Bursting full of tomato flavor, marinara is a wonderfully easy and tasty weeknight meal. It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is, sometimes you just need something easy to eat, spaghetti marinara is our ‘go-to’ easy meal, and we usually end up having a second helping!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- You can batch make the sauce, store it in the fridge or freeze it, so you have it whenever you need it.
- You don’t have to be constantly attending to the sauce, you can leave it cooking while you put your feet up.
- Kids absolutely love this tomato spaghetti dish!
- It’s 100% vegetarian.
We love the simplicity and the flexibility that spaghetti marinara offers you. Eat it just as it is or add your favorite ingredients to make it perfect for you.
Can I use store-bought marinara sauce?
Yes, you can if you want to.
But the marinara sauce is so easy to make, and it’s ridiculously tasty if you make your own, so why would you settle for a store-bought jar?
You can make it much better.
You really can, it’s SO easy.
What can I add to it?
Spaghetti marinara is a stand-alone meal on its own but sometimes, you just want to add a little extra, when you’re feeling especially hungry.
You could add veggie meatballs, cut up vegetarian sausages into chunks and cook them in the sauce.
You could add a good coating of vegetarian Parmesan cheese
Do I have to use spaghetti?
No, you can use virtually any type of pasta you have in your store cupboard.
Rigatoni, fusilli, and fettuccine, are all great with marinara sauce, just use what you have.
How do I store it?
The Marinara tomato sauce lasts for up to 5 days when it’s stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Pasta can be stored in the fridge overnight but it’s so quick and simple to make, it’s best to make it fresh the next day.
You can also freeze Spaghetti marinara for up to a month.
Recipe tips and notes
- Double up the marinara sauce
It’s so easy to make, so double up and freeze the sauce you don’t use. - Storing notes
Store overnight in the fridge in an airtight container or freeze for up to a month.
How to make spaghetti marinara with step-by-step instructions
Making spaghetti marinara is so simple if you follow our easy instructions.
If you are making your own marinara sauce, you’ll need to do that first.
In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, add your San Marzano tomatoes, then add onions and garlic.
Now add dried oregano, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and then stir to combine thoroughly.
Bring the pan to a simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat, stir, and then leave to simmer for approximately 45 minutes.
Using the cooking instructions on your spaghetti packet, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and then immerse the spaghetti into it.
Stir to ensure the spaghetti doesn’t stick together.
When the spaghetti is cooked, transfer it to the cooked marinara sauce, if you get a little pasta water in the sauce then that’s fine.
Toss the spaghetti into the marinara sauce and ensure that it is fully coated.
Serve in bowls, with a garnish of fresh basil leaves or a sprinkling of vegetarian Parmesan cheese.
We hope you enjoy making, and eating, our Marinara spaghetti recipe and we’d love to hear how you got on making it.
Please leave a comment below or feel free to ask any questions that you may have about it.
More easy spaghetti recipes for you to try
- Spaghetti aglio e olio – that’s spaghetti in garlic sauce to us non Italian speakers! It’s so simple and SO good!
- Lemon spaghetti – the most delicious lemon flavored spaghetti sauce you’ve ever tried, a firm favorite!
- Cacio e pepe – spaghetti beautifully coated in cheesy black pepper sauce, you’ll want a double helping!
- Vegan spaghetti bolognese – hearty and satisfying, with a real umami taste, if you only try one vegan recipe, make it this one!
Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, for more tasty inspiration!
EASY SPAGHETTI MARINARA
Utensils
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1250 g San Maranzo plum tomatoes
- 1½ Onions finely chopped
- 3 Cloves of garlic
- 1½ tsp Dried oregano
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 500 g Spaghetti
- Fresh basil leaves optional to garnish
- Vegetarian Parmesan cheese optional to garnish
Instructions
- If you are making your own marinara sauce, you'll need to do that first. In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, add your San Marzano tomatoes, then add onions and garlic.1250 g San Maranzo plum tomatoes, 1½ Onions, 3 Cloves of garlic
- Now add dried oregano, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and then stir to combine thoroughly. Bring the pan to a simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat, stir, and then leave to simmer for approximately 45 minutes1½ tsp Dried oregano, ½ tsp Red pepper flakes, 3 tbsp Olive oil
- Using the cooking instructions on your spaghetti packet, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and then immerse the spaghetti into it. Stir to ensure the spaghetti doesn't stick together. When the spaghetti is cooked, transfer it to the cooked marinara sauce, if you get a little pasta water in the sauce then that's fine. Toss the spaghetti into the marinara sauce and ensure that it is fully coated. Serve in bowls, with a garnish of fresh basil leaves or a sprinkling of vegetarian Parmesan cheese500 g Spaghetti, Fresh basil leaves, Vegetarian Parmesan cheese
- Perfect pasta – enjoy!
Notes
- Double up the marinara sauce
It’s so easy to make, so double up and freeze the sauce you don’t use - Storing notes
Store overnight in the fridge in an airtight container or freeze for up to a month
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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Your pasta recipes are so delicious and easy to make. Thank you for the recipe!!
Delicious! And so easy to make! thank you!
I love the simplicity and flavors in this dish! We gobbled it all up!
This marinara sauce is sooo good! I’m going to make a huge batch and store in portions in the freezer. You’re right – so much better than store-bought!
Amazing! Such a great, simple sauce. Definitely double it up so you always have some on hand!