Linguini Marinara Recipe
Make Linguini Marinara Recipe in just 40m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Pasta
Marinara Sauce
To Finish
Method
Pasta
Boil pasta
Bring a large pot of water (about 4-5 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 12 oz linguini and cook until just shy of al dente according to package instructions (usually 8-9 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid, then drain the pasta, tossing briefly with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to prevent sticking. Set pasta and reserved liquid aside.
Marinara Sauce
Sweat aromatics
Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a wide sauté pan or shallow saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 cup finely diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.
Build sauce
Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly. Pour in the 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes and 1 cup water or reserved pasta cooking liquid, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Add 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
Simmer
Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld, 15–20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/2 cup additional pasta water to reach desired consistency.
Finish with fresh basil
Stir in 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves in the last 1–2 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or sugar as needed.
To Finish
Toss pasta with sauce
Add the drained linguini to the pan with the finished marinara. Toss gently over low heat for 1–2 minutes to combine, adding a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen and help the sauce coat the pasta evenly.
Serve
Divide pasta among plates or bowls. Sprinkle each portion with grated Parmesan (about 1 cup total for the recipe) and garnish with reserved fresh basil leaves. Finish with additional freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.