Marinara Sauce (Cleary)

A marinara sauce with a few tricks up its sleeve. Sauteed onion, garlic, and parsley build the aromatic base, mushrooms add earthy body, and crushed Italian plum tomatoes with tomato paste create a thick, rich sauce. But the real secret is the unconventional flavor boosters: steak sauce, barbecue sauce, and ketchup.

That trio sounds wild in a marinara, but each one adds a different dimension of umami, sweetness, and tang that rounds out the tomato flavor in ways that oregano and garlic alone can’t. The amounts are small enough that you’d never identify them in the finished sauce, but you’d miss them if they weren’t there.

Half an hour of simmering reduces everything into a thick, clingy sauce perfect for pasta, pizza, or dipping.

Kitchen Tips

• Saute the mushrooms after the onion and garlic so they brown slightly and concentrate their flavor before the liquid goes in.
• Crush the plum tomatoes by hand or with a spoon for a rustic, chunky texture. Or blend for a smoother sauce.
• Simmer uncovered so the liquid reduces and the sauce thickens properly. A covered pot traps steam and keeps it thin.
• This sauce freezes well. Make a double batch and freeze in portions.

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the oregano for a spicy arrabbiata-style sauce.
• Stir in fresh basil at the end of cooking for a brighter, more herbaceous finish.
• Brown Italian sausage and add it to the sauce for a heartier meat version.