Keto Diet App - Free Download Keto Diet App - Free Download
Take the guesswork out of following a low-carb diet, lose body fat & feel great!
KetoDiet app is FREE to download!

The Best Ever Low-Carb Marinara Sauce

4.7 stars, average of 378 ratings

This post may contain affiliate links, see our disclaimer.

The Best Ever Low-Carb Marinara SaucePin itFollow us 148.4k

Marinara sauce is one of the many low-carb ingredients I use on a regular basis. I always have a jar in the fridge and use it to dress my zucchini noodles, cauli-rice, fish, steak and even in soups and stews. This marinara is also perfect with eggs and quick skillet meals.

It works just like pizza sauce and you can use it on any low-carb pizza as topping, with zoodles or as a dip with homemade Keto Breadsticks.

This Italian sauce is a keto staple. Once you make your own pizza sauce, you will never go back to store bought!

ShareFollow us 36.6k

Hands-on Overall

Serving size about 1/4 cup, 60 ml

Allergy information for The Best Ever Low-Carb Marinara Sauce

✔  Gluten free
✔  Dairy free
✔  Egg free
✔  Nut free
✔  Pork free
✔  Avocado free
✔  Coconut free
✔  Fish free
✔  Shellfish free
✔  Beef free
Pescatarian
Vegetarian
Vegan

Nutritional values (per serving, about 1/4 cup, 60 ml)

Net carbs2.6 grams
Protein0.7 grams
Fat10.9 grams
Calories112 kcal
Calories from carbs 9%, protein 2%, fat 89%
Total carbs3.5 gramsFiber0.9 gramsSugars1.6 gramsSaturated fat1.5 gramsSodium123 mg(5% RDA)Magnesium5 mg(1% RDA)Potassium153 mg(8% EMR)

Ingredients (makes about 1 1/4 cups/ 300 ml)

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes or regular tomatoes, chopped (150 g/ 5.3 oz)
  • about 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 shallot or small onion (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
  • 4 tbsp tomato paste, unsweetened (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml/ 2 fl oz)
  • sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash and drain the tomatoes and fresh basil. Peel the onion and garlic.
    The Best Ever Low-Carb Marinara Sauce
  2. Place most of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to dice the onion and mash the garlic before to make sure there are no large pieces left. The Best Ever Low-Carb Marinara Sauce
  3. If you prefer a chunky texture, leave some tomatoes and basil aside, dice and add to the smooth sauce. When done, place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week. To keep it fresh for longer, pour a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil on top and store for up to 2 weeks. The Best Ever Low-Carb Marinara Sauce
  4. Marinara sauce is perfect as topping on low-carb pizza! The Best Ever Low-Carb Marinara Sauce

Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, about 1/4 cup, 60 ml)

Net carbsProteinFatCalories
Tomatoes, cherry, fresh, all varieties
0.5 g0.2 g0.1 g5 kcal
Basil, fresh
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Garlic, fresh
0.4 g0.1 g0 g2 kcal
Shallot, fresh
0.8 g0.2 g0 g4 kcal
Tomato purée (paste, unsweetened)
0.8 g0.2 g0 g5 kcal
Olive oil, extra virgin
0 g0 g10.8 g95 kcal
Salt, sea salt
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Pepper, black, spices
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Total per serving, about 1/4 cup, 60 ml
2.6 g0.7 g10.9 g112 kcal

The Best Ever Low-Carb Marinara SaucePin itFollow us 148.4k

Do you like this recipe? Share it with your friends! 

Martina Slajerova
Creator of KetoDietApp.com

Martina Slajerova

I changed the way I ate in 2011, when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. I had no energy, and I found it more and more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

That’s when I decided to quit sugar, grains, and processed foods, and to start following a whole-foods-based ketogenic approach to food.

Let us know what you think, rate this recipe!

Leave a comment

Note: Any links to products or affiliate links will not be approved.
Please note that we do not offer personalised advice. For any diet related questions, please join our Facebook community.

Comments (25)

Hi Martina, I'm going to make this to go with your Vegetarian Lasagna.  It looks so good though that I was wondering if you think this would freeze well if I made a big batch.  Thanks.

Thank you BC! I did freeze it in an ice cube tray once and it was fine. Also a great way to add to any meals without having to defrost it (just add straight to the saucepan).

Hi ya, this sauce is great, but it doesn’t seem to allow you to add to planner.
Thanks
Sandra

Hi Sandra, this recipe is also in the KetoDiet Meals section of our app. You can also find it in the food database and add it directly yo recipes when creating Custom Meals. I hope this helps!

Just made this today. So delicious and easy to make!!

So yummy, and so easy! Now for the Pizza!

Thank you Diane!

Thank you for the recipe...I've just made some and it's delish!

This was so easy and delicious! The second time I made it, I had half-a-box of defrosted frozen spinach from something else made at the same time, so I added it in the marinara for a "spinach marinara" sauce and I think I liked it even more.  Thank you for this go-to recipe (and all your recipes)!

Hi Martina,
Thank you for your awesome vegetarian recipes. In the above Marinara sauce, using olive oil; can we alternate it with coconut oil or butter or ghee? I ask this as olive oil, being a monosaturated oil, when heated ( as the sauce would be used in cooking at higher temperatures ) would lead to free radicals formation.

Hi Maha, I don't think coconut oil would be a good alternative but I think that melted ghee would work really well. Keep in mind that you can use olive oil for light cooking - it can be added at the end of the cooking process. You should ideally avoid using it for high-heat and prolonged cooking.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Martina.  Your recipes are so good and this one saved me.  I've been faithfully followin a keto diet for three months and have lost 17 lbs. But today I really struggled. I wanted Chinese food and french fries and a milk shake and . . . But I made this for dinner with the Italian meatballs.  I was so happy. I did.  It was one of the best things I've even eaten.  I think you've earned your angel wings with all the recipes and information you've shared on your blog and app.  I couldn't have made it this far without you.

Thank you so much for your kind words!!

I just made this. It's absolutely delicious!! Now let's hope my vegetarian keto lasagna turns out as well 😊

Thank you Rosanna, I hope it did! 😊

This was excellent!  So easy and so flavorful!  Thank you!

Thank you Amy!

Do you think the carb count would change much if I were to simmer all of the ingredients first? I know cooking onion and garlic real eases some sugar.

Hi Lis, I don't think so and even if it does, it won't be significant - the macros will be the same, just the amount may change (less water).

Thank you for this recipe! I have a very picky four-year-old and he has been boycotting just about every food you can think of aside from fruit and cereals. Well, since the start of the 90-Day Challenge, I have been transitioning my family onto a healthier, low-carb diet and working them toward keto, too.
I put my ingredients through my NutriBullet and that worked very well. It wasn’t chunky like yours. It was smooth, similar to guacamole. Either way, it would have been fine, haha. The NutriBullet is just crazy fast.
My son LOVED it on top of boiled Shirataki noodles. He loves spicy things, so I added a few squirts of hot sauce. I am just ecstatic my picky, PICKY son was actually going, “Mmm! It’s delicious!” We also made your breadsticks, so this was a very yummy and successful dinner. Thank you, again!

Brittney that's amazing! I'm so happy to hear that you all liked my recipes! 😊

Hi, Usually when I make a sauce with raw onions, all you can taste is that. Would it be the same for this?

Hi Jessica, I don't think the onion taste is too strong in this sauce - I only use a small onion 😊

Why Cherry tomatoes? They're delicious of course. But are they lower carb than their full sized counterparts?

Hi, no they are not, you can use "regular". I just use them because they have a more distinctive flavour 😊