Confused about the difference between marinara vs. tomato sauce? They're both made with tomatoes, but one is thicker and more complex than the other. Here's how to make (and use) each one.
Most of us are pretty familiar with Italian tomato sauce. It’s tossed with pasta for any number of quick-and-easy weeknight dinners, simmered with eggs for shashuka or slathered onto homemade pizza dough.
We often see the terms “tomato sauce” and “marinara” used interchangeably on the jars of sauce in the grocery store. You’ll even find some specifically labeled as spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce. Here’s our best jarred pasta sauce collection to stock your pantry.
Which begs the question: Other than the fact that they all contain tomatoes, are these sauces actually that different?
Marinara is a simple sauce made with garlic, crushed red pepper and basil, and it comes together in about an hour. Tomato sauce, on the other hand, is thick, rich and complex. Making it takes hours. Tomato sauce typically contains more ingredients, too, including vegetables and salt pork.
What is marinara?
When most of us think of tomato sauce, we’re actually thinking about marinara. Marinara is tomato sauce, but it’s a thinner, simplier sauce that cooks very quickly: It only needs to simmer for about an hour. The sauce gets its characteristic flavor by the addition of garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and herbs like basil and oregano. You can make marinara with any type of tomato, but varieties of plum or paste tomatoes work best. For a classic version, use sweet, low-acid San Marzano tomatoes.
Because marinara isn’t too complex in flavor, it’s perfect for pasta and pizza (and these other marinara-based recipes). It may even be labeled “pizza sauce” at the store.
Wondering about the difference between marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce? Spaghetti sauce is a version of marinara, but it usually contains additional ingredients, like meat or vegetables.
What is tomato sauce?
Unlike marinara, tomato sauce is thick, rich, complex and not traditionally vegetarian. It’s based on the classic French mother sauce, sauce tomat. It starts with salt pork or bacon, onions, carrots and a roux made of flour and butter. Then, you add fresh tomatoes, bay leaves, garlic and veal stock (although many modern-day recipes use chicken stock instead). This sauce isn’t finished quickly, either; it simmers for hours, thickening up as it goes and allowing the flavors to deepen and become almost sweet.
If you’ve ever heard of Sunday gravy or Sunday sauce, that’s a variation of classic tomato sauce. It usually contains additional meat, like pork ribs, ground beef or Italian sausage.
Tomato sauce’s rich flavor and thick texture make it better suited for smothering foods like a gravy. It can be ladled over pasta, but it’s almost never used as pizza sauce. You can also serve it over biscuits for breakfast or use it to smother meat dishes like chicken cacciatore.
Give this old-fashioned tomato sauce recipe a try, or take your tomato sauce to the next level and make Sunday sauce.
Can you substitute marinara sauce for tomato sauce?
Since both sauces are made with tomatoes as their base, it is possible to substitute marinara for tomato sauce. Using marinara instead of tomato sauce can make a recipe vegetarian-friendly, and it’s a great way to shave time when preparing weeknight dinners. That said, marinara is not as heavy or flavorful as tomato sauce, so the flavor and texture of the finished dish will be very different.
FAQs
Rather than having a thin consistency like a traditional marinara, tomato sauce is often thicker and sits on top of your pasta dishes. The flavors of a tomato sauce are simmered together slowly, giving them time to develop. The end result is a red sauce that is traditionally a bit sweeter than a marinara.
Is marinara sauce the same as tomato sauce? ›
Rather than having a thin consistency like a traditional marinara, tomato sauce is often thicker and sits on top of your pasta dishes. The flavors of a tomato sauce are simmered together slowly, giving them time to develop. The end result is a red sauce that is traditionally a bit sweeter than a marinara.
Can I substitute marinara sauce for tomato sauce? ›
Can you substitute marinara sauce for tomato sauce? Since both sauces are made with tomatoes as their base, it is possible to substitute marinara for tomato sauce. Using marinara instead of tomato sauce can make a recipe vegetarian-friendly, and it's a great way to shave time when preparing weeknight dinners.
Why do Americans call tomato sauce marinara? ›
We call it marinara because that is what it is by definition. marinara | Definition of marinara in English by Oxford Dictionaries tells us: Denoting a sauce made from tomatoes, onions, and herbs, served especially with pasta. From the Italian phrase alla marinara 'sailor-style'.
Should I use marinara sauce for spaghetti? ›
Marinara can be used as a spaghetti sauce or with any other type of pasta, or it can be used as a dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks, breadsticks, and more. Spaghetti sauce uses all those same base ingredients and then takes it to the next level with proteins and/or vegetables.
Can I use marinara sauce instead of tomato sauce in chili? ›
I love using marinara sauce in my soups and chilis! It all started with this easy minestrone soup and now I'm hooked. It gives soups and this easy homemade chili a really rich flavor, so much more than regular diced tomatoes.
What is another name for tomato sauce? ›
Tomato sauce (also known as salsa roja in Spanish, sauce tomate in French or salsa di pomodoro in Italian) can refer to many different sauces made primarily from tomatoes, usually to be served as part of a dish, rather than as a condiment.
Is Ragu a marinara sauce? ›
RAGÚ® Old World Style® Marinara Sauce serves up a savory blend of tomatoes, onions and extra virgin olive oil for a classic marinara sauce.
Is pizza sauce the same as marinara? ›
Is Pizza Sauce the Same as Marinara? Pizza sauce and marinara sauce are similar but not the same. Pizza sauce is thicker in consistency than marinara sauce because the tomatoes are pureed instead of lightly blended. Pizza sauce is usually cooked on a pizza crust, whereas marinara sauce is served as a dip or topping.
Can you use Prego as marinara sauce? ›
Be the hero at dinner with Prego® Marinara Sauce. Versatile and delicious, this classic red sauce features the bold flavors of vine-ripened tomatoes combined with tasty seasonings.
In Britain, the word ketchup is used, but it's also often called tomato sauce, which sounds confusing if you're a fan of Italian food; in North America tomato sauce goes on pasta and pizza, not French fries.
Do Italians use marinara on pasta? ›
Yes, absolutely. In fact, in central Italy there's a spaghetti sauce based on the Americanized version of marinara called “sugo finto”…but you will have to live with the fact that it translates literally to “fake sauce.” Who knew Italy was so tough on poseurs!
What do Italians call tomato sauce? ›
Here's the gist: the two ways Italians say “sauce” in Italian are salsa and/or sugo. Both words translate as “sauce” but never as “gravy.”
Does marinara sauce have another name? ›
In the traditional Italian American community it is called gravy. Outside it is called spaghetti sauce or red sauce.
What is the Italian word for tomato sauce? ›
Translation of "Tomato sauce" in Italian. Noun. salsa di pomodoro f.
What is tomato pasta sauce called? ›
Marinara sauce is a tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions. Variations include capers, olives, spices, and a dash of wine.
What is orange pasta sauce called? ›
Most commonly seen on restaurant menus as "penne alla vodka," vodka sauce is a creamy, sweet, tomato-based sauce. Its pale, almost orange-y color comes from the addition of heavy cream and Parmesan cheese to a mixture of butter, onions, garlic, crushed tomatoes, and vodka.
