The marinara can be left in pieces; the texture of the finished sauce is quite loose and the flavor is that of fresh tomatoes. Tomato sauce, on the other hand, is more complex, since it starts with mashed tomatoes seasoned with onions, carrots, celery and bay leaves, and is left to simmer until it thickens and has a rich flavor. Marinara is a simple sauce made with garlic, chopped red pepper and basil, and is prepared in about an hour. Ketchup, on the other hand, is thick, rich and complex.
Ketchup also usually contains more ingredients, such as vegetables and salty pork. So when it comes down to that, how are the two really different? In short, ketchup has much more depth and complexity than marinara sauce, as well as a longer list of ingredients. It's best to think of marinara sauce as a basic form of tomato sauce, especially since its flavor notes, cooking time and ingredient list are short and sweet, according to Paesana. The marinara sauce is also quite fine compared to the thick texture of the tomato sauce.
Because the two sauces look similar (and can sometimes even taste similar), we often use the names marinara and tomato interchangeably. However, the two sauces are not the same thing. According to Taste of Home, marinara sauce cooks much faster than tomato sauce (often less than an hour) and has a less complex flavor profile that usually consists simply of tomatoes, garlic and oregano. Tomato sauce, on the other hand, requires hours of slow cooking and is made with more abundant ingredients, which often include a creamy base of roux, meat, and other vegetables and various herbs.
As a result, ketchup tends to be much thicker and more robust than its marinated counterpart. Marinara sauce, with its finer texture and its simplest flavor, is the best to mix with pasta or spread it on pizza dough. Because of its simple list of ingredients, marinara can be used instead of pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce. That said, marinara isn't as heavy or tasty as ketchup, so the flavor and texture of the finished dish will be very different.
That said, some Americanized variations of this sauce also include Parmesan cheese, while authentic marinara sauce should not contain meat, anchovies, or any dairy products. If you usually cover spaghetti with a tomato-based condiment, then you can't go wrong with the marinara or pasta sauce. Marinara sauce is a very simple tomato-based sauce with minimal ingredients, including tomatoes, onions, garlic, and condiments. The same goes for fried calamari or mozzarella sticks; the marinara sauce will help accentuate the flavor of the dish without robbing it of prominence.
Many people consider Rao's Homemade to be one of the best-tasting canned marinara sauces on the market. Since pasta sauce contains more ingredients than marinara sauce, it also requires a longer preparation time. Since marinara doesn't taste too complex, it's perfect for pasta and pizza (and these other marinara-based recipes). The rich flavor and thick texture of ketchup make it more suitable for smothering foods such as a sauce.
In addition to tomatoes, this delicious Sicilian sauce also includes juicy eggplants and creamy ricotta cheese in its ingredient. While you can serve marinara sauce and pasta sauce with pasta, these two incredible varieties of sauce aren't exactly the same. Since both sauces are made with tomatoes as a base, it is possible to replace the marinara with tomato sauce. Marinara sauce adds an excellent touch to your dish and is more suitable for serving with seafood than with pasta sauce.
