Instant Creamy Marinara Sauce

# Ingredient List:

01 - 2 cups tomato sauce, plain, 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 continuously until butter melts and the sauce begins to simmer, approximately 5 minutes.

03 - Incorporate salt and black pepper, stirring thoroughly.

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

05 - Simmer gently for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

06 - Taste the sauce, adjust seasoning as needed, and serve hot over pasta, as a dip, or on pizza.

01 -

It comes together faster than you can boil water, which means weeknight pasta actually feels possible.
The butter transforms basic tomato sauce into something that tastes like you've been simmering it for hours.
Three ingredients, zero pretense, and somehow it's better than recipes that ask for twice as much effort.

02 -

Unsalted butter makes all the difference because salted butter can sneak too much salt into your sauce without you realizing it until it's too late.
Don't skip the tasting step—tomato sauce brands vary wildly, and what tastes perfect in one brand needs adjustment in another.
The cream should go in at the very end, because adding it too early can make it separate if the sauce gets too hot.

03 -

Keep your heat at medium, not high, because rushing the sauce won't make it taste better and might break the cream if you're using it.
Save some pasta water before you drain your noodles, because a splash or two can loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta perfectly.