 2017 at 5:10 pm

        Baking soda? I’ve never heard of that one. I just love the hint of sweetness from the balsamic – so good! 🙂 Thanks, Alisa!

        Reply
    7. Vanessa at VeganFamilyRecipes says

      May 19, 2017 at 3:40 pm

      MMhhmm! Delicious! I love a good marinara sauce and if it’s spicy then even more so! Pinning this for later! Looks amazing, Jenn!5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 19, 2017 at 5:08 pm

        Thanks, Vanessa! I hope you love it!

        Reply
    8. Linda says

      May 18, 2017 at 7:25 am

      I am not a jarred sauce fan because homemade sauce is so easy and quick to make. This sounds great, Jenn!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 19, 2017 at 10:48 am

        Exactly! Thanks, Linda!

        Reply
    9. Ceara says

      May 17, 2017 at 9:18 pm

      Quick and easy is how I like it! I love that your recipe doesn’t use sugar. Looks wonderful.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 18, 2017 at 12:12 am

        No sugar needed! Thanks, Ceara!!

        Reply
    10. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says

      May 17, 2017 at 6:35 pm

      Looks delicious, Jenn! We eat a lot of pasta in my house, so I will definitely be trying your sauce.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 18, 2017 at 12:11 am

        Thanks, Amy! I hope you love it!

        Reply
    11. Ginny McMeans says

      May 16, 2017 at 11:46 pm

      This looks delicious! I seem to always have these ingredients in my cupboard so I really need to make this fast sauce.5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 17, 2017 at 7:16 am

        Thanks, Ginny! I think most people probably keep these ingredients in the pantry. So easy!

        Reply
    12. Dianne says

      May 16, 2017 at 2:31 pm

      My hand is raised! I’m so guilty of that. I rarely make my own sauce because it seems too time consuming, but I love how quick and easy your recipe is!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 16, 2017 at 8:28 pm

        Every time I make it homemade I think “why do I ever buy that jarred stuffed?” But then next time I’m at the store, I grab it anyway for those just in case times.The struggle is real. LOL!

        Reply
    13. Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite says

      May 16, 2017 at 12:49 pm

      You can never have too many marinara recipes! I think I change mine every time I throw it together. But yes on the red pepper flakes! The more the better!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 16, 2017 at 8:28 pm

        Totally agree! I tend to change it up too, but this is the one I lean towards most. Here’s to spicy!

        Reply
    14. Becky Striepe says

      May 16, 2017 at 7:53 am

      I love how simple this is! I wish my family liked spicy. Maybe I’ll make some just for meeeee!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        May 16, 2017 at 11:34 am

        Totally make it just for you! Leftovers would freeze beautifully! Thanks, Becky!

        Reply

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    Jenn Sebestyen of Veggie Inspired

    Hi, I'm Jenn! This is where I share delicious plant based recipes for the whole family. I love to cook; I can read cookbooks like novels; and I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen by making standard American favorites healthier.

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