I
have to say up front I know the title for this article is kinda
corny, but I just could not resist the urge to borrow from J.R.R.
Tolkien's 'The Lord Of The Rings.' After all, most Italian tomato
based sauces are simply a regional variation of the basic marinara
sauce. The great thing is anyone can learn to make
a
delicious, inexpensive
full
flavored
marinara
sauce. This recipe for a classic marinara sauce is probably the
easiest sauce you will
ever
learn to make.
With
a good marinara
sauce
as your base, you can create a wide variety of authentic
Italian
tomato based pasta sauces such as the ones in this article.
While
the sauces in this article are similar, they are uniquely different,
with each having it's own specific flavor signature.
So
why do you need to learn to make a bunch of different pasta sauces,
after all you have your own family spaghetti recipe that you love
right? Well for those of us cooking on a budget, Italian style pasta
sauces are a great way of stretching your food dollars. My family
loves spaghetti, but if I served the same dish three or more times a
week, they might get pretty tired of eating pasta and pasta sauces. A
good strategy for adding pasta and tomato based sauces into your menu
rotation is to have a few different recipes in your repertoire to
help you keep things fresh. After all no one wants to hear their kids
or spouse roll their eyes and mumble “what spaghetti again.”
There
are few things that take up more space on grocery store shelves than
pasta sauces. They come in all brands and flavors. Hunt's brand alone
has 11 different flavors: meat flavor, Italian sausage, traditional,
four cheese, cheese and garlic, garlic and herb, roasted garlic and
onion, mushroom, chunky vegetable, zesty and spicy, and no added
sugar. I am not picking on Hunt's, I actually have four or five cans
of their traditional pasta sauce in my pantry for quick, inexpensive
emergency meals. Rather I chose Hunt's brand because a 24oz can of
their pasta sauce is $0.98 everyday at Walmart making them very
minimalist pantry friendly. Heck, a 29oz can of Corina tomato sauce
or crushed tomatoes is $1.00 at the Dollar Tree, and more at most
grocery stores unless you can find it on sale. So you can actually
purchase a ready made sauce for almost the same price as you can make
it from scratch.
If
you have read any of my other articles, then you know that I do not
generally promote the purchase of premade, prepackaged items. In
fact, most of the time I try and discourage you from buying them.
Hunt's pre-made pasta sauce is one of my minimalist pantry
recommendations and one of the few exceptions to my rule simply
because of it's value. When it goes on sale for $0.78 for a 24oz can
I buy 4 to 6 cans of traditional or meat flavor and put them in the
pantry. Having said all of that, to truly enjoy the variety of styles
of Italian pasta sauces you need to make your own.
Basic
Marinara (One Sauce To Rule Them All)
This
simple, classic Italian tomato red sauce made with onions (optional),
garlic and oregano is the all-purpose Italian red sauce and can be
served over pasta, used as a pizza sauce or used in a variety of
pasta and meat dishes such as lasagna etc. It is a good foundation
for making other Italian inspired tomato based sauces in this
article. Btw, just in case you are wondering any premade pasta sauce
you can buy at your local grocers labeled 'Traditional' is a basic
marinara sauce.
Basic
Marinara Recipe (Yield 4 to 6 servings)
1
28-ounce can whole or crushed tomatoes
1
8oz can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
oil
2
tablespoons minced garlic (6-7 cloves)
¾
teaspoon iodized salt (or 1
teaspoon kosher)
¼ to ½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼
teaspoon red pepper flakes (use
1/8 teaspoon if you like it less spicy)
If
using whole tomatoes, place the tomatoes in a medium sized bowl and
crushed them with your hands, then add 1 cup of water to the bowl and
set aside.
Chef's
Note: If you prefer a smooth and not chucky style marinara sauce then
substitute a 29oz can of tomato sauce for the whole or crushed
tomatoes. Simply open the can and add it to the skillet after you
have sautéed the vegetables, do not add any additional water when
using tomato sauce.
Place
the olive oil in a medium sized skillet and heat over medium low
heat, then add the onions and saute them just until they become
translucent (if you are making any of the other sauces that contain
vegetables saute them with the onions). Then add the garlic and sauté
for another 60 seconds stirring to make sure the garlic does not burn
(if you are making any of the other sauces that contain capers,
mushrooms and or anchovies, they should be added with the garlic at
this time as well).
Add
the crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (and any other liquids required)
to the skillet along with the remaining ingredients (salt, red pepper
flakes, and oregano) and bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or
until thickened.
Chef's
Note: Traditionally Italian pasta sauces do not have sugar added to
them, however the premade sauces found on the grocery store shelves
tend to have some sugar added. Persoanlly, I have found that most of
the time that the crushed or whole tomatoes tend to be sweet enough
for my family, but if you want to add a small amount of sugar to your
sauce do so in small increments such as an 1/8 of a teaspoon at a
time.
Pasta
Alla Bolognese —
This
sauce gets it's name from it's place of origin Bologna, Italy,
although it is also known simply as a 'ragu' sauce in other part's of
the country.
