When most people think of a tomato they automatically label it as a healthy food, and for the most part, they would be right. However, there is one flaw when it comes to tomatoes and tomato products sold in the store – sugar. For a person with fructose intolerance this is not just a problem, but can eventually lead to the hate of all things tomato flavored.
A tomato already contains a decent amount of fructose on its own, and then many store bought products such as pizza sauces and pasta sauces like to load up their recipes with an abundance of extra sugar. This is unhealthy for everyone, and for a person with an intolerance, it can cause a major stomach ache.
For this reason, when I decided to start making my own pizzas this summer, it was very important to me to figure out how to make a low-sugar marinara sauce that would taste good on both pizza and pasta. My recipe isn’t devoid of sugar, because a little was needed to balance out the spice brought in by the red pepper flakes, but it only has a scant amount in comparison to what you might find in stores.
If you are reconsidering the amount of sugar you are consuming, this homemade marinara sauce can provide an alternative to the store bought cans and jars that you can purchase, and it can be made up super quickly!
*This recipe makes between 10 and 12 ounces of sauce after it has been simmered.
Ingredients
16 oz Tomato Sauce (I use Hunts since they are natural and do not add in extra sugar)
½ tbsp Butter
1 ½ tsp Minced Garlic
½ tsp Oregano
½ tsp Onion Flakes
¼-½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Basil
½ tbsp Parsley
½ tsp Sugar
¼ tsp Lemon Juice
¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions
1. The first step to making a homemade marinara sauce is to saute the garlic. Melt the butter over medium heat, then add in the garlic. Cook it for about two minutes to give the garlic a chance to soften.
2. After the garlic has been sauteed, add in the tomato sauce, all of the spices, and the lemon juice. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has warmed up.
Kitchen Tip 1: If you prefer a mild sauce, start out with only ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes. This spice packs a punch, and using ½ tsp creates a sauce that has some zing. If spicy isn’t your preferred taste preference, err on the side of caution. You can always add more in, but you can’t take it out once it’s mixed into the pot.
3. Once the sauce is warm, pour in the parmesan cheese and stir until it is completely melted and incorporated into the sauce.
Kitchen Tip 2: If you are using this as a pizza sauce the sauce will be complete as soon as the Parmesan cheese is melted. However, while a pasta sauce uses these same ingredients, most of the time, pasta sauce is thicker. To achieve thickness, leave it simmering on low heat for at least 20 minutes. This simmering will help the sauce to reach the consistency you would hope for in a pasta sauce.
There you have it! Easy as 1, 2, 3. This marinara sauce is so simple to make that you will never be buying it from the store again. As an added bonus, if you are concerned about time, this sauce can be made up ahead of time and frozen!
Like this recipe? Check out my other pizza recipes to make a complete homemade pizza.
Garlic Pizza Crust https://soupsonwithschallock.wordpress.com/2020/07/27/homemade-garlic-pizza-crust/
Italian Sausage Pizza Pieces https://soupsonwithschallock.wordpress.com/2020/07/29/italian-sausage-pizza-pieces/
Soup's On with Schallock 
4 thoughts on “Fructose Friendly Marinara Sauce”