Spaghetti Marinara

Spaghetti marinara is a simple, yet impressive, dish to make at home. Your favorite al dente pasta is tossed in a homemade marinara sauce made with high quality tomatoes, oregano, and garlic.

Cook Time 25

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Author Heather

Ingredients

16 ounces spaghetti dry
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic minced
28 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a pot of salted, boiling water, cook spaghetti to al dente according to package directions. Drain, cover, and set aside.
Meanwhile, In a sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until barely beginning to brown around the edges. Add canned tomatoes to the pan, then add about ½ cup of water to tomato can, swirl around to catch extra tomato juices, and add to the pan. Season with salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano.
Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low (or as low as you can go without losing your simmer), and cook for about 20 minutes. As your sauce cooks, continually smash the whole tomatoes with your spoon, slowly breaking them apart, until no large chunks remain.
Remove from heat. Add cooked spaghetti and toss gently until coated. Serve warm topped with optional parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Notes

Quantity: This recipe makes about 3 cups, or 24 ounces, of sauce. If you prefer a very saucy pasta (or want extra for dipping garlic bread), you may want to double the sauce portion of the recipe.
For a smooth sauce: use an immersion blender, or carefully transfer cooked sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. Make sure to remove the feeder cap of your blender lid and cover lid with a towel to allow steam to vent safely. For your safety, never fill a blender more than half full with hot food.
Leftovers: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Sauce (without pasta) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.

Nutrition