50 Pastas Marinara
In our nearly 5 years of marriage I have come to realize that my husband’s love language is a big ol’ bowl of noodles! Number one on his meal request is pasta in some shape or form. I love pasta as much as the next person but it can become a little monotonous to make it every week.
Then God smiled on his efforts and mine and sent a small booklet my way containing ideas to jazz up your pasta night with 50 (count ‘em)…50 Pasta Dishes! Yes, good has been done here…pasta night was saved and my husband is a very happy man because of it (love you honey!).
So let’s start this endeavor to save pasta night with my simple marinara sauce. No need to buy the jarred stuff…this recipe is the jam! Warning- once you’ve gone homemade you won’t want to go back to the pasta sauce aisle…let’s begin!
Heat the olive oil over medium heat then add your garlic clove slices to the pan. Allow them to sizzle so they can turn a beautiful golden brown. **You may need to stir them so burning is prohibited.
Once the garlic is delightfully browned sprinkle in your crushed red pepper, douse the pan with a can of crushed tomatoes and finish with a cup of water.
Stir in the basil. Sometimes I add some oregano too (dried or fresh) to the sauce. I am just a fan of the flavor of oregano…it makes me a happy girl! Now would also be the time to season with salt and pepper. I am a big fan of seasoning the layers of my dishes to ensure flavor is not lacking. So season away my friends…SEASON!
Allow the sauce to simmer on the stove for about 20 minutes so the flavors have a chance to marry together. Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to the package. Two things I always do when making pasta: season the water with salt (make it taste like the sea people…don’t be shy) and cook the pasta 1 minute shorter than what the package suggests (we want it al dente not mushy).
For this sauce I used spaghetti because I am old fashioned like that! Reserve about a cup of the starchy cooking liquid of the pasta in case your sauce needs a little loosening. Drain your pasta and toss together with your delicious marinara sauce!
Serve in shallow bowls and top with cheese, or if you’re my husband- A MOUNTAIN OF CHEESE! We are kind of obsessed with cheese in this family. I also like to pair this meal with homemade garlic bread or a side salad like this peach caprese salad pictured here…recipe to come soon!
Sometimes it takes a big bowl of pasta to turn the crappiest of days into a distant memory lost in the tangles of tomato basil goodness! Toss that spaghetti sauce jar aside and roll up your sleeves as I take you on a journey of 50 pasta dishes that will make your family sing your praises!
Pasta night is back baby…and it’s a beautiful thing!
LOVE YA!
Janie-Jean
- 50 Pastas: Marinara Sauce
- Ingredients:
- 2 Tbs Extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup of water
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ cup torn fresh basil
- In a large sauce pan warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic clove slices and sauté until golden. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, red pepper flakes, oregano and fresh basil to the pan and stir together. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer on the stove for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve with 1 pound cooked spaghetti noodles. Top with parmesan cheese if desired.
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