Alfredo Marinara Pasta
The perfect marriage of two fan favorites – marinara sauce and Alfredo sauce. This commingling is rich yet light, tangy and buttery, and embraces the pasta like satin. I’m confident this simple sauce will be become a household staple for you. Especially because the recipe is unbelievably quick and easy.
I’m not the first one to think of combining marinara and Alfredo into one incredible sauce. But I changed the ratio in a big way. Most recipes call for equal parts marinara sauce and Alfredo sauce, which makes the sauce pale pink in color. We like the ratio to be more on the marinara side, so this sauce is tangy and creamy at the same time, not overly heavy.
I made this easy marinara from scratch with a quick blend of tomato sauce and herbs. My sauce is a fast and easy combo of pantry staples. That said, you can certainly use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce instead.
What’s in authentic Alfredo sauce? Traditional Alfredo sauce consists of butter, parmesan cheese, and the cooking water from your cooked pasta. Our Americanized version adds garlic and heavy cream. And that’s true of most store-bought Alfredo sauce – it’s a cream sauce scented with parmesan cheese and garlic. And it’s heavy. That’s why incorporating marinara sauce is the BEST; it lightens the Alfredo sauce while adding a sweet/tangy tomato essence.
What type of pasta should you use for this dish? I used bowtie pasta in this recipe because it’s what I had – and we love it! It’s actually Luke’s favorite shape. You can use ANY pasta you want – that’s how versatile the sauce is. Choose long strands of spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine, or shorter shapes like penne, rigatoni, elbows, and shells. The sauce is the star attraction, any pasta works!
Can you make this sauce in advance? Yes, definitely. Since we’re using shelf-stable Alfredo sauce (versus one made from scratch), the creamy blend won’t “break” once it’s chilled and reheated. Most cream sauces can’t be reheated – they separate in the most unfortunate way – leaving an oily, broken sauce. Since we’re combining Alfredo with marinara, problem solved!
Alfredo Marinara Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta of choice, I used bowties (also called farfalle)
- 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or 1/2 teaspoon each oregano, basil, parsley, and thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Alfredo sauce
- Grated parmesan cheese for serving
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving, optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, whisk together the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the Alfredo sauce, reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- Fold the pasta into the sauce and stir to coat. Serve with parmesan cheese and basil or parsley (if using).