Gluten Free Marinara Sauce

If there’s one recipe which you can always rely on to save you at dinnertime, its my Homemade Gluten Free Marinara Sauce. Whether you’re slapping it on a pizza or stirring it through pasta, this easy homemade marinara sauce is the ultimate freezer stash recipe!

My gluten free marinara sauce is always my go-to recipe on those nights when I just don’t want to cook but want something super tasty.

Whether I’m paring it with gluten free pasta or spaghetti and meatballs or spreading it on top of a gluten free pizza, I’ve always got a stash waiting at home!

This marinara sauce recipe is perfect for making in bulk and freezing, which means you’ll always have some on hand when you need it.

Pair it with pasta and gluten free garlic bread or whip up some gluten free Meatball Marinara Subs for a delicious fake-away lunch.

However you use it, this homemade marinara sauce is gluten and dairy free and perfect for batch cooking and meal prep.

Marinara Sauce Ingredients

You only need a few, simple storecupboard ingredients to make this easy homemade marinara pasta sauce:

• Olive Oil: You only need a small amount of olive oil – preferably extra virgin olive oil – for frying the onions and garlic.
• Onion: Just a brown onion is fine. You can use a red onion if you prefer.
• Garlic: I use frozen chopped garlic for convenience but you can use a fresh minced garlic clove or garlic paste.
• Oregano: Dried oregano flavours this marinara sauce beautifully.
• Salt: Table salt or sea salt is fine.
• Sugar: A tiny bit of sugar helps to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Chopped Tomatoes: I absolutely love splurging on more expensive, finely chopped or finely crushed tomatoes. But to keep costs down you can buy any tinned tomatoes and finely chop them yourself. Either that or keep them chunky if you prefer!
• Passata: This helps to make the marinara super saucy and rich in flavour.

This sauce is naturally gluten free, dairy free and vegan, so you don’t need to make any substitutions to account for extra allergens.

You can also add some finely shredded fresh basil or some red pepper flakes to your sauce if you like before serving.

How to Make Marinara Sauce

There’s a printable recipe card below with the method, but here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free marinara sauce is to make.

Add the olive oil to a large, lidded pan. Place on a medium heat and once hot, add the onions and garlic. Fry on a low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the onions start to soften.

Add the tinned tomatoes, passata, oregano, salt and sugar to the pan. Stir well and bring to the boil, then turn down to the lowest heat.

Simmer the marinara sauce for 10 minutes, then serve. Or let it cool completely before portioning up and freezing.

Storing and Freezing

This marinara sauce recipe is perfect for batch cooking – and it’s super freezer-friendly!

You can store any leftovers of my gluten free marinara in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days and just reheat as needed.

To freeze, simply portion the sauce into containers and pop in the freezer once it’s cooled. You can then defrost and heat, or reheat straight from frozen.

Serving suggestions

Want some ideas for how to serve this tomato sauce? Here are my top serving suggestions for your gluten free marinara sauce:

• Mix it up with gluten free spaghetti and homemade gluten free meatballs for a simple, comforting dish.
• Toss your favourite gluten free pasta in the marinara sauce and serve with fresh basil leaves, grated cheese and a side of gluten free garlic bread.
• Slather it on top of a gluten free pizza base – or use my gluten free flatbread pizza recipe for a lighter lunch choice.
• Use it as a base sauce for an easy, gluten free shakshuka for brunch. You could add some pancetta or diced chorizo as well as eggs.
• Make your own Subways – I always wished I could eat a meatball marinara sub so I made my own instead.

And don’t forget to save any leftover marinara sauce and freeze it, so you’ve always got a handy portion whenever you need it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs about this easy gluten free marinara sauce. If you can’t find the answer to your question here or in the post above, please comment and I’ll try answer!

If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. You can also share your creations in my Facebook group! And please do leave a 5* review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me and really helps support my website.