Easy Penne Marinara — A 20-Minute Weeknight Dinner

Authentic Italian Gourmet Pasta Sauce. No Added Sugar. Ever.

Sometimes the best dinner is the simplest one. Penne marinara — pasta, sauce, garlic, olive oil, Parmigiano — is the dish that proves you don't need a long ingredient list to make something genuinely satisfying. The key is a great sauce.

Albanese's Finest Original Marinara — authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce with no added sugar — is the sauce that makes simple penne marinara taste like something special. The natural sweetness of premium tomatoes, the depth of slow-simmered herbs, and zero added sugar means every bite tastes clean, bright, and deeply Italian.

• 1 lb penne rigate
• 1 jar Albanese's Finest Original Marinara (24 oz)
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Fresh basil
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Kosher salt & cracked black pepper
• Reserved pasta water

Step 1 — Salt the water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt that it tastes like the sea.

Step 2 — Toast the garlic. Warm olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently, stirring, until golden and fragrant — about 2 minutes. Watch it closely.

Step 3 — Add the sauce. Pour in the marinara. Stir to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes.

Step 4 — Cook the penne. Boil penne until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.

Step 5 — Finish in the pan. Add drained penne to the sauce. Toss over medium heat, adding pasta water as needed until the sauce coats every piece glossily.

Step 6 — Serve. Plate immediately. Top with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Penne rigate, not smooth. The ridges on rigate grip the sauce. Smooth penne lets it slide off.

Reserve the pasta water. The starchy water emulsifies the sauce and makes it cling to the pasta. A few splashes make a significant difference.

Don't rush the garlic. Golden garlic is sweet and nutty. Brown garlic is bitter. Two minutes over medium heat is the sweet spot.

Variations

Penne Arrabbiata: Double the red pepper flakes and add a pinch of cayenne. Arrabbiata means "angry" in Italian — this version earns the name.

Penne Marinara with Vegetables: Add sautéed zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms to the sauce.

Penne Alla Vodka: Want a creamy version? See our Penne Alla Vodka recipe.

About the Sauce

Albanese's Finest Original Marinara is made with no added sugar — which means the natural sweetness of the tomatoes comes through clean. It's the authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce that makes simple penne marinara taste like something worth making again and again.

No added sugar. Small-batch. Founder-made.

Shop Original Marinara →

Related recipes: Classic Spaghetti Marinara · Garlic Shrimp Marinara Pasta · Penne Alla Vodka