Chicken Free Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
Few dishes hit the way a truly great marinara does — glossy, fragrant, and deeply satisfying without needing much more than a handful of quality ingredients. This one builds its flavor the right way, starting with thinly sliced garlic coaxed slowly in olive oil until pale golden, then layered with red pepper flakes and hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes for a sauce that tastes like it simmered all afternoon. Finishing with torn fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil takes it from weeknight dinner to something you'd proudly serve to guests. Since every component here is plant-based at its core, there's no need to scan labels or swap anything out — the dish is naturally free of poultry without any workarounds. The technique of tossing the cooked spaghetti directly in the sauce with a splash of starchy pasta water is the move that makes everything cling together beautifully instead of sliding apart in the bowl. Optional Parmesan on top adds a salty, nutty finish, but the sauce is bold enough to stand entirely on its own. Simple, classic, and completely craveable.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pasta
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
- ½ tsp sugar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
For serving
- 1–2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
- parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the kosher salt, then the spaghetti, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente — tender with a slight resistance at the center, about 1–2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. Drain the spaghetti through a colander and set aside.
- 2
While the pasta water heats, pour the canned tomatoes into a large bowl and crush them by hand, breaking them into rough, uneven pieces. Set aside.
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