Easy Keto Marinara Sauce

This Keto Marinara Sauce is bursting with rich, robust flavors, perfect for adding a healthy, gourmet touch to your favorite Italian dishes. Enjoy it as a versatile topping or a delicious dipping sauce, all while keeping it low in carbs.

Keto Marinara Sauce in saucepan with wooden spoon and basil on side

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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Easy Marinara Sauce Recipe

  • Classic robust Italian marinara flavors
  • Uses all healthy ingredients
  • Made in just 20 minutes
  • Serve over spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or Palmini
  • Makes a great dipping sauce for breadsticks, zucchini fries or mozzarella sticks
palmini with Keto Marinara Sauce in white bowl with grated parmesan and fresh basil

This recipe for marinara sauce is super quick and easy to make and is filled with rich, robust flavors. Made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, it brings an authentic, homemade touch to any dish. Plus, the aroma of simmering tomatoes, garlic, and herbs will make your kitchen smell heavenly.

With as many store-bought brands of marinara, you may have wondered why you should bother making it from scratch. The main reason is that not only does it taste a lot better and fresher, store-bought brands almost always have added sugar and fillers. With just a few steps, this recipe ensures you’re getting a marinara sauce with only the best ingredients.

Keto Marinara Sauce in ope glass jar with basil and garlic in back

If you like beefy sauce, you should check out this recipe for Keto Italian Meat Sauce.

🛒 Ingredients for Low Carb Marinara Sauce

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

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🔪 How to Make Keto Spaghetti Sauce

Heat a small saucepan and add olive oil to coat the bottom.  Sauté your minced garlic for about 30 seconds (do not brown it or it will become bitter).

saucepan with minced garlic and olive oil

Add in the wine and stir, allow to reduce until most of the wine has evaporated.

minced garlic and white wine in saucepan

Add in the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sweetener and basil.  Simmer on medium low for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.

Keto Marinara Sauce ingredients in saucepan unmixed

The sauce will begin to reduce and the flavors will start to intensify into the BEST Keto marinara sauce you’ve tried!

Keto Marinara Sauce in saucepan

And just like that, you have a flavorful, low carb, Italian sauce without all the sugars and hidden ingredients of store bought!

Keto Marinara Sauce in saucepan

💡 Tips for Making Low Carb Marinara Sauce

  • Choose the best quality canned tomatoes you can find, because, as the main ingredient, they greatly impact the flavor of your marinara sauce.
  • Sauté the garlic until it’s fragrant but not browned, to avoid a bitter taste in your sauce.
  • Make sure to let the wine reduce almost completely to concentrate its flavor without overpowering the sauce.
  • Let the sauce simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, to meld the flavors together and achieve a rich, robust texture.
  • Taste the sauce as it cooks and adjust the seasoning gradually to ensure a balanced flavor profile.
Keto Marinara Sauce in open glass jar with basil and garlic in back

☑️ Storage Instructions

  • Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer: Freeze in portion-sized containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months.

🍴 Ways to Serve Keto Marinara Sauce

This sauce goes perfectly with homemade mozzarella sticks, in pizza stuffed peppers, or along side these warm and chewy Keto breadsticks. You can also use it in this savory chicken parmesan, or serve as a gluten free spaghetti sauce over shirataki noodles, zoodles or Palmini Pasta.

palmini with Keto Marinara Sauce in white bowl with grated parmesan and fresh basil

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

  • Mushroom marinara: Sauté sliced mushrooms with the garlic for an earthy twist.
  • Vegetable marinara: Include finely chopped bell peppers, carrots, or zucchini for added texture and nutrients.
  • Meaty marinara: Brown ground beef, sausage, or turkey before adding the tomatoes for a heartier sauce.
  • Herbs: Substitute or add fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, or rosemary for different flavors.
  • Creamy marinara: Stir in a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of ricotta for a richer, creamier sauce.
Keto Marinara Sauce in open glass jar with spoon

Can I Make Marinara Without Wine?

Yes, you can omit the wine. You can add a splash of broth or water for liquid if needed.

Are There Carbs in Tomatoes?

Because there’s natural sugar in tomatoes, they do have a few carbs; however, for an average size tomato there are fewer than 5 grams.

Are Tomatoes Keto?

When eaten in moderation, you bet! Tomatoes are actually a fruit and they’re perfectly fine on Keto and low carb diets. Not only do they have minimal carbs, they are very nutritious.

Tomatoes are a fiber rich fruit that are also a good source of several vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K, and folate. To learn all about the many healthy benefits of tomatoes, check out this article.

Can I Use Fresh Tomatoes Instead?

Yes, you can substitute fresh tomatoes. Use about 2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, blanch and peel them, then chop and cook them down until they break down into a sauce. Keep in mind that the consistency on the sauce will be slightly different than when using canned tomatoes.

Keto Marinara Sauce in ope glass jar with basil and garlic in back

🍽️ More Keto Homemade Sauces

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Keto Marinara Sauce in saucepan with wooden spoon and basil on side

Easy Keto Marinara Sauce

This Keto Marinara Sauce is bursting with rich, robust flavors, perfect for adding a healthy, gourmet touch to your favorite Italian dishes.
5 from 1 vote
Author: Julianne
Servings 10
PREP 5 minutes
COOK 15 minutes
TOTAL 20 minutes

RECIPE VIDEO

Ingredients
 

  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, lowest carb
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon monk fruit/allulose
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Heat a small saucepan and add olive oil. Sauté garlic for about 30 seconds (do not brown it will become bitter).
  • Add in the wine and stir, allow to reduce until most of the wine has evaporated.
  • Add in the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sweetener and basil.  Simmer on medium low for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.

Recipe Notes

Serving Size: 1/4 cup

*Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.

Course Condiment, sauce
Cuisine Italian
Calories 41kcal
Nutrition Facts
Easy Keto Marinara Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
41
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
2
g
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
6
g
2
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.

© Copyright for Keto Cooking Christian LLC. Please use the share buttons to share on social media, but please do not copy/paste the recipe.

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*Originally published on April 16, 2018, updated on July 30, 2024 with improvements to the recipe, new photos, new recipe information and helpful tips.

Bible verse of the day

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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16 Comments

  1. Please include other nutritional info, particularly sodium and potassium content so we know if this is heart and kidney healthy or just as bad as store-bought relative to heart and kidneys.

    1. Thank you for your comment! I understand how important it is to have detailed nutritional information, especially when considering heart and kidney health. While I provide some basic nutritional estimates, I don’t include full breakdowns of sodium, potassium, and other micronutrients because these values can vary significantly based on specific ingredient brands, portion sizes, and substitutions. For the most accurate numbers, I always recommend using a nutrition calculator with the exact ingredients you plan to use. Many free tools, like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer, allow you to enter specific brands and amounts to get a detailed analysis.

  2. These Italian sauces look great. I can’t wait to try them. I always enjoy the recipes in your emails thank you for all your great recipes. Best wishes, Barbara

  3. I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I definitely will. I just wanted to thank you for the Bible verse of the day…2 Timothy 1:7. My family is facing some pretty scary things right now and I really need the verse.

    GOD BLESS

    1. Hi Frances,
      I’m sorry to hear your family is facing some challenges right now. I will keep them in my prayers!!

  4. So I’m confused about the purée part. Are you running the crushed tomatoes through a blender?

    1. Hi Natalie,
      No, I used crushed tomatoes, the “puree” was a typo, which I’ve edited. Sorry for the confusion!