Quick Marinara Pasta Spinach (Printable)

Vibrant pasta tossed with marinara sauce and spinach, ready quickly for easy mealtime solutions.

# 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 - 24 oz jar marinara sauce
06 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach
07 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

09 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add marinara sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in red pepper flakes if using.
04 - Add fresh baby spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat in sauce. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water as needed.
06 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 20 minutes, which means you're eating before the dinner hour disappears.
  • The spinach sneaks in without any fuss, turning an ordinary jar of sauce into something that feels homemade.
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes better than it has any right to be, given how little you actually had to do.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain—it sounds like a small step, but it's the secret to bringing a too-thick sauce back to life without watering it down.
  • Don't skip the 30-second garlic sauté; that brief moment is what separates a jar-sauce-and-noodles dinner from something that actually tastes cooked.
03 -
  • Buy Parmesan in a block and grate it yourself—pre-grated cheese has cellulose that makes the sauce feel slightly grainy, and you'll notice the difference.
  • Taste the sauce by itself before you combine everything; if it needs salt or pepper, add it then, not at the end when you're trying to season the whole dish.
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