I had a serious think about which recipe to start this blog out with (because that kind of sets the tone, right?) and then it became so clear that it had to be something that I love making and that I’ve always wanted to share.

One of the first things that I truly learned to master in the kitchen was definitely marinara sauce. You know how some people talk about having made a recipe hundreds of times and you’re like “who makes something that many times…”? Then I thought about it a bit, and I guess I do have a few recipes that I love so much (and have for so long) that I must have made them at least a few hundred times over the years. This tomato sauce is definitely one of those recipes.

When I first started getting interested in cooking, I naturally started with all things Italian because that was (and still is…) my favorite food. With a few simple ingredients that we almost always have on hand, you can make a restaurant-worthy dish in a matter of minutes. I used to think that making pasta sauce involved sautéing some veggies, browning some beef and adding in a jar of store-bought sauce. As the years went on, the more I realized that the best tomato sauce is one with the fewest ingredients. Simplicity is key with this recipe, because the end result is so rich and tomato-ey – adding anything else is just really unnecessary. After a long busy day, sometimes all you need is a nice bowl of pasta tossed in some olive oil, salt + pepper, with a few spoonfuls of this marinara sauce.

This is my definite go-to recipe when I don’t have time to cook a more elaborate meal, or just when I need a big helping of comfort food. This is good on pasta, pizza or even just as a dip for an oven-toasted piece of baguette!

With just a few ingredients, this sauce is a no-brainer fool-proof recipe that anyone can master. Bon appetit !

What was the first thing you truly got just right in the kitchen? If you have recipes and photos, please share!