For this recipe, I use ready-made marinara and pesto sauces, to make my life easier, and meals quicker. I use Rao’s Handmade Marinara, along with classic Pesto from Costco. I use this combination on my homemade pizzas, sandwiches, and lasagna too.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
It is made with a handful of ingredients It is a semi-homemade recipe Is very flavorful Great recipe for quick weekday meals
Pasta with Marinara and Pesto Sauce
Thank you to my husband, who combined marinara sauce and pesto at a pizza joint for his base sauces. I loved the sound of it so much, that I decided to give it a try. And you guys, I have never looked away! I am obsessed with this sauce! I like to use store-bought sauces to get myself a head start and put an easy and quick meal on the table. You can find both of these sauces at Costco. I use Rao’s Homemade Marinara and Kirkland’s Pesto. Rao’s Handmade Pasta Sauces can be expensive. But if you buy them from Costco, you get two jars of marinara sauce for the cost of one. No, this recipe is not sponsored, I love these products.
Ingredients and Substitutions to Make Marinara Pesto Pasta
Penne Pasta - I am using penne pasta to make this recipe, but you can use any pasta of your choice. I would use rigatoni pasta to make this recipe. Water - We will need about 4 to 6 quarts of water to boil the pasta. Marinara Sauce - A good quality Marinara Sauce will elevate this recipe. I use Rao’s Handmade, other brands I like are Barilla and Ragu. Pesto - You can either buy store-bought pesto or make your own at home. I have a recipe for pesto on my reels on Instagram. Olive Oil - Use good quality cooking olive oil to make this recipe. You can also use butter.
Shallots/Onions - The caramelized onions and shallots in this recipe bring out the sweeter undertones to this sauce, which is the best. Garlic - I love garlic, and this recipe speaks garlic! Don’t worry it is amazing for this recipe and not overpowering. Mushrooms - I am using baby Bella mushrooms, but you can use any mushrooms you like. Mushrooms with Marinara add a depth of flavor and umami to this recipe. Mascarpone / Cream Cheese - You can use either of these cheeses. They add a velvetiness texture to the sauce which makes this sauce so good. I like to use mascarpone cheese, but you can use cream cheese for this recipe.
Spices - I use red chili flakes and mixed Italian seasoning for this recipe. If you don’t have Italian seasoning, substitute with dried oregano Toppings - I like to use fresh flat-leaf parsley, or cilantro and parmesan cheese.
Serving Suggestion
Serve the pasta hot right out of the pan. I like to add some red chili flakes, finely chopped flat parsley, and grated parm. If you need to make it ahead of time, reserve extra pasta water. Add it while reheating, and then serve.
Storage Instructions
Store the pasta in an airtight partner, for 3-4 days. You can freeze, the pasta for up to 3 months. To reheat the frozen pasta, thaw it for 2 hours and then add it to the pan with some olive oil. Add some water, or vegetable broth and then mix until creamy.
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