16 Easy Recipes That Start With a Jar of Marinara Sauce
It’s the ultimate shortcut to get dinner on the table.
“I think marinara sauce is one of life’s simple pleasures,” Ree Drummond once declared. Humble canned tomatoes transform into one of the world’s most craveable sauces, and there is absolutely a time and a place to make marinara from scratch. But on busy weeknights, you don’t have two hours to wait for it to simmer. What you do have time for is opening a jar of the stuff from your pantry to get dinner on the table fast.
But here’s the thing: Recipes with jarred marinara don’t have to be only boiled noodles and reheated sauce. Plenty of almost-as-lazy dinner ideas take just a few more steps to turn store-bought sauce into an epic Italian-style meal. For instance, did you know you can make chicken parm in your air fryer in just half an hour? You can thank jarred marinara for that 30-minute meal!
A jar of marinara can be a quick swap in a pizza recipe, a dipping sauce for snacks like mozzarella sticks, or a shortcut for a casserole. And if you’re lucky enough to have marinara in your freezer that you made a few months ago, great! That will work, too. The point is, if you’ve got marinara prepped already, you’re one step closer to a warm, cozy meal the whole family will love. And if it came from a jar, they’ll be none the wiser.
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
In just 30 minutes, you can make chicken parm and a side of spaghetti. The two hacks you need to make it happen are your air fryer and a jar of marinara sauce.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe.
Zucchini Lasagna
When you’re craving a big ol’ slice of lasagna but don’t want to feel weighed down, make this veggie-forward version. It swaps the pasta for slices of roasted zucchini. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of sauce and cheese.
Get Ree’s Zucchini Lasagna recipe.
Mini Meatball Sandwiches
Here’s another kid-friendly, 30-minute meal. The meatballs are easy to make from scratch, then you smother them in jarred sauce and top with melty cheese. Serve with chips for a fun, easy dinner.
Get Ree’s Mini Meatball Sandwiches recipe.
Stuffed Banana Peppers
If you love classic stuffed peppers, just wait until you try this twist! It features banana peppers filled with a cheesy, spicy Italian sausage mixture, topped with crispy panko, and baked in marinara sauce until bubbly.
Get the Stuffed Banana Peppers recipe.
Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
Use few store-bought shortcuts like refrigerated dough, jarred marinara, and pre-sliced cheese and pepperoni. The result is a great finger food idea that you can serve on game day or for a fun pizza night.
Get Ree’s Pepperoni Pizza Rolls recipe.
Skillet Chicken Lasagna
Ree calls this a “delicious one-dish meal for those nights you just need to get grub on the table fast.” You get all the savory flavors of the layered pasta dish in a skillet instead, which takes just 30 minutes.
Get Ree’s Skillet Chicken Lasagna recipe.
Eggplant Rollatini
Ree shows you just how easy it is to make restaurant-style rollatini at home. You need some time to salt and roast the eggplant, but the rest comes together fast. Jarred marinara is the perfect shortcut here.
Get Ree’s Eggplant Rollatini recipe.
Pepperoni Pizza Burgers
Can’t choose between burgers and pizza for dinner? Then don’t! These burgers combine the best of both worlds in each saucy bite. Jarred marinara helps them come together in just 25 minutes.
Get Ree’s Pepperoni Pizza Burgers recipe.
Stuffed Zucchini
Scoop out zucchini and fill it with Italian sausage, marinara sauce, and two kinds of cheese. It’s like eating sausage pizza but lighter and less carb-heavy. Plus, it’s a great way to use up all that zucchini in the summer.
Get the Stuffed Zucchini recipe.
Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
Ree calls this her “favorite pasta sauce in the whole world.” And you can make it very fast by doctoring up jarred marinara with a few simple ingredients like onion, garlic, basil, and of course, cream.
Get Ree’s Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce recipe.
Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
If you crave spaghetti and meatballs but want something a little lighter, stuff spaghetti squash! It has plenty of flavor and comfort but makes sure you get veggies in your tummy, too.
Get Ree’s Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs recipe.
Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake
Another twist on chicken parm is making a casserole version. The jarred marinara gets mixed with tender chicken and pasta plus melty cheese for an all-in-one pasta bake that the whole family will love.
French Bread Pizzas
Using French bread rather than making pizza from scratch gives you all the same flavors in a fraction of the prep time. It’s just as fast as ordering takeout, but you can also customize individual topping requests.
Get Ree’s French Bread Pizzas recipe.
Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan
If you like eggplant parm, then try these boats! They are loaded with all the best parts of the classic dish: pasta, marinara sauce, lots of melty cheese, and a sprinkle of crispy breadcrumbs on top.
Get Ree’s Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan recipe.
Meatball Subs
Making meatballs from scratch is the key to making these subs extra flavorful. Then simply use jarred marinara sauce, melty provolone, and soft hoagie rolls to assemble. They’ll be perfect for game day!
Get the Meatball Subs recipe.
Baked Ziti
“Baked ziti is like lasagna's fun, slightly chaotic cousin,” Ree jokes. It has all the same warm, cozy comfort but with less work. Ree doctors up marinara with ground meat for a “deep, savory flavor that makes every bite extra satisfying.”
Get Ree’s Baked Ziti recipe.
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