When I first discovered Rao’s marinara sauce, I felt like I had found liquid gold in a jar—clean tomato flavor, silky texture, and just the right balance of garlic and olive oil. But over time, I noticed two things: the price kept climbing, and the flavor seemed less magical than it once was. At nearly $8–$10 per jar, it’s a treat, not a pantry staple. That’s when I decided to make my own version—something big-batch, can-worthy, and just as bright and rich as the original.
This is my homemade Rao’s-inspired marinara sauce, scaled up for canning day so you can keep it on your shelf all year long.
A Quick History of Spaghetti & Sauce
Ask most Americans about spaghetti, and they’ll tell you it’s an Italian classic. That’s true—but the story is a little more complicated.
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In Italy, pasta sauces tend to be lighter, fresher, and often cling only gently to the noodles. Think simple tomato and basil, or a splash of olive oil with garlic.
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In America, waves of Italian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries adapted Old World cooking to New World abundance. Tomatoes were plentiful, meat was more accessible, and garlic was cheap. Over time, spaghetti with rich tomato sauce became a hearty family staple in Italian-American communities.
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By the mid-20th century, spaghetti night was as American as meatloaf or burgers. Jars of sauce lined grocery store shelves, promising “homemade” flavor without the simmering pot.
So while the roots are Italian, the spaghetti dinners we know today—big plates of pasta smothered in red sauce—are very much an American invention.
The Recipe: Homemade Marinara Sauce for Canning
(yields about 6 quarts / 12 pints)
Ingredients
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5 cans (28 oz each) San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
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1 cup extra virgin olive oil
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2 medium onions, finely chopped
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15 cloves garlic, minced
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10 Tbsp tomato paste
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2½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
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1–2 tsp sugar (optional)
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2–3 tsp dried oregano (optional)
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2–3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
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15–20 fresh basil leaves, torn (or 2 tsp dried basil)
Instructions
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Heat olive oil in a large stockpot. Cook onions until soft, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
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Stir in tomato paste, cook 2–3 minutes until darkened.
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Add tomatoes, salt, sugar (if needed), oregano, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Blend lightly for a smoother sauce if desired. Stir in basil in the last 5 minutes of cooking (or omit and add fresh later).
Canning Directions
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Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.
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Add 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice or ½ tsp citric acid per quart (1 Tbsp / ¼ tsp for pints).
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Process pints 35 minutes or quarts 40 minutes in a boiling water bath (adjust for altitude).
When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking Dinner…
Having jars of this sauce on your shelf is like having a personal chef in the pantry. On nights when you don’t want to cook, here are easy ways to put it to work:
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Classic Spaghetti Night: Boil pasta, heat a jar, toss together. Dinner’s ready in 15 minutes.
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Homemade Pizza: Spread sauce on a store-bought crust or flatbread, add cheese and toppings, bake until bubbly.
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Shakshuka-Style Eggs: Warm sauce in a skillet, make small wells, crack in eggs, cover, and cook until set. Serve with bread.
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Quick Meatball Subs: Heat frozen meatballs in the sauce, pile into hoagie rolls, top with cheese.
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Soup Starter: Add broth, beans, and pasta for a fast minestrone-style soup.
It’s the jar you’ll be grateful for when your fridge looks bare and takeout sounds too expensive.
Is Homemade More Cost-Effective?
Here’s the frugal math:
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San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz can): ~$3 each → $15 for 5
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Olive oil, onions, garlic, paste, and herbs: ~$6–8
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Total batch cost: ~$21–23 for 6 quarts
That’s about $3.50–$3.80 per quart jar (32 oz).
Compare that to Rao’s: $8–10 per 24 oz jar in most grocery stores. Even generic store sauces hover around $3–5 for a smaller jar. With homemade, you’re getting better flavor, bigger jars, and shelf stability for half the cost.
Final Thoughts
Making your own marinara sauce isn’t just about saving money—it’s about capturing a flavor you love and making it truly your own. This Rao’s-inspired recipe lets you stock your pantry with jars of homemade comfort, ready for any busy night when cooking feels like too much work.
Give this one a try, and you may never go back to store-bought again.
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