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    Home > Vegan Pasta Sauces

    10-min Vegan Marinara Sauce

    By Nandor Barta on 03/28/2023 - May contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe Print Pin

    Packed with 6 simple, fresh ingredients like juicy chopped tomatoes, fragrant basil and oregano, and savory onion and garlic, this chunky vegan marinara sauce is the perfect way to add flavor and nutrition to your favorite pasta dishes. Give it a try and taste the difference that a quick, healthy meal can make!

    A white frying pan with red chunky sauce. A smiling wooden spatula is placed inside.

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    We have selected 30+ delicious vegan pasta recipes for you to try. We also have some classic recipes made vegan, like vegan cashew alfredo sauce, vegan pesto pasta, vegan spaghetti bolognese, or this coconut milk pasta sauce. For even more inspiration, browse through our vegan pasta sauces gallery. This recipe is also part of our quick vegan meals collection, where everything can be done in 20 minutes.

    Jump to:
    • What is marinara sauce?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Serving ideas
    • Storing tips
    • FAQs
    • More vegan pasta recipes
    • 10-min Vegan Marinara Sauce
    Table of Contents hide
    1. What is marinara sauce?
    2. Ingredients
    3. Instructions
    4. Variations
    5. Serving ideas
    6. Storing tips
    7. FAQs
    8. More vegan pasta recipes
    9. 10-min Vegan Marinara Sauce

    What is marinara sauce?

    Marinara sauce is a thick spaghetti sauce made with chopped tomatoes and Italian seasoning. It tastes and looks more like a chunky tomato sauce.

    What is precisely the difference between marinara and spaghetti sauce? When we say spaghetti sauce, we usually think of the classic tomato-based pasta sauce, a smooth, velvety tomato sauce with the same Italian seasoning. It has no chunks, no skins, and no seeds.

    What is the difference between marinara and tomato sauce? Tomato sauce is a cooked, unseasoned sauce made of tomatoes that they sell in bottles. It is more like a sieved tomato puree without seasoning, the base for many recipes.

    A large saucepan with lots of chunky red sauce with yellow and green bits and pieces ready to be served on pasta. A spoon is taking a small amount.
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    Ingredients

    It is one of the most basic pasta sauces you can ever make. After trying a homemade marinara sauce, you will not go back to buying it again. Here are the 6 ingredients you need.

    The ingredients of vegan marinara sauce is in small glass bowls tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic, oregano, basil and dry pasta
    • Chopped tomatoes – If we don’t find ripe, juicy, fresh tomatoes (preferably heirloom tomatoes), we often use Mutti’s canned tomatoes instead. If low sodium content is vital for you, choose Hunt’s diced tomatoes instead.
    • Sieved tomato puree – We love to use Mutti’s tomato passata
    • Onion
    • Garlic
    • Basil – If you use fresh ingredients, chop them finely, but keep a couple of fresh basil leaves for decoration.
    • Oregano

    🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    Well, do you have 10 minutes? That is how long it takes to cook a homemade vegan marinara sauce.

    1. Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the chopped onion and the finely chopped garlic in oil.
    2. Add the chopped tomatoes, sieved tomato puree, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper, when the onion and garlic are soft and cooked.
    White frying pan with chopped onion, garlic, tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes and dried herbs.
    1. Simmer on low-medium heat for a couple of minutes to activate the herbs and spices. Your 10 minutes are up! You are ready! Now you know how to make your vegan marinara sauce at home. What to serve it with? See 20+ vegan recipes in the “Serving ideas” section.
    A chunky red sauce in a white frying pan.

    Variations

    You can spice up this easy vegan marinara sauce recipe depending on what you want to use it for and who you serve it to.

    • Spicy – add chili flakes, sriracha, or hot chili powder
    • Cheezy – add vegan Parmesan or nutrition yeast
    • Creamy – turn it into a coconut milk pasta sauce by adding full-fat canned coconut cream. Or use our cashew alfredo sauce or vegan bechamel to make a rose sauce similar to the one we make for vegan spaghetti bolognese.
    • Smoother – if you don’t like chunks or your kid doesn’t like them, take an immersion blender and smooth it out.
    • Richer – add a dash of red wine to make it richer
    • Oil-free – If you follow a WFPD (whole foods plant-based) diet, cook onion and garlic in veggie broth, water, or directly in the tomato sauce.
    A large saucepan from above with lots of chunky red sauce with yellow and green bits and pieces ready to be served on pasta.

