This Quick Keto Italian Marinara Sauce is easy to make at home and less expensive than buying store bought brands.
Homemade Marinara sauce versus Store Bought Marinara
Healthy, delicious, sugar-free tomato sauce is hard to come by in a jar or can. Most often it contains ingredients I don't want in my body, like sugar. For those with gluten sensitivities, buying store bought of any product can be challenging. Most jarred tomato sauces are gluten free, but isn't it better to be able to be in control of what goes into your body by simply making your own?
It is not as long a process as one might think. Its very simple, economical and tastes even better! It's much less expensive to buy 2 cans of crushed tomato than it is to buy 2 jars of prepared marinara sauce.
So when you have a hankering for some delicious, authentic Italian sauce , you must try this. You will never want to buy prepared sauce again!
Freezer Friendly Marinara Sauce
This keto marinara sauce is so simple you won't ever need to buy store bought again! Make a big batch and freeze in smaller containers so it'll be easier to thaw when you need it! Use this sauce for my Keto Skillet Chicken Parmesan recipe, or my Chicken Parm Calzone or just over Mini Zucchini Pizza Bites or Miracle Pasta.
Traditional Italian Bolognese
If you prefer a chunky, meaty sauce you can try my Traditional Italian Bolognese sauce that is out of this world! You just can't go wrong with a homemade, gluten- free, sugar-free and downright flavorful tomato sauce any day of the week! A big stock pot is all you need to prepare this amazing authentic, keto sauce. My family loves this and I believe yours will as well! The meatballs you see here in these pics are a recipe from my new cookbook, Naturally Keto.
Meal Plan Membership
Our membership is simple. You can subscribe for a month to try it out or you can subscribe for a yearly membership. Each Friday you will get a meal plan that comes to your email. You'll have that early in order to go food shopping before the meal plan begins on Sunday. You will be able to view and print the meal plan and the shopping list. If you don't like a meal, simply delete it and swap it with another meal you like. The shopping list will automatically adjust. It's the best software available out there for a customizable menu plan. Not many other low carb or keto meal plans allow you the option to remove, add, start with a blank menu and create your own if you so wish. Learn More about our meal plans!
Quick Keto Italian Marinara Sauce

Quick Keto Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 56 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoon fennel seed crushed
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- red chili pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot. Sauté the garlic just until fragrant.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Once at a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 25-30 minutes.
- Stir, taste and adjust seasonings. Makes about 8 cups.
- Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Mike
Just a simple FYI. Meatballs do not go with pasta if you are Italian, that is an American thing to combine the two. Also, Alfreda is not Italian at all. I've been "schooled"... Real Italian food is quite different than American "Italian" food. I married a "genuine" Italian (born & raised in Italy) whose father is a chef in Italy.
Brenda
My father is Sicilian who came to the USA at 15 and my mother is an American Italian. I disagree that meatballs and pasta don't go together if you're an "Italian". My own Sicilian Nonna served it like that as well, while not a chef she made amazing food and telling someone they are not a "genuine" Italian is highly insulting.
Homekitchenary
I just tried this recipe last night and it was really awesome in taste. Thanks for the perfect recipe and keep sharing such a worth content.
Varun sharma
. I look forward to trying recipes.
Diane Cuzdey
What Kind of pasta did you use?
Brenda
Linked in the recipe ingredients, shiritayki noodles.
Deidra
I totally messed this up. I read the water workout a space. Thought it was way too much, but followed the recipe as I thought it was written.
Brenda
sorry this is an old recipe and the plug in messed up the 1.5 cups, my apologies.
Chesney Boyer
Hello. I tried this recipe but it came out runny. It had great flavor but I didn’t get the consistency right. Any suggestions as to what I may have done wrong? I only used 1cup water.
Erich
I tried this recipe, following everything as described, but it came out very runny - more like a very watery soup. Not anything like a tomato sauce and nothing like the picture shown. I don't know what I did wrong, but it just did not work as described.
Stephanie
Is this supposed to have 11/2 cup water aka 5.5 cups or 1 1/2 cups water aka 1.5 cups?
Brenda
1.5 cups
sherrie
Thank you! great sugar-free tomato sauce~~
Bethany
I made this for dinner tonight and it's great!
Brenda
thanks!
Grace L
Thank You! I used this in a vegan grilled veggie lasagna. It was good enough to satisfy some meat lovers!
Natalie R
I haven't bought tomato sauce since I started making this recipe. Delicious, free of unknown / mysterious additives, and so versatile! I use this to bake chicken, mix with zucchini noodles and tons of other dishes. Always have a jar in my fridge ready to go. THANK YOU!
Brenda
thanks for sharing!
Ashley
Can the olive oiled be substituted with canola? Thanks!
Brenda
I'm sure you could if that's the oil you prefer.
R Wm. Gray
In response to the canning query. I have been canning for twenty-five years. In that time I have canned several different recipes of spaghetti sauce...successfully...as Brenda says, "Following proper canning procedures". But can the sauce only...do not try to can it with the pasta in it.
renee
I have been trying to find an easy pasta sauce recipe to make as my husband and I are trying our best to cut out processed foods. This a sauce I feel comfortable making! Thanks! Oh, and as a WW member, I love that you've included the points value 🙂
Beth S.
Delish! We are currently doing a 21 Day Sugar Detox program, and this sauce is so tasty, I don't even miss the sugar (or salt), which I'm using in an eggplant parmesan recipe. Thank you!
Larissa
I love the recipe. I will never buy jarred spaghetti sauce again. We are also watching our salt intake so I buy no salt added tomatoes and leave out the salt. I add extra herbs and garlic to make up for not having salt.
Stacie Kohler
Hi there, I am on a special very strict diet that is being monitored by a Dr. What I am able to eat outside of the 3 meals given to me is very limited. so other than meat and salad it has been very hard to try and expand my menu following their guidelines. There is allot that I am not able to have. So finding this recipe of yours is like a gold mine for me and I can't wait to see what else you have available!!! Thank you soo much I am very excited.
Sherri Chenoweth
Hi there I was just looked for some no sugar added recipes and came across your website. This recipe looks delish and I am super excited to try it but I just wanted to note that tomatoes do have their own sugar without any added. Even the brands you mentioned have sugar in them just no added sugar. If you look at their nutritional label you will see the grams of sugar in the cans listed there. For a diabetic the nutritional information box your provide may be misleading.
Brenda
HI Sherri,
I calculate my nutrition info through my food diary.com and feel pretty confident that the information is accurate. Since you questioned it I redid the information once more and realized I actually had too few servings for the recipe. I just adapted it now and although natural sugar is in tomatoes, divided by the amount here per serving it is very low.
Andrea DelSandro
Great recipe Brenda, it was a big success with your cauliflower cheese bread. Keep those recipes coming, hehe. 😀 I sure do appreciate your expertise in sugar-free eating. I look forward to your modified Egg tarts!! 🙂