The Ultimate Rustic Marinara

Ingredients

• 2 (3.5 ounce) links Italian sausage, sliced
• 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 head garlic, minced
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Step 1

Warm a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook it, stirring now and then, until it’s nicely browned—this usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Once it’s done, drain off any excess grease and set the sausage aside.

Step 2

Grab a blender and combine the tomato sauce, fresh tomato, red wine, garlic, onion, Parmesan, balsamic vinegar, basil, olive oil, thyme, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and brown sugar. Blend everything until it reaches the texture you like.

Step 3

Pour the blended sauce back into the pot with the cooked sausage and bring it all up to a gentle boil. Then, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer, stirring every now and then, for at least 30 minutes. This will let the flavors meld together and cook off the alcohol from the wine.

Step 4

Once it’s thickened and fragrant, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to. Then, it’s ready to serve!