marinara

American  

[mahr-uh-nahr-uh, mar-uh-nar-uh] / ˌmɑr əˈnɑr ə, ˌmær əˈnær ə /

noun

1. Italian Cooking. a highly seasoned sauce of tomatoes, garlic, and spices.

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adjective

1. garnished or served with marinara.

   shrimps marinara.

Etymology

Origin of marinara

1945–50; < Italian ( alla ) marinara literally, in sailor's style, feminine of marinaro seafaring (adj.), sailor (noun) (dial., for Tuscan marinaio ), equivalent to marin ( a ) sea, noun use of feminine of marino marine + -aro < Latin -ārius -ary

Explanation

Do you love red sauce on your spaghetti? Then you're a fan of marinara, the common tomato-based pasta topping. In Italy, the word marinara is mainly used for specific pasta recipes, like spaghetti alla marinara, literally "mariner's style spaghetti." Experts aren't sure where the name comes from, though some claim it's inspired by fishermen adding seaweed to the sauce to make it saltier. If you want a classic red sauce in Italy, order pomodoro (which means "tomato") instead. In North America, marinara is the most common name for any tomato-based pasta or pizza sauce.

Example Sentences

That employee also picked up marinara sauce and dog food during several trips to the store in a state-owned vehicle, the report said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

“And after rinsing them of marinara sauce, she would let me put them in the bathtub and I would get in with them.”

From MarketWatch • Nov. 20, 2025

The menu includes four vegan options: an edamame teriyaki bowl, a bean burrito bowl, a taco bowl with a pea-based meat alternative, and marinara pasta.

From Salon • Oct. 16, 2024

He tossed broken lasagna into a soup of marinara and ground beef and stirred it together.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 25, 2024

I can never decide which I like more: ranch or marinara.

From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle