Marinara Sauce – 6 Things You Didn’t Know

Italy is known for its simple and straightforward preparations in cooking. With only a handful of ingredients, they can make a world-class pasta sauce called “Marinara Sauce.”

This thin, bright red sauce is just perfect for your household as the ingredients can normally be found in your pantry.

Tomatoes, basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and garlic are some familiar names in the kitchen that we will need to make marinara sauce. Shop here if you want to get a wide variety of homemade marinara sauce delivered to your doorstep.

Sometimes, it still depends on whose household you are in. Some may add herbs and meat to their marinara sauce. However, it will lose its signature thin consistency as another ingredient is added.

While you already know that marinara sauce may vary from household to household, you may also want to dig deeper and read these six things that you probably didn’t know about marinara sauce.

Marinara sauce is an excellent substitute for pizza sauce.

Marinara sauce and pizza sauce have the same base ingredients, which is why cooks interchangeably use marinara sauce and pizza sauce in their kitchen table.

However, even if we previously described marinara as a thin, simple sauce, it is still thicker than pizza sauce.

The purpose of marinara is to cover the pasta. It needs to be thick enough, or sometimes chunky, to get along with the pasta noodles. On the other hand, pizza sauce is for dough.

They needed to be spread to get a flavorful base for the pizza. So when the chefs are using them, they have to make changes so they match each other’s consistency.

For the marinara sauce, adding water as you reheat may lighten the consistency of the sauce so it matches that of pizza sauce.

On the other hand, pizza sauce should be thicker for pasta. Cooks usually add tomato paste to thicken the pizza sauce so they can use it for pasta.

Marinara sauce can last up to six months when frozen.

Homemade tomato sauces, like marinara sauce, can easily get spoiled as preservatives are not present in their making.

However, marinara sauce can be stored in the freezer as long as there are no dairy products in the sauce.

Here are some tips you want to know when you are storing your marinara:

  • It is best to store marinara in an airtight container. It’s also a good idea to leave some space between the lid and the lock because liquids expand when they freeze.
  • Make sure that your marinara sauce is at room temperature before storing it.
  • Some who use ziplock prefer to flatten the sauce before stacking and freezing it. Freezing your marinara sauce can extend its shelf life by up to six month.

Marinara Sauce can function as spaghetti sauce too.

Just like pizza sauce, marinara, and spaghetti sauce share the same base ingredients, so it is not surprising that marinara can be used for spaghetti too.

Marinara sauce is generally thinner in consistency, while spaghetti sauce is on the thicker side.

This is due to the fact that spaghetti sauce contains meat, making it thicker and richer in flavor. To thicken a marinara sauce:

  • You can simmer it down or use a tomato paste to reduce the thin texture.
  • Afterward, you can add the meat of your choice for a tastier sauce (ground pork, turkey, or beef, Italian sausage, etc.).
  • You may also consider adding herbs to make your marinara-turned-spaghetti sauce richer.

Marinara sauce can go bad if not stored properly.

Homemade sauces are not processed, making them more acidic. The susceptibility of marinara is high since it is usually made from scratch.

Pasta sauces can only survive 5 to 7 days before spoiling, while those that are available in cans can go up to 12 months without being opened.

An opened can of pasta can only last for 10 days before getting moldy, as previously said, the best way to store marinara sauce is by freezing it in an airtight container.

Marinara sauce can replace tomato sauce.

Marinara is also a good alternative for people who do not have tomato sauce in their kitchen. As we all know, the marinara sauce can easily be cooked and made with a handful of ingredients.

On the other hand, tomato sauce has a thicker consistency due to the long hours of preparation and the inclusion of vegetables, meat, and slurry in the ingredients.

If marinara is used to replace tomato sauce, it is still possible.

But, changes in taste may vary because marinara is less rich and more acidic than tomato sauce, making it a healthy option for some.

While marinara sauce is often labeled as “pizza sauce,” marinara cannot do as much with tomato sauce as it will be a long process to achieve a tomato sauce-like taste.

Marinara can be served either hot or cold.

Pasta sauces like marinara can be eaten either hot or cold, but people have different preferences when it comes to eating.

For pasta, it is ideal for the marinara sauce to be served hot, as all the flavors are perceptible when the food is hot.

Pasta can easily get to room temperature too, especially when mixed with a cold marinara sauce. That is why it is important to reheat first before mixing with pasta.

It is also advisable to consume the pasta immediately. Moreover, a. cold marinara sauce is also served as a dipping sauce for :

  • nachos,
  • mozzarella sticks,
  • breadsticks,
  • shrimp cocktails,
  • and chips.

Many people are fascinated with simple and delicious foods that only require a minimum of preparation.

These six things that you may have known just by now go to show how flexible marinara sauce is. By cooking with basic ingredients, you can easily adjust the marinara sauce according to what is needed.

It can be used as a pizza sauce, an alternative to spaghetti sauce, and tomato sauce. Marinara is not just a sauce we put on our pasta or a dip served to compliment chips. It is one of the foundations of Italian cuisine that introduced Italy to the whole world.

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