Skip the pricey store-bought low-carb Marinara sauces and make your own! Not only does it taste SO much better, but it's a lot easier than you might think.
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There are a few basic recipes that I think every family should have in their wheelhouse. This homemade marinara sauce is definitely one of them!
Aside from having superior flavor, the best low-carb marinara sauce options out there, are gonna cost you a pretty penny. Generally upward of 6$ PER JAR!!! No, thank you!
Ingredients and Substitutions
This marinara sauce has evolved A LOT over the years. It started with me just adding some salt and oregano to canned tomatoes one night when I was in the middle of cooking supper and realized I had run out of store-bought marinara.
Over time I've tried other marinara recipes, taken the things I loved, and ditched the things I didn't in order to truly perfect this marinara! You won't believe how easy and delicious this sauce is!
Here is what you'll need:
- Olive Oil
- Fresh garlic or swap with garlic powder if you don't have any fresh.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes or you can use whole canned tomatoes and then puree the sauce before serving.
- Seasoning: dried oregano, Basil, Onion Powder, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaves.
- Red Wine or chicken broth
- Parmesan rind
What are Parmesan rinds?
Parmesan rinds are exactly what they sound like! When cheesemakers are slicing Parmesan wheels, they have to shave a bunch off the outside. It's not great for eating, but it packs a punch of flavor and makes a great addition to soups and sauces.
Here are some other great ways to use parmesan rinds!
You can usually find Parmesan rinds in the deli cheese section at the grocery store. If your store doesn't have them out, you can always ask if they can sell some to you. However, if you can't find them, it's OK to leave them out.
What about the wine?
I know, you may be thinking that the wine is going to add unnecessary carbs to this sauce. Of course, you can leave it out, but it really only adds a fraction of a gram of carbohydrate to the sauce and makes a HUGE impact on the flavor.
I don't drink much, so I just use cooking wine, but you could also any leftover red wine - just be aware that drinking wines are typically higher in carbs than cooking wines.
Batch cooking
It's an absolute sin to make only one batch of this sauce at a time. I suggest finding your largest pot and making as much as it will hold. The sauce freezes really well and you will save so much time by multiplying the recipe.
I have no problem freezing this marinara in glass mason jars (just leave enough room at the top of the jar for expansion. If you don't like using mason jars, you can use whatever you have on hand.
When you are ready to eat it, just allow it to thaw and then heat it as you would any other marinara.
FAQs
Yes! Marinara sauce is a great way to sneak extra veggies into your meal. Great options include shredded zucchini, sliced mushrooms, spinach, onions, or even carrots.
Yes, you can. I designed this recipe to be as easy as possible and thus opted to use dried herbs. However, you can certainly substitute with fresh herbs.
Homemade low-carb marinara sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze this marinara sauce for up to 3-4 months. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container or bag. To thaw, place it in the refrigerator overnight or reheat it directly from frozen on the stovetop or microwave.
Be sure to check out these other great recipes:
- Low Carb Frozen Pizzas
- Homemade Keto Meatballs
- Upside Down Pizza Casserole | Keto, Low Carb
- Low Carb Pizza Dip with Garlic Breadsticks
- Keto Chicken Parmesan Casserole
- Meatball Sub Muffins
📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Marinara: Low Carb | Keto Friendly
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Garlic minced
- 56 oz Crushed Tomatoes Canned
- ½ tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 2 tablespoon Basil
- ½ tbsp Onion Powder
- ⅓ cup Red Wine
- 2 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Pepper or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Parmesan Rind
- 2 Bay Leaves
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the minced garlic. Allow the garlic to cook until just slightly brown, but be careful not to burn it!
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except the bay leaves, to the pot, stirring to combine. Cover and bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add the bay leaves and allow your sauce to simmer for about an hour on low heat, stirring occasionally. Your sauce is now ready to eat.
- To freeze: Allow the sauce to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight before transferring to freezer-safe containers. *Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaves before freezing, also, if using glass containers, be sure to leave extra room at the top of the container to prevent cracking.
- To reheat, simply allow the sauce to thaw, and then heat it to the desired temperature in the microwave or saucepan. This marinara will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
Notes
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
Nutrition
Lisa Moore says
Can you chicken broth instead of the wine?
Sabra says
yes you could 🙂
Susan says
This is the best sauce I have ever made. Simple to make & excellent. So full of flavor. Thank you so much for sharing.
Sabra says
Hi Susan! I am so happy that you enjoyed it! Thank you for the review xo
Crystal says
What kind of red wine do you recommend?
Sabra says
I don't drink, so I usually just buy cooking wine. But you can use any red wine that you like, the less sweet the better.
Lisa says
Loved this! I couldn’t find a Parmesan rind, but it was so good even without. I added more fresh cracked black pepper and crushed red pepper, I used a good Italian Nero D’Avola as well. It was amazing! I made the same lasagna roll ups I’ve made a few times, and my husband thought it was a whole new dish! I always wanted to make a sauce, but thought it would be too much, this was super easy and sooooo worth it!
Cindy says
Are you able tocan this recipe?? I found another sauce for canning but it had to many carbs.
Sabra says
Hi Cindy! It has been years since I have done any canning, so I am not completely certain. But, I don't see any reason why this recipe couldn't be canned. I would probably opt to leave out the Parmesan rind since I don't think it's recommended to can dairy products at home.
Hope that helps, and if you give it a try I would love to hear how it goes!
tryna Vallee says
Can I use Marsala wine in this recipe
Sabra says
Marsala will work great with this recipe 🙂
Doctor Grandma Jeannie says
I'm a bit confused re: nutrition. I appreciate your including it. However, it states that it was calculated on a serving size of 1 1/2 cups. Elsewhere, you clearly stated that serving size is 1/2 cup. SO, are the nutritional values for a half of a cup, or for one and one half cups? Thanks.
Vanessa says
I also have a a question about the nutrition, it says based on 1 1/2 cup serving. Is it 1/2 cup servings or 1 1/2 cup servings the nutrition is based on. I'm trying to determine the carbs per serving.