Marinara Sauce for Fish or Pasta

Name: Marinara Sauce for Fish or Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 28-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced; 1 cup full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (triple the amount for fresh); 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 large sprig of fresh basil

I know that most people associate Marinara Sauce with pasta. Historically, the sauce was intended for fish! Marinara translates to “marine,” or what the online dictionary defines as “Of or relating to the sea.” In any event, I make this ruby-toned condiment just as our southern Italian friends do: quickly, easily, and without a whiff of onion. Here’s the step-by-step:

Marinara Sauce for Pasta or Fish

Grab 5 cloves of garlic…

And coarsely mince them.

Then crack open a (28-ounce) can of peeled plum tomatoes (or use your own, homegrown plum tomatoes)…

And pour them (and all of their juices) into a large bowl.

Wanna use fresh tomatoes? According to Fine Cooking Magazine, one 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes equals about 10-12 fresh, whole plum tomatoes, peeled (about 2 pounds).

Violently crush the squishy fruit with your (impeccably clean) hands.

Next, in a wide skillet over medium heat, add 1/4 cup (yes, 1/4 cup!) of good olive oil. A skillet (as opposed to a pot) will permit the sauce to cook down and thicken up quickly.

Add the garlic, and let it cook just until fragrant — about 30 seconds. Don’t let the garlic brown. Brown garlic is bitter garlic.

Then add the tomatoes…

And 1 cup of good red wine…

1 teaspoon kosher salt…

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano…

And 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

Give the sauce a stir, and then adjust the heat maintain a simmer.

And then…

Run out to your garden and snip a nice big sprig of basil. My basil is pathetically small because I only planted it a few weeks ago. If your basil looks like mine, go ahead and use 3 or more sprigs.

Lay the basil directly on top of the sauce…

And when the herb wilts, submerge it into the sauce.

Let the marinara simmer until it has reduced and thickened slightly, and the oil on the surface turns bright orange — about 20 minutes.

Off heat, remove and discard the basil.

And how shall we enjoy this fresh, fragrant, molto delizioso marinara?

Well, you could spread some marinara on a plate…

And top it with a baked haddock fillet!

Spoon a little sauce over the fish…

And garnish it with a tiny sprig of basil. (This was my dinner last night.)

Then again, you could put some (al dente) spaghetti on a plate…

And spoon some marinara over the pasta.

Add some Parmesan cheese…

And a flurry of chopped parsley. (This was my second dinner last night.)

YUM.

However you serve it, I think you’ll find this marinara is infinitely better than its commercial counterpart. Give it a try, okay?

Hungry for more? Get my email updates.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes