Pasta Marinara
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A classic is always in style! This easy recipe for homemade pasta marinara is fast, tasty, and packed with flavor. Skip the jar and rely on this fresh, family-friendly recipe that can easily be ready in less than 30 minutes. Easy to combine with your favorite protein or extra veggies, too.
Perfect Marinara Pasta From Scratch
Simple pasta dishes may be my favorite for a family-friendly weeknight meal. They are usually easy and quick to get on the table, and as close to a guarantee as you’ll find to please everyone. A classic pasta marinara perfectly exemplifies how you needn’t compromise on quality to get an amazing from scratch meal on the table fast.
Why You’ll Love It
- Classic Italian flavors that please everyone
- Wholesome, real food ingredients—no preservatives or added sugars needed
- Get the sauce simmering and it’s pretty hands-off
- Fresh taste from convenient ingredients—use the highest quality tomatoes you can and reap the reward
- Be proud—you made your own marinara! Maybe even on a weeknight!
What Others Say:
“Such a delicious marinara recipe! I love how quickly it comes together.” -Tina
“This was so delicious, I didn’t miss the jar of marinara at all! This is going to go on rotation for weeknight dinners!” -Emily
Care to add protein? Follow these directions for meatballs marinara, chicken marinara pasta, or a luxurious shrimp marinara that is delicious and barely any extra work.
Ingredient Notes
Crushed vs. Whole Peeled Tomatoes
Either crushed or whole peeled tomatoes can make a great marinara sauce. In general, whole peeled tomatoes have a superior reputation for quality, but they will need a little effort on your part to break down. Either crush the tomatoes by hand as you add them to the skillet, smash them with a wooden spoon as they cook, or blend them with a traditional or immersion blender before adding the pasta. If you’re able to use a high-quality brand, crushed tomatoes save you a bit of work. Either way, use a large, 28 ounce can and include all of the juices.
More About Marinara
Although “marinara” is sometimes used as an all-purpose term for red sauce, it really is a specific type of light and simple tomato-based sauce common in pizzas, pastas, and for dipping. Unlike spaghetti or vodka sauce, marinara does not traditionally contain meat, cream, or many other complex ingredients.
Of course you can buy jarred. However, the brands that taste best and have fewer artificial ingredients are also typically most expensive. In contrast, it can be easy and affordable to make your own, which you can then use as you like. Master homemade marinara and simple yet impressive meals like this will be at your fingertips forever.
How To Make Pasta Marinara
This is fast and easy, but taking care to do the steps in the right order ensures you get the most flavorful end result.
Boil water for the pasta and cook just shy of al dente. You want it to have some bite when it goes into the sauce so that it can absorb a bit of it.
Start the sauce right away after you set the pasta water over heat. Allow as much time as possible for the sauce to simmer and build flavor. Begin by placing the olive oil and garlic in a cold, large skillet, then set over medium heat. Be sure to use a pan large enough to eventually hold all of the sauce and pasta!
As an option to make an even more rich, rust-colored sauce, you can stir in 1-2 Tablespoons tomato paste alongside the garlic.
As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle and smell good, add tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes. This should allow plenty of time for cooking your pasta.
Pro Tip
Watch carefully and pour in the tomatoes as soon as the garlic begins to sizzle! If the garlic turns dark brown or begins to burn, it can impart an acrid taste to the entire sauce. Simple but important.
Should homemade marinara have sugar?
I always prefer to make homemade marinara without added sugar, and especially do not find it necessary when starting with good quality crushed tomatoes, which often are picked later and therefore slightly sweeter than canned whole peeled tomatoes.
If you sample your sauce after it has simmered for at least 15 minutes and still find it too acidic for your tastes, add a small pinch of granulated white sugar and sample again. Keep in mind you can—and should!—also season with salt and pepper to taste.
When both sauce and pasta are ready to go, toss it all together.
It can be easy and helpful to transfer the pasta directly from its cooking pot into the sauce using a wide slotted spoon. It’s OK if a little cooking water comes with it. If the pasta is done well before the sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, though, drain it in a colander and transfer to the sauce later.
Garnish with more basil and black pepper if you love it. Pass red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese at the table so everyone can dress their plate as they like.
Variations & Mix-Ins
- Add greens. Toss in some baby spinach along with the drained pasta; the residual heat will gently wilt the leaves. You also can do this with frozen peas.
