15 Minute Quick Marinara
A quick marinara sauce that can be had in under 15 minutes
Print
Pin
Servings: 4
Equipment
- large sauce pan
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic more, if desired
- 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes more for a spicier sauce
- 1 28 oz can plain tomato sauce
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tbsp olive extra virgin, please
- sprig of fresh oregano and rosemary if available
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- FIll a pot with water and add some salt for your pasta. Turn on high heat and cover.
- Use a large chicken fryer pan with a heavy bottom and wide surface area to deliver fast and even heat. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the plan and place on medium heat. If you think it will take a while to dice the garlic, wait until you are done dicing it to turn the heat on.
- Line up the cloves in a column in front of you and thinly slice it crosswise, keeping your fingers curled toward your palm away from the blade. Rotate the cutting board and slice at 90 degree angle to make tiny, diced pieces. Rotate the cutting board back and continue slicing until the pieces are about the size of a children's aspirin or smaller.
- Transfer the garlic to the hot pan and stir it around. If the sizzling sound is too intense, lift the pan from the heat and turn the heat down. You do NOT want the garlic to turn brown, but only translucent. Add the crushed red pepper flakes. I usually just grab two big pinches from the can and dump into the hot pan. Stir evenly for about a minute.
- If you have the fresh oregano and rosemary, pull the leaves off and slice thinly. We only have a few plants that we keep inside, so I only use small amounts and supplement with the dried herbs. If you have enough, use all fresh herbs.
- Add both cans of the tomatoes. I love the sizzling sound the tomatoes make as they squelch the bubbling oil. Turn the heat on high to get that sauce rocking. Once it starts bubbling, you can turn the heat back to med-high and add all of the oregano, rosemary, black pepper, and salt. Let continue to cook uncovered on medium high heat as you finish the meal.
- I like to have the water boiling by now. I will add the pasta to the boiling water as the sauce continues to cook. Follow the directions on the pasta box. It usually cooks al dente in about 8-10 minutes. This is a good amount of time for the sauce to finish cooking.
- When the pasta is almost done, turn the heat off of the sauce and let sit. Drain your pasta well in a collander -- nothing fancy, just let it sit in the sink for a few minutes . Pro tip: after you drain the pasta, place a small amount of cold water back in the pasta pan and then place the draining pasta in the collander back on the pan. This makes cleanup of the pan easier and any stuck pasta will be easier to remove.
- Thats it! You are done in no time. I like to serve this with a spicy tomato and herb salad. As this is a lighter sauce, some garlic bread goes nicely with it. Buon appetito!
