Marinara sauce has hundreds of uses, and it’s always nice to have bags of it in the freezer. While many of us don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen, this Shortcut Instant Pot Marinara Sauce Module is made quickly in the Instant Pot, eliminating the time most marinara sauce takes to simmer all day over the stove. This one can be made a bit spicy by adding a few jalapeño peppers if you like.

Make sure you use an 8 quart Instant Pot; 6 quart Instant Pots aren’t big enough. If you only have a 6-quart, halve the recipe or transfer it to a slow cooker and let it cook all day. Either way, it’s worth it.

About 20 cups sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, quartered and sliced
2 large green bell peppers, cored and quartered (may use part jalapenos to add a little fire)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon fennel, freshly ground in a spice grinder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

1 cup dry red wine
6 24 ounce cans pasta sauce
3 cups water, (use it to rinse the cans)

1. Turn an 8-quart Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Add the olive oil, onions, peppers, garlic, fennel, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir until softened.
2. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom.
3. Add the cans of pasta sauce and water. Stir well, cover the pot, set the valve to sealing, and set to cook for 20 minutes. Alternately, transfer the mixture to a large (8-quart) slow cooker mode for 6-8 hours.
4. When the cycle has finished (or the mixture has slow cooked for 6-8 hours), transfer the mixture in batches to a blender container and blend until smooth.
5. Cool the mixture, measure 4 cup portions into freezer bags, label and freeze.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 103 Calories from Fat 39
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 38% Protein 8% Carb. 54%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 4 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 716 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 2 g

Vitamin A 29% Vitamin C 44% Calcium 0% Iron 6%