In this roasted garlic marinara, oven roasted garlic cloves are blended into a wine infused tomato sauce. This sauce is great for dipping mozzarella bites or in your next pasta or spaghetti squash recipe!

Roasted Garlic Marinara

One of my favorite food-smells in the world is onions and butter (or oil) cooking on the stove. Something about it will instantly teleport me back to my childhood kitchen. My mom cooking in her apron and my nose hovering two inches above the pan.

My second favorite food related smell in the world is homemade pasta sauce simmering. As you know, I rarely buy store bought sauce, because I’d couldn’t bear to miss out on the smell of it bubbling away. Obviously I love it because sauces usually have the whole onions sautéing thing going on but add in all those herbs and garlic.

Roasted Garlic Marinara

This sauce is all the things I love wrapped in one. The whole aroma thing was intensified by adding in a whole head of roasted garlic into a wine infused marinara. All that’s needed now is some pasta or mozzarella bites!

Ingredients for Roasted Garlic Marinara

To Make This Roasted Garlic Marinara You Will Need:

  • whole head of garlic
  • olive oil
  • a large shallot
  • italian seasoning
  • dry red wine
  • San Marzano tomatoes (that have been pureed until smooth)
  • tomato sauce
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • sugar
  • a pinch or two of chili flakes (optional)

First things first, roast the garlic.

You can always do this in advance if you’d like. I just peel off the cloves from 1 small head of garlic (peels are still on) and place them in the center of a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Then I drizzle the cloves with a little olive oil, seal the foil so it’s resembles a purse and then I place it in a preheated 400℉ (or 200℃) oven for about 40 minutes. Once the garlic is safe to handle, I’ll peel off that outer skin of each clove and mash all of the garlic with a fork to form a paste.

I do this instead of roasting the whole cove intact, because I feel I waste more when I roast garlic that way.

saute shallots and herbs with roasted garlic paste

In a large 12-inch skillet, sauté 1 large, diced shallot in 1 teaspoon olive oil until tender. Add in the roasted garlic paste and 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, stirring to combine. If using, add the red pepper flakes with the italian seasoning. Smells heavenly!

add in tomatoes and wine to shallot mixture.

Then pour in 1/4 cup dry red wine with a (28 ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes that has been pureed, 1 (14.5 ounce) can tomato sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Stir to combine.

simmer sauce

Allow the sauce to simmer for 15 to 25 minutes before serving if using right away. If making the sauce in advance, I only simmer it for 10 minutes because I know I would be simmering it the following day with the spaghetti and meat sauce. Season with 1-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – or to taste.

Roasted Garlic Marinara

Ps. the smell of this roasted garlic marinara is heavenly.

Enjoy! And if you give this Roasted Garlic Marinara recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

Roasted Garlic Marinara

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Roasted Garlic Marinara

In this roasted garlic marinara, oven roasted garlic cloves are blended into a wine infused marinara. This sauce is great for dipping mozzarella bites or in your next spaghetti recipe! Yields 4 cups.

Ingredients

  • 1 head garlic
  • olive oil
  • 1 large shallot
  • 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup dry red wine
  • 28 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes, puree in blender until smooth
  • 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 pinch chili flakes, optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 400℉ (or 200℃).
  • Peel cloves away from the head of garlic with the skin intact. Place in the center of a a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and drizzle with a little olive oil and fold edges to create a purse. Roast for 35-45 minutes. Once garlic cloves are cool to handle, remove skins and mash with a fork.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add oil and shallots and cook until tender. About 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add in mashed roasted garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute before adding in the wine, pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar and pepper flakes (if using).
  • Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes if using it as a pasta sauce. If using in a baked pasta dish, I only simmer for 10 minutes.
  • If making in advance; allow the sauce to cool before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 2924mg, Potassium: 267mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 112IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 131mg, Iron: 2mg