Instant Creamy Marinara Sauce

# What You'll Need:

01 - 1 cup plain tomato sauce (unsalted if possible)

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder

04 - ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste

05 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

06 - 1 tablespoon heavy cream

07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano)

01 - Place tomato sauce, butter, and garlic powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

02 - Stir continuously until butter fully melts and sauce reaches a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes.

03 - Incorporate salt and black pepper, stirring to blend evenly.

04 - Optionally, mix in heavy cream and dried Italian herbs to enrich flavor and texture.

05 - Allow sauce to simmer for 2 to 3 additional minutes, stirring occasionally.

06 - Taste the sauce, adjust salt if necessary, and serve immediately over pasta, as a dip, or pizza base.

01 -

It comes together faster than opening a jar of store-bought sauce, with a velvety texture that makes people ask what your secret is.
Your pantry staples do all the work—no specialty ingredients, no excuses, no stress.
It transforms simple pasta into something that tastes like you actually tried, even when you're exhausted.

02 -

Don't skip tasting the sauce before you serve it—different tomato sauce brands have wildly different salt levels, and you're the only one who knows what you actually like.
The butter needs time to actually melt and combine with the tomato; rushing this or using high heat makes the sauce break or look separated instead of silky.

03 -

Use San Marzano or fire-roasted tomato sauce if you can—the sauce tastes measurably better, and it's still cheaper than most jarred marinara sauces.
Save a cup of starchy pasta water before draining; a splash of it stirred into the finished sauce makes it cling to every strand and taste more complete.