Master the Olive Garden Marinara Sauce: Authentic Copycat Recipe & Canning Guide

Craving the rich, flavorful Olive Garden Marinara Sauce but prefer the comfort of your own kitchen? Look no further! This homemade marinara sauce recipe is a true copycat, delivering that iconic taste you love. Our substantial batch is brimming with ripe tomatoes, fragrant sweet basil, aromatic garlic, and savory onions, achieving a perfectly balanced sweet and tart profile. Whether you plan to savor it immediately, freeze it for future meals, or preserve it through our simple canning instructions, this versatile pasta sauce is a game-changer. It’s fantastic as a dipping sauce for appetizers or as the heart of your most beloved Italian dinners. We particularly love transforming this into a creamy five-cheese marinara sauce when preparing our famous Five Cheese Ziti al Forno!

This recipe is the culmination of careful research and culinary experimentation, designed to perfectly replicate the famous pasta sauce served at Olive Garden. After meticulously analyzing the ingredients and flavor profile of their marinara, I embarked on a journey of testing and refinement. The goal was to achieve that unmistakable balance of flavors and the desired consistency that makes Olive Garden’s sauce so beloved. My panel of taste testers unanimously approved, often finding it remarkably difficult to distinguish between my homemade version and the restaurant’s original! Get ready to impress your family and friends with this truly authentic Marinara sauce recipe.

What is Marinara Sauce? Unveiling the Classic Italian Staple

Marinara, a quintessential Italian tomato sauce, is globally recognized for its vibrant color and robust flavor. At Olive Garden, it serves as the signature red sauce, a foundational element in many of their most popular dishes. You’ll recognize its pulpy, rich texture in classics like Chicken and Eggplant Parmigiana, comforting Lasagna, classic Spaghetti with Meatballs, hearty Meat Sauce, and their immensely popular 5-Cheese Ziti.

Beyond its role as a pasta topping, the versatility of a well-made marinara sauce is astounding. Who would have thought a simple tomato sauce could extend its appeal from a main dinner course to an irresistible dipping sauce for appetizers? Imagine dipping warm, garlicky breadsticks, gooey mozzarella sticks, or crispy fried ravioli into this flavorful marinara. This recipe has quickly become our go-to marinara for all our culinary needs, even doubling as a fantastic base for homemade pizza!

Furthermore, this easy marinara sauce recipe yields a generous batch, making it ideal for meal prepping or long-term storage. You have the option to either freeze it or take the extra step of canning it. My preferred method involves cooking the marinara sauce briefly in a large pot, then carefully transferring it into sterilized jars, and finally, water bathing it for 30 minutes. This canning process creates a shelf-stable sauce that’s incredibly convenient to have on hand. However, if canning isn’t your preference, you can simply ladle the cooled marinara sauce into quart-sized freezer bags for equally effective long-term storage.

Essential Marinara Sauce Ingredients: The Secret to Olive Garden’s Flavor

The beauty of Olive Garden’s marinara sauce lies in its simplicity. The ingredients are straightforward, yet when combined in the right proportions, they create an incredibly rich and satisfying flavor. For this recipe, I opt for high-quality canned organic diced tomatoes, which I then pulse briefly with my trusty stick blender. This technique helps achieve that characteristic pulpy consistency, somewhere between diced and perfectly smooth crushed tomatoes.

