Pasta with Marinara Sauce (Super Quick and Easy Recipe!)
Pasta with marinara sauce is one of the easiest dinners you can make in under 30 minutes, yet it tastes like it came straight from an Italian kitchen. With just a few pantry staples, you can whip up a satisfying meal the whole family will love.
It’s the perfect recipe for busy moms to whip out of their back pockets at a moment’s notice, and features classic, wholesome flavors that your family is going to fall in love with!
We all need a quick and easy dinner meal recipe that’s not only filling but also absolutely delicious. This recipe ticks all those boxes and more! I’m sure you’re going to fall in love with it from the first time to make it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Pasta with marinara sauce is the perfect blend of simplicity and flavor, made with just a handful of pantry staples in under 30 minutes. It’s budget-friendly, family-approved, and versatile enough to serve on its own or with your favorite proteins and veggies. Naturally vegetarian and easy to customize, this classic dish is a comforting meal you’ll want to make again and again.
Meat patties are a popular meal in Ukrainian households. If you happen to have some meat patties left over from the day before, you are halfway ready for tonight’s dinner. Incorporate them into this recipe and you have a quick and delicious dinner prepared in half an hour.
Add some garlic bread and a salad and it will taste like you spent half of the day in the kitchen! I hope you love it just as much as we do!
Key Ingredients
All you need are some simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious pasta dish at home. Let’s look at what these are:
- Pasta: First of all, to make our delicious marinara pasta we’ll need some pasta! I’ve used spaghetti here but you can also use penne pasta or any other pasta you like the most.
- Mozzarella cheese: You’ll also need some mozzarella cheese to turn this pasta into a delicious cheesy mix! It perfectly complements the marinara flavors and you’re going to absolutely love it!
- Butter: For some added richness and flavor, we’ll also need one tablespoon of unsalted butter in this recipe.
- Heavy cream: You’ll also need some heavy cream to get a delicious creamy consistency to the pasta sauce!
- Pasta sauce: Since this recipe is for all the busy moms out there, we’ll be using a jar of pasta sauce instead of making homemade marinara sauce. But if you want to make it at home, I recommend using San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese adds a delicious layer of flavor to the pasta dish, making it taste out of this world!
- Salt: You’ll also need some salt to taste to balance out all the flavors. I’ve used one teaspoon in the sauce and one tablespoon to cook the pasta.
How to Make Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Making this pasta with marinara sauce at home couldn’t be easier! Here’s everything you need to do to make it at home:
Start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions in a large pot. I boiled mine for 5 minutes longer as we like our pasta a little more tender, but you can boil them until they’re al dente.
Next, turn on a burner to medium heat then melt butter in a large skillet, and then add cooked pasta and coat it with the melted butter by stirring it several times.
Now add heavy cream and marinara sauce to the pan. Mix it into the pasta well. Heat the sauce and pasta for about 1 minute, then add cottage cheese to it.
Mix in cottage cheese with pasta and let pasta simmer for about another 2 minutes, stirring it occasionally in the middle.
Now turn the heat off and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the pasta. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the cheese to melt. Serve as soon as the cheese is melted. Or you can transfer pasta into an oven-safe baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350F (is my preference).
Your delicious pasta with marinara sauce is ready to be served!
For a full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Tips
- Salt Your Pasta Water Generously – Think of pasta water as the base seasoning, salty like the sea. This step ensures every bite of pasta is flavorful before adding the sauce.
- Don’t Rinse the Pasta – The starch on the pasta helps the sauce stick. Just drain and toss directly with the marinara.
- Pair with the Right Pasta Shape – Spaghetti is classic, but penne, rigatoni, or fusilli hold onto the marinara beautifully. Try different shapes for fun variations.
Recipe Variation Ideas for Marinara Pasta
This delicious pasta recipe is absolutely perfect as is, but if you’re looking to customize the flavors here are some ideas you can try:
- Cheese: You can add any other cheese you like the most to this pasta. Parmesan cheese is a classic one that goes well with the flavors in this pasta dish.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add whichever veggies you love the most! Carrots, red peppers, olives, and capers go really well with this dish. To garnish, you can also add some fresh basil.
- Spices: If you like your food spicy, you can add some black pepper or red pepper flakes to the pasta for some added heat. You can also try adding some Italian seasonings such as oregano to boost the flavor of the sauce. Drizzle some olive oil on top for a more Italian touch!
- Spinach & Italian Sausage Marinara Pasta – Combine sautéed spinach with crumbled sausage in the marinara for a balanced mix of hearty and healthy.
How to Store Pasta with Marinara Sauce
If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days! Pasta with marinara sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade marinara keeps for about 4 – 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Marinara is a simple, quick tomato-based sauce with garlic and herbs, while spaghetti sauce is often thicker and may include meat, vegetables, or longer simmering times.
Pasta with Marinara Sauce (Super Quick and Easy Recipe!)
Ingredients
Marinara Pasta Ingredients
- 1 lb. organic noodle pasta
- 12 oz. mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 jar pasta sauce (I prefer roasted garlic pasta sauce)
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- Salt to taste
Instructions
How to Make Marinara Pasta
- Making this Marinara Pasta at home couldn't be easier! Here's everything you need to do to make it at home:
- Start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions in a large pot. I boiled mine for 5 minutes longer as we like our pasta a little more tender, but you can boil them until they're al dente.
- Next, turn on a burner to medium heat then melt butter in a large skillet, and then add cooked pasta and coat it with the melted butter by stirring it several times.
- Now add heavy cream and marinara sauce to the pan. Mix it into the pasta well. Heat the sauce and pasta for about 1 minute, then add cottage cheese to it.
- Mix in cottage cheese with pasta and let pasta simmer for about another 2 minutes, stirring it occasionally in the middle.
- Now turn the heat off and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the pasta. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the cheese to melt. Serve as soon as the cheese is melted. Or you can transfer pasta into an oven-safe baking dish and bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 350 F (my preference).
Notes
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This recipe was originally posted on January 19, 2017 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
Any ideas for subbing out the heavy whipping cream?
Half & half or whole milk. I hope this helps.
I will be trying this yummy recipe tonight! Looks so delicious! I’m a mom of 3 and I need quick and delicious recipes but with lots of nutrients! Thank you for your hard work!
That’s awesome! I would like to hear your feedback. Thank you for making my recipes and supporting my blog! I really appreciated 🙂
Made it for my kids dinner and they loved it! The only thing is I didn’t have any cottage cheese so I used some cream cheese. Thank you Valechka!
I’m glad your kids like it and thank you for such an awesome review. 🙂
Thank you for the recipe!;) It looks really good and I will be trying this recipe soon!!
Thank you! Enjoy!
This pasta looks absolutely amazing! Will be making this for dinner tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your recipes!
You are very welcome dear, enjoy!