This simple marinara sauce is delicious and free of unwanted ingredients or added sugars making it gluten free, low carb and paleo and Whole30 friendly.
Heat the frying pan with the olive oil over low heat.
Finely chop the onion. Add to the frying pan and allow to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Thinly slice the garlic cloves and add to the pan. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes until both the onions are garlic become very fragrant.
Add the tomato paste to the pan. Stir. If using fresh oregano, throw in the whole basil leaves at this time.
Add the remaining spices. Allow the flavors to combine for several minutes.
While everything is cooking. Pour the canned tomatoes into a bowl. Begin crushing the tomatoes with clean hands until there are no large chunks. Remove any hard, fibrous pieces where the stem attaches. These pieces will be easy to feel and see because they are tough and a little more yellow than the rest of the tomatoes.
Add the tomatoes to the pan. Stir and continue to break up the tomatoes with the spatula. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes. The sauce should begin to bubble. For a richer and sweeter flavor, allow sauce to continue to cook down. As it cooks, flavor will develop and the sauce will reduce.