Oil Free Marinara Sauce | A Plantiful Path (2024)

This Oil-free Marinara sauce is so easy to put together, tastes wonderful, and is a great base for a variety of Italian recipes.

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Oh, how I love Italian Food! I could never get tired of the pastas, the sauces, and the breads and cheeses! I wish there were more good vegan options in the restaurants in my area. But, alas, there are not, so it’s up to me to create these vegan dishes myself.

While I do at times resort to store bought marinara sauce, those sauces are usually higher in sugars, salt, and oil than I would like. While the jarred sauces are certainly convenient, I like to be able to control what goes into my sauce.

This oil-free marinara sauce is a staple recipe in my house. I usually double the recipe and freeze it in wide mouth quart jars. This provides me with the start of several meals.

Some of the ways I use this sauce are:

• Spooned over Fresh Pasta
• Lasagna
• Stuffed Shells
• With Vegan Ravioli
• “Meatball” Subs
• Baked Ziti
• Pizza

When I was growing up, my mom regularly made huge pots of spaghetti sauce. It would simmer for hours on the stove. Those sauce making days usually ended up being pizza night. She would thaw out frozen bread dough for the crust, spread on a generous amount of sauce, and top it with all of our favorite pizza toppings.

I have many memories of birthday slumber parties with Mom’s pizza, followed by ice skating, and going home to stay up all night talking and giggling. Oh, those were the days!

What’s in this oil-free marinara sauce?

Like my mom’s sauce, I like to add extra vegetables to my marinara sauce for additional nutrients and flavor. In addition to the tomatoes, my sauce is filled with onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Plenty of herbs are added, as well as just a touch of red wine. The wine can be omitted, and the sauce is still wonderful!

How to make this marinara sauce

Begin by sauteing the onions, celery, and carrots. You don’t need to use any oil to saute your vegetables. Just make sure to start with large pot that has been preheated to about medium high.

As you saute the vegetables, you will start to see some browning on the bottom of the pan, and the vegetables will start to stick. Add a couple tablespoons of water and stir to deglaze the pan. These caramelized bits will add nice flavor to your sauce.

After the onions have become translucent, add the garlic and saute for about two more minutes. Add water as necessary to prevent sticking. Be careful not to let your garlic burn.

Then add in the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Simmer the sauce for at least an hour, so the flavors can develop and the vegetables can soften.

Before serving, puree the sauce with an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender, puree it in batches in a blender. You can puree it until it is very smooth (how my girls like it), or leave some chunks of vegetable in it.

And there you have it! A nice big pot of savory marinara, ready for your favorite Italian dish!

How long does this Oil-Free Marinara keep?

You can store this marinara in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or store extra sauce in the freezer for up to 6 months.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Vegan Caesar Salad
• Vegan Parmesan
• Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Vegan Spinach Pesto
• Easy Vegan Pesto
• Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
• Vegan Italian Sausages
• Italian Sausage and Peppers Sandwich
• Vegan Lasagna
• Vegan Stuffed Shells
• Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Are you new to oil free cooking? Check out my Oil Free Cooking Tips to learn more about oil free baking, roasting, sauteing, and more!

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Nutrition calculations are approximate.