Instant Creamy Marinara Sauce (Print)

Velvety tomato sauce using simple ingredients, ready in minutes for pasta or pizza.

# What you'll need:

→ Sauce Base

01 - 2 cups tomato sauce (plain, unsalted if possible)

→ Dairy

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Seasoning

03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
05 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Additions

06 - 1 tablespoon heavy cream
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano)

# How To Make It:

01 - Place tomato sauce, butter, and garlic powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
02 - Stir continuously until the butter fully melts and the sauce starts to simmer, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Incorporate salt and black pepper, stirring thoroughly to integrate the flavors.
04 - Optionally, fold in heavy cream and dried Italian herbs for richer taste and aroma.
05 - Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Taste the sauce, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve hot over pasta, as a dipping sauce, or pizza base.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely faster than ordering takeout, and tastes infinitely better.
  • Your pantry probably already has everything you need sitting there waiting.
  • The butter transforms plain tomato sauce into something that tastes like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Never let this sauce boil aggressively or the butter will separate and things fall apart—medium heat is your friend here.
  • If your sauce looks broken or greasy, you've gone too hot; just lower the temperature and stir in a splash of water to bring it back together.
03 -
  • Keep the heat at medium—not high—or the butter will separate and ruin everything you've worked toward.
  • The moment you see tiny bubbles forming around the edges is your signal that the sauce is ready, not when it's rolling aggressively.
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