Simple Marinara Sauce

There are so many wonderful pasta sauces out there on the market, that sometimes it's so much easier to just grab a jar off the grocery store shelf and go with that along with your favourite pasta.  I do it that way most of the time to be honest, but today I decided to make my own marinara sauce - it's a lot cheaper to begin with, especially because if you make quite a large quantity, as this recipe is, it freezes beautifully so there's another couple of meals right there.  Also, you can get the taste exactly to your own personal preference. This is what went into mine today, only because I had everything on hand - another time, it might change slightly with subtractions and additions, but that's what I like about it.  It's a very versatile, simple sauce.

Simple Marinara Sauce

1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp italian seasoning
3 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes in juices
2 (14oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 Tbs dried parsley
1 Tbs dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

• saute, over medium heat, the onions in the olive oil until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
• add the garlic and italian seasoning and saute for another 1 minute.
• add all the cans of tomatoes and mix well.
• add parsley, basil, garlic powder and onion powder; mix well and heat until bubbling.
• include the parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
• turn heat down and simmer for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
• taste and adjust seasoning if required.
• when it's finished simmering, if desired, puree the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth.

 Marinara Sauce ingredients (most of them anyway - the rest is just off camera - I'm a bit of a 'space cadet' today!!! :)

mince the garlic and chop the onions fairly small.

saute the onions until soft.

add the garlic and italian seasoning for just a minute until fragrant.

add in the other herbs and powders.

after an hour or more of simmering the sauce thickens into rich awesomeness.

tonight we had the sauce with some pre-bought ravioli.

delicious - and lots more in the freezer for future meals.