• Canned Tomatoes: The foundation of any great marinara. While I recommend pulsing diced tomatoes for that ideal texture, you can also use high-quality canned crushed tomatoes to simplify the process further and skip the blending step.
• Onions: A significant component in Olive Garden’s marinara, onions provide a sweet and savory depth. Sautéing them until translucent creates a flavorful base that permeates the entire sauce.
• Fresh Garlic: Absolutely essential for an authentic Italian marinara. Freshly minced garlic adds a pungent, aromatic kick that dried garlic simply cannot replicate, elevating the overall flavor profile.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the onions and garlic, olive oil not only prevents sticking but also infuses a subtle, fruity undertone that complements the other ingredients beautifully. Any mild-flavored oil can be substituted if needed.
• Seasoning and Herbs: With such a simple ingredient list, careful seasoning is paramount. This Olive Garden copycat marinara is designed to be savory, tangy, and subtly sweet. Dried basil contributes a classic Italian herb note, while salt enhances all flavors, and a touch of sugar balances the natural acidity of the tomatoes.
• Parmesan Cheese: Olive Garden’s signature cheese, Parmesan is subtly incorporated into their marinara dipping sauce. Adding it to this recipe provides a wonderful umami depth and a salty, nutty complexity that rounds out the tomato base.
• Tomato Paste: This concentrated tomato product is key to achieving a thick, rich sauce without an excessively long simmering time. It intensifies the tomato flavor and helps thicken the marinara quickly and efficiently.
• Vinegar: A crucial ingredient for replicating that robust and tangy flavor signature to Olive Garden’s Classic Marinara Sauce! White distilled vinegar adds a bright acidity that cuts through the richness of the tomatoes, making the sauce truly pop. As an added benefit, increasing the acidity is excellent for canning and extending the sauce’s storage time.

Can I Substitute Fresh Tomatoes in Marinara Sauce?

Using fresh tomatoes in your marinara sauce is a fantastic way to utilize a bountiful garden harvest, imbuing the sauce with a unique freshness. While fresh tomatoes can certainly be used in place of canned, there are a few important considerations. The water content and pH levels of fresh tomatoes can vary significantly depending on the variety and ripeness. If your sauce appears too watery, you may need to cook it down for a longer period to achieve the desired consistency. Additionally, fresh tomatoes typically require blanching and peeling, followed by a process to turn them into crushed tomatoes, which adds extra steps and time to your homemade marinara sauce preparation. For consistency and convenience, especially when aiming for a specific copycat flavor, canned tomatoes often provide a more reliable base.

How To Make Marinara Sauce Just Like Olive Garden: Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this copycat Olive Garden Marinara sauce is surprisingly simple and comes together beautifully in a large pot with the help of a sturdy spatula! The process is quick and efficient, ensuring you’ll have a delicious, restaurant-quality sauce in no time. While I often take the extra step of canning this marinara for long-term storage, that part is entirely optional. Follow the photo tutorial in the recipe box below for a visual guide to making this quick and satisfying marinara sauce!

1. Prepare Crushed Tomatoes: If starting with diced tomatoes, immerse a hand blender directly into the can. Pulse briefly until you achieve a pulpy consistency, resembling crushed tomatoes with some delightful small chunks. Aim for short bursts (checking every 5 seconds) to avoid over-blending into a smooth puree.
2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, then add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the diced onion and sauté gently until it becomes translucent and softened, which usually takes about 5-8 minutes. Next, stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1-3 minutes until it becomes wonderfully fragrant, being careful not to let it brown or burn.
3. Combine and Simmer: Pour in your prepared crushed tomatoes, along with all the remaining ingredients. Stir everything together thoroughly, ensuring the tomato paste is well incorporated. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste has completely melted and the sauce is heated through. You don’t need to boil it vigorously.
4. Finish and Store: Your delicious marinara is now ready! Allow it to cool slightly before deciding on your storage method. For immediate use or short-term storage, transfer it to an airtight container. For longer preservation, ladle the cooled sauce into quart-sized freezer bags, squeezing out excess air before freezing. Alternatively, for shelf-stable convenience, proceed with my easy canning guide below.

Canning Homemade Olive Garden Marinara Sauce for Extended Freshness

To transform your delicious Olive Garden marinara sauce into a shelf-stable pantry staple, you’ll need to follow a few simple canning steps. First, ensure your canning jars are meticulously sterilized. Ladle the hot marinara sauce into these prepared jars, leaving adequate headspace, and securely seal them shut with lids and bands. Carefully place the quart jars into a water bath canner, ensuring the water level is at least 2 inches above the jar tops. I typically use hot tap water to start the process. Bring the water to a rapid, rolling boil and set a timer for 30 minutes. Once processing is complete, carefully remove the jars from the canner and allow them to cool undisturbed for 24 hours. After this cooling period, check for a good seal by pressing on the center of the lid – it should not flex or pop. Properly sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year or even longer, providing you with ready-to-use homemade marinara whenever you need it.

