Start by heating olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Next, add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring the sauce to a simmer while stirring frequently. Let it cook for 30 minutes.
Marinara sauce is a classic Italian tomato-based sauce known for its simplicity and bold flavors. It is a popular staple in Italian cuisine and is widely used as a base sauce for pasta dishes.
It is believed that marinara sauce originated from the sailors of Naples, who would prepare this sauce using easily available ingredients during their long sea voyages. The combination of tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil served as a simple and flavorful sauce that could be easily made on board ships.
Over time, marinara sauce gained popularity beyond seafaring communities and became a cherished element of Italian cuisine. It spread throughout Italy and eventually made its way to the United States, where it became a fundamental component of Italian-American cooking.
Marinara sauce pairs exceptionally well with a variety of pasta shapes. Some of the most commonly recommended pasta types to complement marinara sauce include spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, penne, rigatoni, and fusilli. The smooth texture and slightly sweet acidity of the sauce meld deliciously with these pasta shapes, creating a harmonious and satisfying dish.