Rustic Marinara Sauce

I've been perfecting this recipe for over 10 years. Melting just a little cheese in the sauce adds great richness without overwhelming the tomatoes. And it's easy to keep these ingredients stocked in the house! Makes for amazing leftovers!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 299 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon white sugar
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• ¾ cup chopped fresh basil
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 white onions, diced
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat; cook and stir onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes more.

Step 2

Mix petite diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes, white wine, tomato paste, oregano, salt, sugar, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves into onion mixture; reduce heat to low, cover Dutch oven, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend, about 1 hour.

Step 3

Remove Dutch oven from heat. Add 1/2 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese, basil, and parsley into into sauce; stir until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle remaining cheese over sauce when serving.