Instant Creamy Marinara Sauce

# What You'll Need:

01 - 2 cups tomato sauce, unsalted if possible

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder

04 - ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste

05 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

06 - 1 tablespoon heavy cream

07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano)

01 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine tomato sauce, butter, and garlic powder.

02 - Stir until the butter melts completely and the sauce begins to simmer, about 5 minutes.

03 - Incorporate salt and black pepper, stirring well to blend flavors.

04 - For a richer consistency, stir in heavy cream and dried Italian herbs if desired.

05 - Simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

06 - Serve hot over pasta, use as a dipping sauce, or spread on pizza bases.

01 -

It tastes like you've been stirring a pot for hours, but your entire kitchen stays calm and you stay sane.
The butter melts into the tomato so completely that every spoonful feels almost decadent, even though you spent less than three dollars.
This sauce plays well with others—toss it with pasta, drape it over pizza, or use it for dipping without apology.

02 -

Unsalted butter is essential because tomato sauce usually has enough salt already, and pre-salted butter can tip your sauce into an over-salty mess halfway through cooking.
The cream doesn't curdle if your heat stays moderate—high heat is the only thing that will turn your creamy sauce grainy, so keep the bubbles gentle.

03 -

If your sauce separates or looks broken, don't panic—add a tablespoon of pasta water and whisk it off heat until it comes back together.
Make double and freeze the extra in ice cube trays; you'll have homemade sauce portions ready for nights when you're too tired to do even this.