Quick Marinara Pasta Spinach (Printable Version)

Vibrant pasta tossed in marinara sauce with fresh spinach, ready quickly for weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried spaghetti or penne
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
06 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach
07 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

09 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Pour in marinara sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Add red pepper flakes if using.
04 - Stir in fresh spinach and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
05 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
06 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and season with freshly ground black pepper.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely ready in twenty minutes, no shortcuts or hidden waiting involved.
  • Fresh spinach wilts right into the sauce so you're eating vegetables without any fuss about it.
  • The pasta water you reserve becomes your secret weapon for silky sauce that actually clings to every strand.
02 -
  • Cooking your pasta in properly salted water is the only seasoning layer you really have control over—skip this and nothing you do after will fix it.
  • That pasta water you reserved isn't optional filler; it's actual emulsion that transforms jarred sauce into something silky and restaurant-quality.
03 -
  • Buy Parmesan in a wedge and grate it yourself—pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • If your jarred sauce tastes a little sharp or acidic to you, that half-teaspoon of red pepper flakes actually rounds it out and smooths it over in a way that feels almost luxurious.
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