Spicy Marinara Sauce

Let us make this spicy marinara sauce with fresh tomato, as tomatoes are in season now with the Instant Pot.

This spicy marinara sauce recipe is lusciously cooked with fresh tomato, garlic, and olive oil. This smooth sauce is better than the store-bought sauce and tastes like a restaurant-style.

Ready or not, summer is almost over. The fall season has officially started here in Pennsylvania. What does it mean? meaning, it is time to wrap up the backyard garden.

Furthermore, storing all the garden-fresh vegetables for the rest of the year is time.

Summer plants cannot withstand the brutal winter. So it is wise to make benefit of them before they die. The first plant in my garden that cannot bear the cold nights is this tomato plant.

The leaves already started becoming dry, and the plant began falling apart. But it had all the power to hold these red gold tomatoes with their wines intact.

Want to know the best recipe, which I always rely on whenever I find this plumpy red tomato? This Instant Pot marinara sauce recipe is the most sought-after one.

I plan to make it with Instant Pot today, as it can save more cooking time and minimize my workload. No standing behind the cooking range, no stirring work, no more splatters, no more hassles of cleaning up the backsplash, and the kitchen counter.

You may also check other Italian-style recipes like sweet potato pasta, vegan spinach pasta, shrimp bruschetta recipe, pumpkin pasta, buttermilk pasta, and coconut milk alfredo sauce.

This Instant Pot marinara recipe is the easiest and tastes like a classic Italian-style restaurant.

My recent visit to Italy shattered my knowledge of pasta, pizza, and the base tomato sauce. Italian pasta is not loaded with cheese as here in the United States. The low-cheese Italian pasta is equally tasty as the American cheesy pasta.

The new awareness of the health and body made me rethink the quantity of cheese in each serving portion. Though I like to have cheese, I started to minimize the amount and omit it wherever I could.

And this Instant Pot marinara sauce is a lifesaver for me when I see to cut down my cheese content.

This simple chunky marinara sauce in Instant Pot recipe is one of my recent explorations when trying to recreate my pasta sauce in Rome. We landed in Rome at brunch time. The array of roadside restaurants made me feel hungry.

We reached the hotel accommodation only after enjoying the authentic Italian pasta. And this is the inspiration for today's Instant Pot marinara sauce recipe. The pizza and the pasta I had there were incredible.

What is marinara sauce?

Marinara sauce is usually made with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and other Italian herbs. This sauce belongs to American-Italian cuisine.

And there are many variations in making it. I'm sharing the primary, simple recipe you can alter and customize according to your diet and menu.

Tomato sauce vs. marinara sauce

Marinara sauce is limited to the basic pasta sauce, typically prepared with tomato, olive oil, garlic, and basil. Whereas Tomato sauce is a broad term, it has multiple variations of making and numerous choices of ingredients.

Like in this Instant Pot marinara sauce, Tomato sauce includes marinara, meat, seafood, wine, and stock.

Why Instant Pot for making marinara sauce?

• The Instant Pot easily cuts down both time and effort. Using Instant Pot is very efficient when discussing time and effort.
• Preparing is effortless and does not need a large saucepot.
• Cleaning is like a breeze. I have tried making the sauce with large saucepans and soup pots. But I will end up cleaning the stove and the kitchen counter much more than I thought.
• No splatters. Since the sauce is cooked with the lids on and no splatters, even on the Instant Pot lids.
• Saves time. You can saute the tomatoes and set the timer in this homemade tomato sauce recipe. Usually, this process takes 20 minutes to cook time in the stovetop method. Where you need not keep an eye out for the burnt bottom.

How to thicken the spicy marinara sauce

The sauce made with the ingredients listed for Instant Pot marinara sauce will yield a perfect flowy consistency of the spicy sauce like this Cajun butter sauce. You may follow any of these simple ideas if you prefer a thick consistency.

• When you plan to thicken the sauce in the Instant Pot, leave the sauce in the inner stainless steel pot. And set the electric pressure cooker in the saute mode. Allow it to cook without the lids. This helps the moisture to evaporate and helps the sauce to thicken.
• If the sauce is too thin, you do not have enough time to heat it. Then strain the excess water and cook it till it gets reduced. But beware, since you are straining up the juices, there is some possibility that the taste of the sauce will also get diluted. So plan accordingly.
• You may also add onion powder and garlic powder to thicken up.
• Add bread crumbs. This has the potential to change the consistency of the sauce.
• Add cheese and reheat. The cheese acts as the binding agent, brings the sauce together, and sticks to the pasta.
• Add cornstarch or all-purpose flour diluted in the water and reheating.

Cooking With Pressure Cooker

This Italian marinara sauce can be made not only in an Instant Pot but in a pressure cooker as well. When using the pressure cooker, follow the procedure below until the sauteing step. Allow the pressure cooker for one whistle on high flame, then simmer the flame and cook for 5 minutes.

To Store

This spicy Instant Pot marinara sauce is good for up to five days when refrigerated and can be used for up to two months when frozen. Always use an airtight container for the best results.

The key ingredients

Onion. Onion and tomato are best buddies and never separable. Onion gives a creamy texture and mellows down the tomato's tartness in this Instant Pot marinara sauce. Sweet onion and yellow onion are my favorites when considering the marinara sauce.

Tomato. Ripe plum tomatoes turn this sauce unbelievably rich in color and a chunky texture. Roma tomatoes are the ultimate choice for this spicy marinara sauce recipe(If you don't have Roma tomatoes, use plum tomatoes instead).

Basil. Dried basil, helps you maintain the flavor. Fresh basil leaves are also the best choice, but the dried ones will not affect the taste. When adding fresh basil, add them as finely chopped.

Oregano. The rule of basil applies to oregano completely. Use them as dry versions or fresh ones, depending on the availability.

Red pepper flakes. This appends the heat and kicks to the sauce. Adjust the quantity to your personal choice. I always lean towards the weather, so I have added one teaspoon. And the heat hit the back of my throat, and I loved how it was. So, add the red pepper flakes cautiously. Roasted red peppers are also a good substitute for the red pepper flakes.

Olive oil. I would say, olive oil brings out the Italian flavors and blends the taste of tomato and herbs. If your pantry does not hold this currently, please stock them up before making this marinara sauce.

Diced tomatoes. You may also use tomato paste or crushed tomato instead.

Red wine is also another classic variation. I have not added it here in this recipe, but if you want red wine, add it to the Instant Pot after the garlic and before the tomato.

How to make Spicy Marinara sauce in Instant Pot

The setting of Instant Pot. First, set the Instant Pot in saute mode.
Seasoning ingredients. Then, add the olive oil and roughly chopped onion. Saute until the onion becomes soft and tender.

Adding Tomatoes. Add roughly chopped tomatoes and saute till the edges of the tomato become soft. Then, add a can of diced tomatoes.

Choice of Herbs. Now add basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Give a stir.
Set Instant Pot. Close the lid, and set the timer to 5 minutes manually. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Open the lid and check for the taste.

Use an immersion or a regular tabletop blender to pulse until no visible chunks are seen.
Transfer to the airtight bottles and store.

Printable recipe card