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Substitute for Marinara sauce

What it does in a recipe: Quick tomato-garlic sauce: the weeknight pasta workhorse.

2 substitutes, ranked by what's already in your pantry. Amounts are dataset values — US and metric where a ratio exists.

Crushed tomatoes, simmered

per 1 cup marinara

US1 cup crushed tomatoes + 1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 garlic clove + basil; simmer 15 min
Metric245 g tomatoes + aromatics, simmered
Pantry stapleBaking-safe ✓Alcohol-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeFish-freeGluten-freeNut-freePeanut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-freeVegan

The real thing from a can.

What changes: Fresher, chunkier

Tomato paste + water + herbs

per 1 cup marinara

US2 Tbsp paste + 1 cup water + 1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 garlic clove + 1/2 tsp oregano; simmer 15 min
Metric30 g paste + 240 ml water + aromatics
Pantry stapleBaking-safe ✓Alcohol-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeFish-freeGluten-freeNut-freePeanut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-freeVegan

Pantry-only version.

What changes: Simpler flavor

Related swaps

Common questions

What can I use instead of Marinara sauce?
Crushed tomatoes, simmered: 1 cup crushed tomatoes + 1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 garlic clove + basil; simmer 15 min. Tomato paste + water + herbs: 2 Tbsp paste + 1 cup water + 1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 garlic clove + 1/2 tsp oregano; simmer 15 min.
What is the exact ratio to substitute Marinara sauce?
Crushed tomatoes, simmered (per 1 cup marinara) — US: 1 cup crushed tomatoes + 1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 garlic clove + basil; simmer 15 min. Metric: 245 g tomatoes + aromatics, simmered.
What changes when you substitute Marinara sauce?
Fresher, chunkier. Simpler flavor.

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