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Quick and Easy Keto Marinara Sauce Recipe

One ingredient that you need for the best Italian keto recipes on the keto diet is having a Quick and Easy Homemade Keto Marinara Sauce Recipe you can rely on time and time again!

This is the perfect keto tomato sauce you can use as pizza sauce in my favorite recipe for The Best Gluten Free Keto Pizza, or as a base for my Easy Gluten Free Meatball Parmesan Casserole Recipe.

It is an amazingly easy keto marinara sauce recipe that will have you making your own fresh low carb marinara sauce from now on.

Store-bought marinara does not always fit into a low-carb diet since they tend to add sugar to the original recipe.

This great recipe for homemade keto marinara sauce can be made in the slow cooker, electric pressure cooker and even the standard stove top without sugar!

Low-carb marinara sauce fits into any gluten free, ketogenic diet as its main ingredient is tomato sauce with herbs.

Good marinara makes the difference in your recipes that offers fresh tastes with fresh ingredients.

Check out my step-by-step photos where you will see just how quick and easy it is to make your own marinara sauce.

Keep reading as I go over the different methods you can use to create your own marinara sauce, show you how to make it as well as offer tips, substitutions and answer frequently asked questions.

Methods you can use to create your Keto Pasta Sauce

Slow Cooker, or Crockpot:

This is the most simple way to create this keto spaghetti sauce as it is hands off and makes the house smell amazing!

All you need to do is dump everything into the crockpot, give it a good stir then let it cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.

If I want to add in some browned ground meat I can at anytime, or leave it plain.

Once your 4-6 hours is up, keep it on a warm setting so it is ready to go when dinnertime arrives.

I just serve your keto friendly marinara sauce straight from the crockpot to the plate.

Electric Pressure Cooker, or Instant Pot:

This method of making the sugar free recipe for keto marinara is best for its speed.

If I forget to make some keto marinara sauce ahead of time for dinner, I can have some sauce ready in 30 minutes this way.

Make the sauce in the Instant Pot in a flash then ladle it over the pasta or zucchini noodles on the stove top.

You can also of course have some sliced chicken breast or browned and crumbled meat to mix into it also for extra protein.

Cook on HIGH pressure for 18 minutes with a 15 minute natural pressure release (which is to let it sit before releasing pressure)

Dutch Oven, or Stock Pot:

This is my least favorite way to cook my own keto marinara sauce unless I am already in the kitchen creating other recipes.

It works in a pinch, but I do not prefer it because it bubbles up and spatters all over my stove top.

If for some reason you have to go this route because you do not have a slow cooker or electric pressure cooker it will still create a delicious keto marinara sauce, you will just need to take some extra steps.

Stir it every so often to make sure the bottom of the stock pot or dutch oven doesn’t get scorched with the sugar-free tomato sauce and burn to it. 

Also make sure you put a lid on your pot because the popping bubbles of sauce that arise will make a mess if not covered.

Use a splatter screen instead of a lid to prevent the bubbles from popping all over the stove top.

The trick is to get the heat at the right temperature so it is slowly simmering and not boiling.

Simple ingredients you need to make this homemade marinara sauce

• One large can of crushed tomatoes
• One large can of whole tomatoes
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 1 whole carrot
• Olive Oil or Avocado oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Onion Powder
• Basil (dried or fresh basil)
• Oregano (dried or fresh oregano)
• Garlic Powder(or minced fresh garlic)
• Black Pepper
• Sea Salt
• You can substitute Italian Seasoning for the basil & oregano if you wish

Let’s make this Quick and Easy Homemade Keto Marinara Sauce Recipe

The instructions for assembling the ingredients together is the same no matter which way you choose to cook it.

Start off by adding crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato paste and one empty can of tomato paste filled with water to the pot.

Measure the herbs, salt and olive oil right into the pot with the tomatoes.

With a large wooden spoon, stir everything together.

I also reach in and smoosh the whole tomatoes with my hands so they are broken down better for my picky kids.

They will naturally break down as the sauce cooks, but breaking them down ahead of time while its cold saves me time.

Lastly I add in one large carrot broken into three pieces. 

This is a trick I learned from an old Italian recipe to naturally add in sweetness without sugar.

You can of course eat it at the end, or blend it up with some of the sauce for extra nutrients and add back in.

It is undetectable in the bold flavors of the sauce.

Once it has cooked for the minimum 4 hours, you can serve it up at once or go straight to using it in a recipe.

Leftovers can be saved and make the best meal prep ingredient.

Bring the sauce to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week.

For long term storage, put your sauce in an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months.

I measure out 2 cup quantities and put into a quart freezer bag to freeze flat.