Bolognese
is a meat based sauce traditionally made with ground beef or pork,
pancetta (or bacon), tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, celery and
milk. Omit the milk, and this is the sauce that most Americans would
recognize as an 'Italian American' style spaghetti in which most of
us are familiar with. In Italy it is customarily served with large
flat noodles such as tagilatelle, pappardelle, or fetuccine, as well
as being used to make lasagna.
-
To
make a bolognese sauce from
our basic marinara recipe, add 1lb of ground beef, pork or
combination of both, 3 slices of bacon or panchetta, 1 medium
carrot, peeled and finely chopped, 2 ribs of celery finely chopped,
½ cup white wine, ½ cup milk, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and ½
teaspoon black pepper.
If you like a spicy sauce leave
the red pepper flakes otherwise omit them.
-
To
Prepare: Mince uncooked bacon, then place in skillet with ground
beef or pork, and cook until
done, remove the meat and drain the pan leaving two tablespoon
grease/oil then add the
onion, celery and carrot and saute over low heat until softened.
Then follow the directions for making the basic marinara sauce
adding the milk and wine with the tomatoes or tomato sauce.
Pasta
Alla Giardino – Pasta from the garden or 'garden style' is a term
sometimes used when referring to a tomato based sauce made with,
onions, bell peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, oregano,
basil
and
or marjoram. Rather than meat, the rough cut or chopped vegetables
are the primary ingredients in this
pasta
sauce. It can be made from anything you have growing in the garden,
and makes a great end of the growing season pasta sauce.
-
To
make a giardino
sauce
from our basic marinara recipe, add 1 green bell pepper (diced), 1
red bell pepper (diced), 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped,
2 ribs of celery finely chopped, 1 zucchini (diced), ½ cup
mushrooms (sliced), ½ cup white wine, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, ½
teaspoon
black
pepper, ½ teaspoon basil, and ½ teaspoon marjoram. If you like a
spicy sauce leave the red pepper flakes otherwise omit them.
Pasta
Alla Pomodoro (Golden Apple)
– Originally
made with yellow tomatoes hence the name “golden
apple”. This is a very basic tomato sauce now made with whole red
tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil sautéed in olive oil and seasoned
with salt and black pepper. It is believed by some chefs that using
canned peeled whole red tomatoes that are crushed by hand or pulsed
in a blender give the sauce a sweeter taste as they are generally
packed and processed at the height of their ripeness.
-
To
make a pomodoro sauce from our basic marinara recipe, add one yellow
onion (diced), and substitute dried basil for the oregano. Then
follow the directions for making the basic marinara sauce. If
you like a spicy sauce leave the red pepper flakes otherwise omit
them.
Pasta
Alla Puttanesca – Also known as 'street walker's sauce' or
'spaghetti garbage style', the joke or urban legend was that this
sauce was so fast and easy to make that Italian streetwalkers could
make this sauce between seeing their clients. This deliciously salty
and fragrant pasta sauce is a quick to make pasta sauce made of
tomatoes (and or tomato sauce), onions, black olives, capers, garlic,
oregano, and optional anchovies, simmered with olive oil.
-
To
make a puttanesca sauce from our basic marinara recipe, add one
yellow onion (diced), ½ cup black olives, 1 tablespoon capers, 1
anchovy fillet, and ½ teaspoon of dried basil.
-
To
Prepare: Dice the onion and saute over low heat with two tablespoons
of olive oil until softened, then add the remaining ingredients
(including the garlic) and
saute
for 60 seconds, then follow the directions for making the basic
marinara sauce.
Pasta
Alla Vodka – A
late entry onto the culinary scene, but one that has become popular
since the early 1970's. This sauces is simple and tasty, it's primary
ingredients being tomato sauce, vodka and heavy cream. In it's most
basic form, it is a marinara sauce with vodka (said to release the
full flavor of the tomatoes) and heavy cream (for smoothness and
mouth feel). It is typically served with penne pasta or rigatoni.
-
To
make a vodka sauce from our
basic marinara recipe, substitute dried basil for the oregano and
add one yellow onion (diced), ½ cup vodka, ½ cup grated Parmesan
cheese, and 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream.
-
To
Prepare: Dice the onion and saute over low heat with two tablespoons
of olive oil until softened, then add the garlic and
saute
for 60 seconds. Then follow the directions for making the basic
marinara sauce adding the heavy cream and vodka with the tomatoes or
tomato sauce. Then follow the directions for making the basic
marinara sauce.
The
Ingredients
So
why would you go to the effort to make your own pasta sauces if you
can buy them already prepared for almost the same cost as the raw
ingredients? First, even if you use canned tomatoes and or tomato
sauce, you are going to get a more robust and fresher tasting sauce
making it yourself. Second, you will have total control over the
ingredients that you use in your sauce. For some of you that will not
be a factor, for others the choice of ingredients used to prepare the
food your family consumes is extremely important to you. Personally,
I fall somewhere in the middle, neither side of the pendulum is more
correct than the other. The bottom line is, do what you feel is best
for your family, our goal is to give you those options.
