This Marinara Is Kind of Magical



Hi Reader,

I make some version of tomato sauce every. single. week. Usually it’s a quick one, sometimes it turns into something a little more involved — but it always starts the same way: good canned tomatoes (lately I'm using this brand from California), olive oil, garlic, and a little attention.

This week I’m leaning into marinara as a starting point for dinner, with a few recipes from the archive that build on it in different ways — roasted vegetable lasagna, crisp breaded baked eggplant, and a very streamlined version of my mom’s Sunday gravy.

If you make one, tell me how it goes — and whether you stuck to the recipe or improvised a little.

Karen

My Go-To Marinara

A simple marinara that’s balanced, deeply flavorful, and ready in about 20 minutes.


Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Layered with caramelized vegetables, creamy cheese, and a bright tomato sauce — swap in marinara to make this even easier to assemble.

Crispy Baked Eggplant

Golden, crisp-edged eggplant slices baked (not fried), made for dipping into marinara.

Chicken Sausage Casserole

A complete dinner in one pan: Chicken sausage and white bean stew with greens in thick tomato sauce, topped with Parmesan and crunchy breadcrumbs.

Shortcut Sunday Meat Sauce

All the flavor of a long-simmered Sunday gravy. Use the marinara as the base, or make it from scratch with this recipe.

P.S. If you’re in a tomato sauce mood, you’ll find plenty more ideas in my Italian recipe archive.

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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Familystyle Food: Flavorful, laidback recipes for home cooks.

I share well-tested, innovative yet simple food for people who love to gather around the table, using approachable ingredients and minimal effort. Life is delicious!

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