3.5lbsmedium-sized tomatoes, chopped~20 tomatoes or 2 -28 oz cans
2teaspoonsoreganochopped
pepper to taste
Instructions
Select the Instant Pot 'Saute' mode and set it on 'High'.
Add oil and once it heats up add onions, garlic, and salt. Mix well.
Continue to cook until the onions soften and turn translucent (~6-8 minutes).
Add in basil along with tomatoes and oregano. Mix well.
Deglaze the pot - scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure there is nothing stuck. Hit cancel and cover the lid. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
Once the cooking cycle is complete, release the pressure immediately by moving the steam valve to the venting position.
Open the lid and give the sauce a quick stir.
Use an immersion blender to coarsely puree the mixture. If using a blender, allow the marinara sauce to cool down for at least 10 minutes before pureeing it.
If the sauce is too thin for your liking, saute it on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the desired consistency is achieved.
Let it cool completely before transferring the sauce into a glass jar or ziplock bags. Store in the refrigerator for a week or store it in the freezer for a couple of months.
Notes
I have used tomatoes on the vine for this recipe but you can use canned ones too such as these San Marzano tomatoes.
You can use a vegetable chopper to fasten the chopping process for tomatoes.
If your tomatoes are too tart use sugar to balance it out. I would start with a teaspoon of sugar and use it as needed.
No need to add water while making the sauce because if you are using tomatoes on the vine like I did, they'll ooze out plenty of juice providing enough liquid for pressure cooking.
Variations
Make it creamy - Add heavy cream or to keep it vegan, use cashew paste. Soak 1/4 cup cashews in 1/2 cup hot water for 15 minutes and then puree it to a fine paste.
Add herbs - You can use parsley, thyme, or rosemary if you would like. I prefer the oregano + basil combination.
How to store marinara sauceThis sauce stores well in the refrigerator for about a week and lasts for a couple of months in the refrigerator.
Refrigerator - Store it using leftover marinara sauce bottles which hold about 3 cups or use any airtight containers to store them.
Freezer - Freeze the rest using these freezer-safe pyrex containerswhich are perfect for the job. To use, thaw the glass containers in the refrigerator overnight.
I hate throwing away Ziploc bags after one use and that is why I prefer using glass containers. I like this storage set in particular because it has 8 containers in 2-cup and 1-cup sizes. Note: When using glass containers to freeze the sauce follow the guidelines below.
Don't fill it to the brim, leave about an inch - that will give some room for the masala to expand.
Always thaw the glass container in the refrigerator overnight before use.