Hunt's
Original Traditional Pasta Sauce – Tomato puree, (water , tomatoes,
paste), water, contains less than 22% of high fructose corn syrup,
salt, corn syrup, soybean oil, dehydrated onions, sugar, carrots,
fiber, spices, includes (soy lecithin), citric acid, and natural
flavoring.
Homemade
Marinara Pasta Sauce – Tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, olive oil,
onions, garlic, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
In
it's most basic form, our marinara sauce has none of the high
fructose corn syrup or soybean oil found in commercial sauces. Rather
olive oil (which is good for you) and fresh vegetables such as
tomatoes, onions and garlic make up the bulk of the sauce. In
addition, you will find that the other sauces in this article are
also all made with fresh ingredients and or fresh or dried spices
with no preservatives.Making the decision to make your own versus
buying premade sauces a matter of personal preference.
Cost
Analysis
The
cost of the ingredients need to make your own marinara sauce and the
other Italian red sauces mentioned in this article will vary
depending on what regions of the country in which you live and your
choice of ingredients. For this recipe I purchased a 28oz can Corina
crushed tomatoes for $1.00, onions were 5lbs for $0.99, 8oz can of
Red Gold tomato sauce $0.20 (on sale 5 cans for $1.00) all the other
items I had on hand, but overall cost for the herbs and other
ingredients was less than $0.30. So for about $1.30, you can make a
this quick and delicious marinara sauce. Adding additional
ingredients to make sauces such as a bolognese, giardino, pomodoro,
puttanesca or vodka will increase your costs, however you can still
make better sauces at home that those you can buy at your local
grocers. Below I have listed the prices for prepared brands of pasta
sauces available at my local Walmart.
Barilla
pasta sauces all varieties 24oz jar $2.00 ($0.08 per ounce)
Bertolli
pasta sauces all varieties 24oz jar $2.12 ($0.09 per ounce)
Classico
pasta sauces all varieties 26oz jar $2.16 ($0.09 per ounce)
Great
Value pasta sauces all varieties 45oz jar $2.65 ($0.06 per ounce)
Hunt's
pasta sauces all varieties 24oz can $.98 ($0.04 per ounce)
Homemade
marinara sauce 36oz $1.24 ($0.04 per ounce)
Newman's
Own All Natural pasta sauces all varieties 24oz can $4.54 ($0.15 per
ounce)
Prego
pasta sauces all varieties 24oz jar $2.00 ($0.08 per ounce)
Ragu
pasta sauces all varieties 16oz jar $3.14 ($0.07 per ounce)
So
as you can see, depending on the brand, making your own pasta sauces
at home can save you up to 50% off store brands. Adding additional
vegetables such as olives, capers, bell peppers etc. will increase
the costs, but no commercial sauce of note will have a significant
amount of these ingredients listed as part of their sauce.
Chef's
Note: Do not be mislead by sauces that are labled 'meat' or 'Italian
sausage'. They do not have any meat in them (or they have less than
2% beef and beef fat according to the Hunt's label of ingredients).
It will cost you the same amount of food dollars to add meat to
either your homemade marinara sauce as it would to if you wish to add
meat to a premade sauce. If you want to add a meat flavor to your
marinara sauce, substitute powdered beef bouillon for the salt and
then add additional salt if necessary.
Adding
Meat To Your Sauces
Of
all the ingredients, adding meat to your sauce will have the most
impact on your wallet, but there are ways to keep these costs to a
minimum. For our basic marinara recipe or when using a premade pasta
sauce (24 to 46oz) I recommend using only ½lb of ground beef or
sausage as opposed to 1lb of meat. Ground beef or sausage will evenly
distribute itself throughout the sauce when cooked and most people
will not notice the difference between the too. This helps to keep
down your costs and stretch your food dollars.
If
you like Italian sausage, you can buy it bulk (not in casings) in 1lb
containers. If that is not available then you can buy the package the
19.8oz package with 5 links (in casings) in the meat department, then
cut open two or three of the links and remove them from the
skins/casings and cook them as you would ground beef. We look for the
Italian sausage at our local Walmart and buy them when they are
marked down then throw them in the freezer for later use.
If
you use the same amount of beef or sausage and make them into
meatballs, you make get 10 to 12 if you are lucky and while I like
meatballs, the perception is that there is so much less meat in your
sauce and who wants to listen to your kids and spouse fight over who
got the most meatballs...[GRIN].. So do yourself a favor, when adding
meats to your sauces use ground meats to save not only the most
money, but also any hurt feelings over who got the least among of
meatballs, and it is faster saving you precious time. For more
information about how to save money purchasing ground beef, check out
the article 'Can
Cheap Ground Beef Be Healthy? You Bet!' on our blog.
Conclusion
Pasta
and pasta dishes are a great way to stretch your food dollars and
feed your family a satisfying and delicious meal. They are quick to
make, and once you have a good base marinara sauce recipe you will
find that it is quite flexible and easy to make a variety of
different tomato based sauces. I encourage you to make all of these
sauces at least once and find out which ones you and your family
enjoy, then add them to your menu rotation. Making your own pasta
sauces can save you up to 50% over
premade sauces leaving you more money to help feed your family. As
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