How Long Does Marinara Sauce Last in the Fridge? Understanding Storage Options

This homemade marinara sauce, thanks to the inclusion of vinegar which slightly lowers its pH levels, boasts a longer refrigerated shelf life than many typical marinara recipes. When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will remain fresh and delicious for 3-4 weeks. This extended duration makes it excellent for weekly meal prep. However, if you’re looking to significantly prolong its shelf life, you have two excellent options: freezing or canning. Freezing allows for several months of storage, simply thaw and reheat as needed. For the longest, most convenient storage, follow our detailed canning instructions outlined above to enjoy this flavorful sauce for a year or more.

Delicious Ways To Use Your Homemade Marinara Sauce

This versatile homemade marinara sauce can be used in virtually any recipe that calls for marinara, pasta sauce, or spaghetti sauce. Its rich, balanced flavor makes it an indispensable component in countless Italian-inspired dishes. Here are some of our favorite applications:

• Hearty Spaghetti Meat Sauce: Simply brown some ground sausage or beef and stir it into this flavorful pasta sauce for a quick and satisfying meal. It’s especially wonderful in an easy slow cooker version!
• Classic Baked Pasta: Layer it generously in your next Lasagna or toss it with freshly cooked Ravioli for a comforting, restaurant-quality dish.
• Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Parmesan: Elevate your Chicken Parmesan by spooning this vibrant marinara over tender, cream cheese-stuffed chicken breasts.
• Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno: This sauce is the perfect base for recreating Olive Garden’s famous baked ziti, especially when combined with a luxurious blend of cheeses.
• Irresistible Dipping Sauce: Serve it warm alongside your favorite fried appetizers like mozzarella sticks, calamari, or these fantastic homemade Olive Garden breadsticks for an authentic restaurant experience at home!
• Homemade Pizza Sauce: Spread a thin layer of this marinara onto your pizza crust before adding toppings for a burst of authentic Italian flavor.

Print
Rate
Pin

Olive Garden Marinara Sauce (Copycat)

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 18 cups

Experience the authentic taste of Olive Garden Marinara Sauce right at home with this incredible copycat recipe! This hearty batch is packed with the goodness of ripe tomatoes, fragrant sweet basil, fresh garlic, and savory onions, perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. It’s an ideal dipping sauce for appetizers or a rich base for your cherished Italian dinners. For an extra special treat, use it to create our popular Five Cheese Ziti al Forno! This recipe makes a generous quantity, and we’ve included clear instructions for both freezing and canning, so you can enjoy this delicious sauce any time.

Equipment

• 1 large 5 or 6 quart pot
• 1 Spatula
• Hand Blender (optional, for diced tomatoes)

Ingredients

For the Marinara Sauce:

• 84 oz crushed tomatoes (or 3 x 28oz cans diced tomatoes, pulsed)
• 3 large onions (diced)
• 9 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
• 7 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or mild flavored oil)
• 4 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 5 Tbsp salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dried basil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated, for flavor)
• 24 oz tomato paste
• 5 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

Directions:

• 

  If using diced tomatoes, blend them directly in the can using a hand blender until the tomatoes reach a crushed consistency. Ensure some small chunks remain for texture.
• 

  In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté until they become soft and translucent (approximately 5-8 minutes). Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until it is fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
• 

  Add the prepared crushed tomatoes, along with the sugar, salt, dried basil, Parmesan cheese, tomato paste, white distilled vinegar, and water to the pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• 

  Heat the marinara over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste has fully melted and the sauce is hot and gently simmering. There’s no need for a rolling boil.

Notes

Notes:

• This generous recipe yields approximately 4 1/2 quarts (about 18 cups) of delicious marinara sauce.
• For convenient long-term storage, refer to our detailed freezing or canning instructions provided in the article above.
• Always taste and adjust seasonings to your preference before serving or storing.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1cupCalories: 154kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 2457mgPotassium: 816mgFiber: 5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 886IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 3mg