    Serving ideas

    Use it as pasta sauce

    As it is primarily a pasta sauce, it is no surprise that most recipes featuring it are pasta. Here is some variety you can start with:

    • Spaghetti and Meatballs or Meatballs Subs using one of our vegan meatballs recipe Vegan Eggplant Meatballs (see pictured below), Vegan Chickpea Meatballs, Vegan Mushroom Meatballs, IKEA Veggie Balls, Tofu Meatballs, TVP Meatballs,
    • Super Easy Vegan Lentil Lasagna
    • Vegan Cabbage Lasagna with Spinach
    • Stuffed Shells with Almond Ricotta by Strength and Sunshine
    • Instant Pot Pasta Puttanesca by Veggies Saves the Day
    • Vegan Pasta Alla Vodka by Erica’s Recipes
    • One-Pot Veggie Pasta by Jolly Slice
    Spaghetti topped with marinara sauce and a couple of eggplant meatballs sprinkled with parsley

    Use it as a pizza sauce

    Generally, we would use our 5-minute no-cook vegan pizza sauce on top of our gluten-free pizza crust, but you can’t really turn down a simple margarita pizza with marinara sauce and cheese. It just gives an extra zing to mix all these chunks with melted cheese. Here is some variety to start with:

    • Deep Dish Pizza Pot Pie by Spabettie
    • Mini Polenta Pizza by Veggies Saves the Day
    • Vegan Greek Pizza by She Likes Food
    • Quinoa Pizza Bites by Jessica in the Kitchen
    • Vegan Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust by The Friendly Fig

    More delicious recipes

    Not looking for either a pasta or a pizza recipe? Then try these creative recipes using marinara sauce:

    • Vegan Eggplant Parmesan (see pictured below)
    • Vegan Moussaka
    • Marinara Stuffed Roasted Eggplants by Foodal
    • Vegan Mozzarella Stuffed Chickquin Burgers by Spabettie
    • Quick Bolognese over Polenta Fries by Erica’s Recipes
    • Vegan Chickpea Shakshuka
    • Polenta Mash with Mushroom and Marinara by Veggie Lexi
    Red sauce topped with stacks of thick white paste sprinkled with freshly chopped green herbs.

    Storing tips

    The sauce is perfect for batch cooking. You can easily store it in the fridge for up to a week without any problem.  

    Store any leftovers per serving (in a jar, in a ziplock bag, or another container) in a freezer and thaw whenever you need it. 

    FAQs

    Is marinara sauce vegan?

    Marinara sauce is usually tomato, garlic, onion, olive oil, herbs, and spices like basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Plant-based all the way. However, suppose you are looking to buy jarred marinara sauce. In that case, you may need to pay attention as those may include sugar, starch, natural flavors, preservatives, and other ingredients that may not be vegan.

    What is the best tomato to make marinara sauce?

    We love using juicy tomatoes like heirloom or san marzano tomatoes since they have a very intense tomato taste that makes the marinara sauce even better. If you don’t have any in your pantry, cherry tomatoes work similarly, albeit not as aromatic.

    More vegan pasta recipes

    We have selected 30+ delicious vegan pasta recipes. You can browse through our vegan pasta sauces or check out the below recipes:

    • Tagliatelle is mixed in and covered with a creamy light red tomato-based sauce topped with fresh green herbs in a white frying pan. Dry tagliatelle pasta and a cheese grater with parmesan cheese is next to it.
      Coconut Milk Pasta Sauce
    • Cast iron skillet with tagliatelle in a creamy light brown sauce with sliced mushrooms and freshly chopped green herbs. A hand is holding a fork to the middle.
      The Best Vegan Mushroom Pasta
    • White bowl with tortiglioni pasta covered in green pesto topped with cherry tomato halves and sprinkled with yellow flakes.
      Easy Vegan Pesto Pasta
    • Black frying pan with spaghetti in white sauce with wilted spinach leaves and charred cherry tomatoes. A hand is holding a fork and coil up with pasta.
      15-min Cashew Alfredo Sauce (Oil-free, Vegan)
    • White frying pan with red thick sauce with fake ground meat pieces topped with small heaps of spaghetti. A wooden spatula is placed inside. A small black plate with a serving serving is placed next to it.
      Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese (Cauliflower Walnut Meat)

    THANK YOU so much for visiting our website. Please comment below if you have tried this recipe. We LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, please don’t forget to give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ RATING. We appreciate all of our readers.  

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    A white frying pan with red chunky sauce. A smiling wooden spatula is placed inside.

