This thick gluten free marinara sauce recipe is made with a few simple ingredients, including tomato sauce, capers, olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil. It is the kind of sauce the whole family will want you to make each week. It even gets better overnight in the fridge!!
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: This gluten free marinara sauce that you can make with simple pantry ingredients. All you need is 30 minutes and your favorite gluten-free pasta for this delicious family meal.
This is a recipe that was taught to me by a chef I interviewed 18 years ago. Our family has been making it for so long that it is second nature to me. I toss everything into the pot, and it always turns out great. It doesn’t get any more tried and true than this.
If you are looking for more dinner inspiration, this Ground Pork Pasta Sauce, Gluten-Free Alfredo Sauce, and this Gluten-Free Meat Sauce are more family favorites. These Gluten-Free Garlic Knots or this Gluten-Free Pull Apart Garlic Bread taste incredible dipped into this sauce!
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Tomato Sauce – Use any brand, but I get plain tomato sauce, not flavored sauce. Most brands are gluten free, but always read the labels to make sure.
- Garlic – You can use fresh garlic or jarred minced garlic.
- Capers – Capers add deeper flavor. Any brand is fine. I fill my measuring spoon and then drain the liquid from the spoon before using it.
- Olive Oil – Use extra virgin olive oil
- Optional: leeks, onion, and crushed red peppers.
- Gluten Free Pasta – My favorite brands are Jovial, Rummo, and Tinkyada. Trader Joe’s has delicious gluten free fresh pasta and ravioli as well.
How to Make Gluten Free Marinara Sauce (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Cook your gluten free pasta according to the package directions, but one minute less. Every brand is slightly different, so use the recommended cooking time.
Step 2: With a large knife, smash two garlic cloves with the flat part of the knife. Chop it into small bits. You can also use a garlic press if you have one.
Step 3: Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with olive oil and sauté the garlic until soft and golden, about 2-3 minutes.
If you add the optional leeks or onions, add them now, too, so they soften.
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Step 4: Add in the tomato sauce, capers, seasonings, and fresh basil. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, letting the flavors develop. Add salt and pepper to taste.
As with any marinara sauce made from scratch, it gets better on the second day as the flavors mesh together overnight.
Can you use dried herbs in pasta sauce?
You can use fresh or dry herbs for your cooking. I try to use fresh herbs as often as I can. I even grow my herbs in my kitchen window.
Step 5: Add the pasta, which warms up quickly with the sauce. Toss and serve hot. You can also try this easy pasta hack on this delicious pasta with my popular Meat Sauce Recipe.
You can use this sauce to make this delicious Gluten Free Ziti Casserole. This is a great meal if you need to feed a large family. It tastes just like lasagna, but it is much easier to make.
Tips For Success
1. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box, but I recommend cooking it one minute less than the box says. This helps your pasta stay al dente.
2. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the water if you are cooking spaghetti. This can help prevent it from sticking together. Also, use a form to separate the spaghetti pieces 1-2 minutes after adding it to the water.
3. Avoid mushy pasta with these additional Gluten Free Pasta Cooking Tips.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can easily use any pasta for this recipe. Just be sure to follow the directions on the box or bag for cooking it, as the directions vary.
You can easily buy jarred marinara sauce. Rao’s, Mezzetta, Prego, and Newman’s Own are just a few.
More Gluten Free Pasta Recipes:
Learn how to make Gluten Free Ravioli with this great tutorial. Here are a few more of our Fearless Dining family favorites:
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Marinara Sauce in 30 Minutes
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 30 ounces organic tomato sauce 2 cans, see note
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooked gluten free pasta
- Optional: leeks or onion
Method
- Add 2 garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon olive oil saute until golden. (If you choose to use optional onion or leeks, add these now and cook with the garlic.)
- Add 2 tablespoons fresh basil and saute another 2 minutes.
- Add 30 ounces organic tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes.
- Toss with cooked gluten free pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
Notes
- I recommend using tomato sauce that has no additional seasonings.
- You can easily double this recipe, then freeze some of it so that you have pasta sauce on-hand at any time.
- This is a recipe that gets better as it is in the refrigerator.
- This sauce will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Private Notes
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Let us know how it was!
This post was updated from an older October 2020 post with more recipe details.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
Yummy and fresh! I really liked the addition of capers to this recipe. Added a great flavor!
Capers are so underused! Glad you liked it.