Is marinara sauce bad for you? (a complete guide)

In this article, we will answer the following question: Is marinara sauce bad for you? We will teach you how to prepare a healthy marinara sauce, how to use and conserve it. We will also tell you 3+ healthy alternatives for the classic marinara sauce.

Is marinara sauce bad for you?

Marinara sauce consumed with moderation cannot be bad for you. If you like this Italian sauce, which is very popular especially to accompany pasta, or with fried ravioli, you will be glad to find out that this is a low-calorie sauce given the ingredients in it.

Indeed, this sauce is also healthy and it can be recommended during a diet. If you want to lose weight, go for this very tasty sauce that you can easily store and combine.

Want to know how many calories marinara sauce has? It is estimated 51 calories per 100 grams of this sauce. Italian marinara sauce is a very popular and popular sauce today. It is possible to prepare it yourself, so you will have to follow the recipe described below.

In addition, it is also possible to find canned. It is also a gluten-free preparation, and this sauce can also be considered light and suitable for a vegetarian diet. This sauce is also said to be healthy, in other words very good for health, an important element for balanced nutrition.

Healthy marinara sauce recipe

A sauce native to Naples, marinara sauce is made from tomatoes, herbs, onions, and garlic. You can also add variations like olives, spices, capers, and wine.

The sauce is made with a finely chopped small onion, and a chopped garlic clove as well. You can add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 cups of tomato coulis or tomato sauce. You can add ketchup to it, instead of tomato sauce.

Then don’t forget to add fresh, chopped basil, about 60 milliliters or ¼ cup.

You will have to soften the onion in a saucepan with the garlic in the oil. Then add the coulis, and bring everything to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Before serving, add the basil and change the seasoning to taste. You keep warm before presenting it to your guests. A classic of Neapolitan cuisine, this sauce is more and more adopted in France.

Use and conservation of Marinara sauce

This sauce can thus be served with pasta, but also crab, shrimp, pizzas, poultry and to coat poultry and meat croquettes. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for a week, and then you can freeze it.

In order to use it after defrosting, you will need to heat it until it boils and you can simmer for 5 minutes before serving. Note that it is also possible to take your sauce with you to keep it for the long term.

Other FAQs about Sauces that you may be interested in.

Is marinara and pasta sauce the same?

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How long does chili garlic sauce last?

What can I use as a substitute for marinara sauce? 

If you are looking for a substitute for marinara sauce opt for tomato sauce combined with water. You just need to mix tomato sauce and water in equal parts in a bowl and mix well. This gives you a substitute for tomato juice. You can add a little pinch of salt to make it even better. 

Don’t have a heavy hand! This “homemade” derivative of tomato juice can then be consumed as a drink, or in a cocktail like real tomato juice. You can add celery salt, tabasco, or even Worcestershire sauce. There are many recipes that allow you to make homemade tomato juice. But the ideal remains the mixture of tomato sauce and water.

However other healthy alternatives are:

Lemon Walnut Sauce

Healthy and balanced, as it combines the pasta’s carbohydrates with the vitamins of the citrus fruits and the nuts’ iron and proteins. We will prepare it in five minutes, and it will be the perfect alternative for fast food or a sandwich on days when we have little time. 

Brown onion in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and when it has softened, add the walnuts. Cook for a few minutes, add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and if we like, some species (a touch of coriander will give it an exotic touch). Add the pasta already cooked, for example, some macaroni striped al dente.

Garlic and oil

The classic Italian recipe “all’aglio e olio” is always a sure bet, requiring just a pinch of fresh oregano and a good Parmesan to be a dish of the gods. It will be enough to brown some garlic in the pan with extra virgin olive oil (you can add the crushed or chopped garlic since you can strain them later), always over very low heat. When they are ready, add some spaghetti and finish the dish with an excellent grated Parmesan.

Tomato and basil

It is a classic, but only if we make it with tasty natural tomatoes and fresh basil. To make it perfect, we must fry the tomatoes, previously blanched, peeled and without seeds, in extra virgin olive oil, with garlic and onions, and add some fresh basil leaves at the end, without mincing. It is a perfect sauce for many pasta types, although we stayed with the gnocchi as battle companions of this simple and light sauce.

Conclusions

Marinara sauce is a healthy and popular Italian sauce, made with tomatoes, onions, and herbs, making it a bit spicier than other tomato sauces. You can easily reproduce this sauce at home. There are many alternatives to marinara sauce, four of them considered to be both delicious and healthy options! 

If you have any questions or comments on the content, please let us know!

References

Lacucinaitaliana.com

Gourmetproject.net