I began making my own tomato sauces in high school and quickly realized that the flavors of store-bought sauces are no match for a freshly made marinara! What’s even better, these sauces are very simple to make. We make very large batches over the summer and can quart-sized jars to eat over the winter. However, the great thing is you can quickly whip together some sauce, even if it’s just for one meal.

Anytime you can prepare something at home, the nutritional value will be greater, you can choose how much sodium and spice to add, and you can choose fresh, organic ingredients. Also, store-bought sauces almost always add sugar (like most processed foods). This is completely unnecessary as the tomatoes provide their own flavor and sweetness. Sugar and excessive salt are used when the ingredients are poor, but real, fresh foods provide tons of flavor just waiting to be enjoyed!

For a twist on this basic recipe, you can also add additional vegetables such as celery, carrots, or fresh spinach.