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This Keto Marinara Sauce is rich, garlicky, and full of deep tomato flavor. It’s a quick homemade sauce that works for pasta-style meals, dipping, layering, or spooning over meatballs.
This homemade low-carb marinara sauce works anywhere you would normally use tomato or pasta sauce. Toss it with ground chicken meatballs, spoon it over air fryer spaghetti squash, or use it to make air fryer shrimp marinara.
Why Make This Keto Marinara Sauce
- Rich roasted garlic flavor: Roasting the garlic first gives the sauce a mellow, slightly sweet garlic flavor without overpowering the tomatoes.
- No added sugar: The tomatoes provide all the sweetness this marinara needs.
- Simple and versatile: Use it as pasta sauce, pizza sauce, a dipping sauce, or the base for another recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: These give the marinara a deeper tomato flavor than regular diced tomatoes and make an easy shortcut for homemade sauce.
- Roasted garlic: Soft, caramelized garlic adds plenty of flavor without the sharper bite of raw garlic. My air fryer roasted garlic is an easy way to make it.
- Olive oil: Adds richness and helps give the finished sauce some body.
- Italian seasoning: Adds classic dried herb flavor without needing several individual seasonings.
- Sea salt: Brings out the flavors of the tomatoes and roasted garlic.
How to Make Keto Marinara Sauce
Blend to your preferred texture
Add the ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse until everything is combined. A few pulses will leave small pieces of tomato and roasted garlic throughout the sauce. Blend a little longer if you prefer a smoother marinara.
Simmer until thickened
Pour the sauce into a saucepan and let it gently simmer over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally as the tomatoes cook down. The marinara is ready when it has thickened slightly and you can see small orange streaks where the olive oil and tomato juices come together.
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Tips for the Best Marinara Sauce
- Pulse for a chunkier sauce: Start with just a few pulses. You can always blend the marinara more if you want a smoother consistency.
- Keep the heat medium low: Tomato sauce can pop and splatter when it gets too hot. Lower the heat if it starts bubbling aggressively.
- Adjust the consistency as it cooks: Let the sauce simmer a little longer if you prefer a thicker marinara.
- Use roasted garlic for mellow flavor: Fresh garlic will give the sauce a sharper bite, while roasted garlic has a softer, slightly sweet flavor.
Is Marinara Sauce Keto-Friendly?
Marinara sauce can work for a keto diet, but ingredients vary between recipes and brands. Some prepared sauces contain added sugar, so check the ingredient list and nutrition label when choosing a jarred sauce.
This homemade keto marinara gets its flavor from tomatoes, roasted garlic, olive oil, herbs, and salt without adding sugar to the sauce.
Can I Use Regular Diced Tomatoes?
Yes. Fire-roasted tomatoes give the marinara a deeper, slightly smoky tomato flavor, but regular canned diced tomatoes will also work. The finished sauce will simply have a milder flavor.
Can I Use Fresh Garlic Instead of Roasted Garlic?
Yes. You can substitute fresh garlic, but it will give the marinara a stronger and sharper garlic flavor. Roasted garlic is more mellow and blends into the tomato sauce easily.
Ways to Use Keto Marinara Sauce
Turn it into an easy dinner by tossing the warm marinara with ground chicken meatballs and serving them over air fryer spaghetti squash. You can also use it with keto Italian sausage meatballs or spoon it over air fryer Italian sausage.
The sauce also works as the tomato base for keto lasagna, keto pizza casserole, and air fryer shrimp marinara. If you want a creamy sauce instead, try my keto Alfredo sauce. Or, keep the marinara warm and use it as a dipping sauce for keto Parmesan garlic bread bites.
If you try this recipe, please stop back and leave it a star rating and/or a review in the comments. Stay connected & share photos of your creations with me & others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Keto Marinara Sauce
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Ingredients
- 29 oz Diced Tomatoes, Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes, canned
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 8 cloves Roasted Garlic, click for recipe
- 1 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt, use DRDAVINAHS to save
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until the sauce reaches your preferred texture.
- Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and small orange streaks of olive oil appear on the surface.
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Recipe Notes
- For a smoother sauce: Blend longer instead of pulsing just a few times.
- Regular diced tomatoes work: The sauce will have a milder flavor than it does with fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Using fresh garlic: Substitute fresh cloves for roasted garlic for a sharper garlic flavor.
- Watch the heat: Reduce the heat if the marinara starts popping or splattering.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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