After filling the freezer bags, lay them flat on a baking sheet then freeze overnight.

This will create flat discs of frozen marinara sauce that can be stored upright to save space in your freezer versus a bunch of containers.

To use, you can thaw overnight in the fridge or put it in a large stock pot of warm water to use.

This whole recipe makes about 64 ounces of sauce. 

Each serving is approximately 2 cups or 16 ounces.

For each 2 cup serving it has 9.6 grams of carbs with 2.5 grams of fiber and 7.1 grams of net carbs.

Net carbs are figured by subtracting the fiber from the carb count as fiber is not absorbed but released by the body.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 2 ounces
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories	45
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.8g	1%
Saturated Fat 0.1g	1%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 284mg	12%
Total Carbohydrate 9.6g	3%
Dietary Fiber 2.5g	9%
Total Sugars 2.5g
Protein 2.1g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 53mg	4%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 421mg	9%

Tips, Substitutions and FAQs

• You will want to make a double batch and freeze some in a freezer-safe container once it is cooled for easy weeknight dinners.

• Since this simple recipe calls for canned tomatoes, splurge and get some high quality tomatoes! I love ones that say “From Italy” on the label.

• Stir in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil at the end to preserve the delicate flavor of the oil.

• If you must go with a low carb tomato sauce from the local grocery store, choose Rao’s Marinara Sauce. This marinara sauce has 0 grams of sugar added and has a great taste. It is the best sauce to use in place of making your own keto marinara sauce.

• There are many different brands to choose from so make sure you read the label and get one without soybean oil, and no added sugar.

• Put in a pinch of red pepper flakes when you add in the spices to add a medium heat to the sauce and top off with a splash of red wine vinegar for a sour touch to the tomatoes sweetness.

• If you want a little sweetness, use any sugar substitutes you may have on hand like a teaspoon of monk fruit or allulose to keep this marinara sauce keto-friendly.

• Take your own sauce you have made and give them as gifts! I know I would love to get a jar of the best keto marinara sauce as a gift that I did not have to make myself!

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What about using fresh tomatoes instead of canned? 

You most certainly can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned.  You will need to blanch the tomatoes in boiling water and then plunge into an ice water bath to remove the skins.

This is the best way to get the same consistency without having tough skins in the sauce.  You can alternately blend the tomatoes up in a blender, then the skins will be so small that you will not notice them.  The best tomatoes to use are san marzano tomatoes, roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes as they are not mealy like larger tomatoes can be.  They will have a lot more juice in them versus a canned tomato so you need to leave out the additional water called for in the recipe.

What are the ways that I can use this marinara sauce?

I use this keto marinara sauce in many recipes of mine.  My most favorite way to use this sauce is over some noodles.  My whole family eats gluten free so I will make some brown rice pasta for them and steam some cauliflower for myself.  There are also shirataki noodles you can find that are perfect for a keto lifestyle as they are low carb and mimic regular pasta.

You can also use this marinara sauce in my Keto Pizza Recipe as the pizza sauce. Since this sauce is more of a chunky sauce, I will use my immersion blender to blend it up into a smooth sauce.

This helps to reduce any watery consistency that may result from baking larger tomato chunks.

Turn the dough from the same Gluten Free Keto Pizza and make some keto breadsticks.  

Use the marinara sauce as a dipping sauce.  

I also have a Keto Chicken Parmesan recipe in my 2nd cookbook “Chaffles, Cast Iron and The Crock” that would pair beautifully with this sauce. 

What are the best tomatoes to use for a keto marinara sauce?

San Marzano tomatoes are a popular choice for their sweet and less acidic flavor. Look for canned varieties without any added sugars or additives. I love the Cento brand for my canned tomatoes.

What’s the difference between tomato sauce and tomato paste in keto marinara sauce?

Tomato sauce is thinner, while tomato paste is concentrated with hardly any water at all. Using both together in the marinara sauce adds depth with the cooked flavor and thickness from the paste and the thinner tomato sauce instead of adding additional water.

How can I reduce the acidity of my keto marinara sauce?

Adding a pinch of baking soda while cooking can help neutralize the acidity of the tomatoes without adding sugar. You can also incorporate a small amount of cream or butter to mellow out the acidic profile flavors.

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Making your own keto marinara sauce is taking control of what goes into your meals using fresh ingredients without preservatives.

Simple recipes like this one, for the best keto marinara sauce, will have you saying goodbye to store-bought versions and crafting your own keto-friendly masterpiece.

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Check out these other Italian keto-friendly recipes!

The Best Keto Friendly Gluten Free Pizza

Low Carb Pizza Sauce From One Can of Tomato Paste

Easy Gluten Free Meatball Parmesan Casserole Recipe