From Garden to Table

This is part 2 of Pizza Night Done Right. Part 1: The Dough | Part 3: Cheesy Bread & Roll-Ups

Every good pizza night needs a good marinara sauce, and this is the one I make from what’s actually growing in my garden. Roma tomatoes I grew myself, basil pulled fresh off the plant right before it goes in the pot. There is a difference between sauce made from a can and sauce made from tomatoes you watched grow all summer, and once you taste it side by side you will never go back to the jar.

This is the sauce behind the pizza crust recipe. Same dough, same Friday night, and now it has a sauce worthy of it.

The Process

I roast the tomatoes first instead of just simmering them raw. That’s the step that changes everything. Roasting concentrates the flavor and brings out a natural sweetness that raw tomatoes just don’t have, even good ones. While those roast, I caramelize the onions low and slow so they turn sweet instead of sharp. Garlic goes in at the end of that step so it doesn’t burn.

Once the tomatoes are roasted and the onions are caramelized, I combine everything and run my immersion blender right in the pot until it’s smooth. No dragging out a full blender, no transferring hot sauce back and forth, just blend it where it sits. Then the basil, bay leaves, and seasonings go in and it simmers low until the flavors settle into each other.

A small trick in here that might surprise you: a pinch of baking soda. It cuts the acidity of the tomatoes without needing extra sugar to balance it out. My grandmother did something similar with her sauce and I never questioned why until I started making my own.

This makes about 4 cups, which is plenty for the pizza dough with sauce left over for dipping. Because that’s the other reason I’m sharing this one now. Cheesy bread and pepperoni roll ups are both made from this same dough, and both need a good sauce to go with them. This is that sauce.

Why Roast the Tomatoes First

Raw tomatoes, even roma tomatoes at peak ripeness, carry a lot of water and a sharper acidity. Roasting drives off some of that water and caramelizes the natural sugars sitting in the flesh. You end up with a deeper, rounder flavor without adding anything extra to fake it. If you’ve only ever made marinara on the stovetop from a can, this roasting step is worth trying even outside of pizza night.

The Immersion Blender Shortcut

I used to transfer hot sauce into a blender in batches, and if you’ve done that you know it’s a mess waiting to happen. An immersion blender lets you smooth the sauce right in the pot. Less cleanup, less risk of hot sauce going everywhere, and you can control exactly how smooth you want it. I like mine fully smooth for pizza sauce, but you could pulse it less if you want some texture.

Garden Tomatoes vs. Canned

If you don’t have homegrown tomatoes, this recipe still works with quality canned romas, but I’d be lying if I told you it tastes the same. Garden tomatoes at the end of summer have a sweetness and depth that canned just can’t fully match. If you’re growing your own this year, this is the recipe to use them for.

Recommended Tools

Immersion Blender. What I use to smooth this sauce right in the pot.

Baking Sheet. For roasting the tomatoes.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through my links. I only recommend products I personally use and trust. Thank you for supporting Stewarding Faithfully!

Serving Suggestions

What can you do with this roasted marinara sauce besides pizza? The options are practically endless! It’s great over your favorite pasta, or it can be used for dipping. Make it a full Italian dinner night with my Cheesy Bread and Pepperoni Roll-Ups recipes.

Storage Tips

Once you’ve made the sauce, let it cool completely before putting it into an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for three months.