Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 0.5 onion, chopped
• 8 large tomatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 0.5 cup red wine
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
• 0.25 tsp ground black pepper
• 0.25 tsp fennel seed
• 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaf. Bring the liquid from the tomatoes to a boil, reduce to medium-low, and simmer mixture until tomatoes are softened, about 30 minutes.
2. Stir red wine, honey, basil, oregano, marjoram, salt, black pepper, fennel seed, and crushed red pepper into the tomato mixture; bring again to a simmer and cook until herbs have flavored the sauce, about 30 minutes more.
3. Stir balsamic vinegar into the sauce.