Turkey Free Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
Classic Italian-American comfort food doesn't get much better than a silky, slow-simmered tomato sauce tossed with perfectly al dente spaghetti. This one is built entirely on pantry staples — San Marzano tomatoes, good olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil — so there's no meat of any kind in sight, making it a naturally clean choice for anyone avoiding poultry. The technique here is what sets it apart: garlic is coaxed low and slow in olive oil until pale golden and fragrant, then crushed whole tomatoes are added and left to bubble down for a full 20 minutes until the sauce thickens and the oil rises to the surface in that deeply satisfying way. A splash of reserved pasta water at the end helps the sauce cling to every strand rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Torn fresh basil and a finishing drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil bring brightness right before serving, and a handful of freshly grated Parmesan on top is entirely optional but honestly hard to skip. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like you spent far more effort than you actually did.
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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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