- Sauté other veggies into the mix. It’s easy to toss a handful of shredded carrots, diced onion, or finely-chopped bell pepper or zucchini into the sauce along with the tomatoes. They will simmer to tender perfection. In fact, adding a bit of diced sweet onion is a trick to gently sweeten the sauce without using refined sugars.
- Add protein. Cooked shredded chicken, shrimp, meatballs, or Italian sausage can all be mixed into the pasta, as well.
If you’re craving a vegetable-rich version by design, my garden veggie pasta marinara recipe is a done-for-you solution.
Serving Suggestions
Pasta marinara is a quintessential Italian comfort food and pairs perfectly with everything you’d expect.
Mixed baby greens with Italian dressing or a simple mix of arugula and pine nuts will complement these flavors beautifully, as will any steamed or roasted veggie you like. Breadsticks or garlic knots never hurt!
More Easy Pasta Recipes
If you love simple and quick pasta recipes, you’ll also enjoy my spaghetti with mushrooms and garlicky breadcrumbs, weeknight bolognese, gnocchi alla vodka, and salmon pesto pasta.
Lemon chicken pasta also always hits the spot, and lemon broccoli pasta is another one-pot wonder you’ll love to have in your back pocket.
Pasta Marinara
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes see note
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 2-3 sprigs fresh basil plus more for serving
- 8 ounces pasta
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water and add a generous pinch of salt.
- While you wait for the water to boil, begin making the sauce. Place olive oil and garlic in a cold deep skillet, then place the skillet over medium heat.2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 4 cloves garlic
- As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle and smell fragrant, stir in the tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Nestle in the sprigs of fresh basil. Reduce the heat to low and let sauce simmer for at least 15 minutes.1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, pinch red pepper flakes, 2-3 sprigs fresh basil
- While the sauce simmers, add pasta to the boiling water. Cook for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions say for al dente.8 ounces pasta
- After the sauce has simmered for about 15 minutes, remove the basil sprigs and give it a taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.kosher salt and black pepper
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce and give everything a good stir. (If the timing works out, I like to transfer the pasta directly from its cooking pot into the sauce using a slotted spoon. It’s OK if a little cooking water comes with it. If the pasta is done well before the sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, though, it’s fine to drain it in a colander and transfer to the sauce later.)
- Let everything warm through for 1-2 minutes. Serve with more chopped or torn basil leaves.
Notes
- Tomatoes: Using high-quality tomatoes is important. With so few ingredients, the flavor will really make a difference. San Marzano tomatoes are generally considered top notch; my favorite brands include Mutti, DeLallo, and Muir Glen, which are organic and come in BPA-free cans.
- Canned Whole vs. Crushed Tomatoes: You also can use whole canned tomatoes–they require the extra step of you breaking them up but are sometimes higher quality than the same brand’s canned crushed tomatoes. Include all juices from the can. Either crush the tomatoes by hand as you add them to the skillet, or blend them with a traditional or immersion blender before adding the pasta.
- Variations: Toss veggies straight into this pasta for more of a healthy one-pot meal. Craving greens? Add spinach or arugula to the sauce along with the drained pasta. Have some shredded carrots, minced onion, or finely-chopped bell pepper or zucchini? Add those to the sauce along with the tomatoes and let them simmer in there right along with everything else. Add cooked chicken, shrimp, meatballs, or sausage for protein.
- Storage: Leftovers keep very well for 3-4 days. Store in any airtight container in the fridge. (These are our favorite meal prep boxes!)
- Reheating: Warm in the microwave or over medium-low heat in a small saucepan. Add a splash of broth or water to help loosen the sauce and minimize sticking, only if needed.
- Freezing: You can freeze extra portions of marinara sauce! Freeze in tightly-sealed containers for up to 2 months, then defrost and reheat in the microwave as desired.
Such a delicious marinara recipe! I love how quickly it comes together.
Delish! I used the whole peeled tomatoes and immersion blender as you suggested and this sauce was so easy and flavorful.
This was so delicious, I didn’t miss the jar of marinara at all! This is going to go on rotation for weeknight dinners!
You can’t beat the classics and this did not disappoint! Perfect lunchtime comfort food.
I’m always looking for new recipes to try for pasta night, and this marinara looks perfect!