    10-min Vegan Marinara Sauce

    Nandor Barta
    Packed with 6 simple, fresh ingredients like juicy chopped tomatoes, fragrant basil and oregano, and savory onion and garlic, this chunky vegan marinara sauce is the perfect way to add flavor and nutrition to your favorite pasta dishes. Give it a try and taste the difference that a quick, healthy meal can make!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Sauce
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 84kcal

    Equipment

    • Non-stick frying pan (10.5 inch / 26 cm)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 Tbsp Olive oil
    • 1 Onion (medium)
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 2 tsp Basil
    • 2 tsp Oregano
    • 2 cup Chopped tomatoes
    • 10 oz Sieved tomato puree aka Tomato sauce
    • Salt
    • Pepper
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    Instructions
     

    • Peel and dice the onions. Peel, crush, and chop finely the garlic cloves.
    • Heat the frying pan on medium heat. Add olive oil and cook onions for a couple of minutes before adding the garlic. (If you follow WFPBNO diet, skip this step and cook the onion and garlic directly in the tomato sauce.)
    • When the onions are soft, add the tomato sauce and the chopped tomatoes and stir a couple of times. 
    • Add the seasoning (basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper).
    • When the sauce is boiling, stir a couple of times again, and you are ready! That was all!
    • Serve it with your favorite dishes, like vegan eggplant meatballs, vegan chickpea meatballs, vegan mushroom meatballs, vegan lasagna, vegan cabbage lasagna, vegan eggplant parmesan or vegan moussaka. More than 20+ delicious vegan recipes right above the recipe card.
    Tried this recipe? Can we see it?Please share a picture with us by uploading an image to Pinterest below ours.

    Notes

    What else can you add?

    • Spicy – add chili flakes, sriracha, or hot chili powder
    • Cheezy – add vegan Parmesan or nutrition yeast
    • Creamy – turn it into coconut milk pasta sauce by adding full-fat canned coconut cream.  Or add vegan alfredo sauce or vegan bechamel to make a rose sauce similar to the one used in vegan spaghetti bolognese.
    • Smoother – if you don’t like chunks or your kid doesn’t like chunks, take an immersion blender and smooth it out.
    • Richer – add a dash of red wine to make it richer

    Video

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    10-min Vegan Marinara Sauce
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
    Calories 84 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 360mg16%
    Potassium 416mg12%
    Carbohydrates 12g4%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 347IU7%
    Vitamin C 18mg22%
    Calcium 64mg6%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in Jan 2019, but was rewritten and republished with new photos, instructions, and tips in Mar 2023. 

    187 shares

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      5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    1. Naleśniki

      June 14, 2019 at 11:36 pm

      My family loved it THANK YOU

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        September 07, 2019 at 12:45 pm

        Thank you so much. We are so happy your family liked it.

        Reply

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    Hi, we are Emese Maczkó and Nándor Barta, the founders and recipe creators behind My Pure Plants. We are sharing our knowledge and expertise in vegan recipes and encourage you to try home-cooked meals using locally-sourced, organic, whole foods.

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    Portrait of Emese and Nandi My Pure Plants

    Hi, we are Emese Maczkó and Nándor Barta, the founders and recipe creators behind My Pure Plants. We are sharing our knowledge and expertise in vegan recipes and encourage you to try home-cooked meals using locally-sourced, organic, whole foods.

    More about us →

    Reader Favorites

    • A large white bowl with white rice and sticky brown battered strips on top sprinkled with sesame seeds, orange peels and chopped spring onion
      Crispy Vegan Orange Chicken (Copycat Panda Express)
    • Lots of spring rolls cut in half and arranged in a semi-circular dish facing upwards around a brown dipping sauce.
      Crispy Rice Paper Spring Rolls
    • A burger with layers of green ruffled lettuce, yellow sauce, thin cheese slices, dark brown burger patty twice, sliced pickles and white chopped onion.
      Meaty Vegan TVP Burger (Big Mac Style)
    • Copycat IKEA Veggie Balls

    Hearty stews

    • Vegetable stew in a red white enameled Dutch oven with lots of chopped vegetables like potatoes, carrots, mushroom, celery and red kidney beans. Topped with freshly chopped green herbs.
      The Best Hearty Vegetable Stew
    • 2 white bowls with thick brown stew, lentils, chopped veggies and a couple of dumplings. The remaining stew is in a red-white Dutch oven.
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    • Red Dutch oven from above with a stew where you can see chopped potatoes, spinach leaves, carrot slices, tomatoes, and mushroom slices. Slices of bread is next to it. A hand is holding a spoon taking some from the middle
      Jackfruit Stew (Vegan Beef Stew)
    • Cast iron skillet with veggie stew topped with puff pastry in a lattice pattern.
      Vegan Pot Pie

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